Bad Feelings Heated Up on Ground, Schuller, Flight Attendant Agree

Lawyers for the Rev. Robert H. Schuller and a flight attendant who alleges the minister assaulted him gave differing accounts Tuesday of their clients’ confrontation during a plane trip to New York City two months ago.

Both sides agree, however, that the bad feelings that would escalate into a brief, physical altercation between the two men were sparked before the United Airlines plane left the ground in Los Angeles on July 28, when Schuller refused orders from two flight attendants to place the garment bag containing his minister’s robe in the overhead bin.

This initial disagreement was resolved by a ground supervisor called aboard the plane. But it fueled a hostile atmosphere that led to a further disagreement several hours later when Schuller was served cheese he did not want.

The flight attendant, Khaled Elabiad, today will provide further details of his account, at both a press conference in New York City and later on Larry King’s show, his lawyer, Jack Grossman, said. Elabiad also plans to file a $5- million damage suit this week against the minister of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, claiming he was physically injured and traumatized when the 70-year-old evangelist shook him, Grossman said. Elabiad claims he might not be able to return to work because of injuries he suffered.

Last week, Schuller used Larry King’s Cable News Network show to present his version of the incident. That was the day after he pleaded not guilty in federal court in New York City to misdemeanor assault on a flight attendant. In a deal with federal prosecutors, prosecution was waived after Schuller apologized in federal court for touching the attendant and paid a $1,100 fine.

Schuller said he placed his hands on Elabiad’s shoulders while trying to counsel him and insisted it was not violent.

In giving his client’s version of what happened, Grossman said that Elabiad at first tried to mediate a dispute between Schuller and another attendant concerning Schuller’s bags. Schuller insisted on hanging the garment bags from a bulkhead and not in the overhead, as required by federal regulations, he said.

Schuller was “nasty” and obstinate to both attendants, Grossman said, adding that his client was even told by the captain that Schuller would have to “abide by regulations or get off the plane.”

Eventually, the ground supervisor boarded the plane and, after some argument from Schuller, persuaded him to remove the robe from the bag so it could be hung from a bulkhead along with other coats, Grossman said. The garment bags went into the overhead.

Later in the flight, Grossman said, Schuller was served the dessert of grapes and cheese.

“He goes nuts,” Grossman said. “ ‘I am allergic to cheese. I can’t even see cheese,’ he tells my client.”

Schuller insisted that he get grapes without cheese and then asked for “all the grapes in the plane,” Grossman said. Elabiad told Schuller that the grapes were “pre-plated with the cheese,” he said.

Elabiad, not wanting a further confrontation, went to the galley, but Schuller followed him, Grossman said. There, Schuller “assaulted my client” by shaking him by the shoulders in “a vicious assault and unprovoked attack.”

Schuller’s attorney, Terry Giles, described the injury scenario as a “get-rich-quick scheme.” Elabiad feared that Schuller, who had asked for his name, would report him, so “the best defense was to go on attack first,” Giles said.

“After that, he starts feeling aches and pains and pretty soon he has visions of sugarplums dancing in his head,” he said.

Disputing Grossman’s account, Giles said the ground supervisor had easily resolved the problem of the garment bag, but that the hanging robe announced “to the flight attendant that he lost the argument.” The attendant, Giles said, displayed “attitude” for the next several hours while serving Schuller.

As to the cheese imbroglio, Giles said that Schuller--who is on a low-fat diet and not allergic to cheese--told the attendant he preferred not to have the cheese because if it was on the plate he would eat it.

He was told, “Take it or leave it,’ and Bob said, ‘Forget it,’ ” Giles said.

A few minutes later Schuller went to the galley to ask the female attendant for grapes, which she was getting for him when Elabiad appeared, Giles said.

Schuller asked for his name, so he could address him by it, and the attendant refused, Giles said. The discussion “goes back and forth,” and the attendant accused Schuller of insulting him, Giles said.

At that point, Schuller “takes his shoulders, and the kid jumps back and says, “If you touch me again I will call the police,’ ” Giles said.

“Inside Edition,” which will air a show on in-flight safety and problems encountered by flight attendants, has interviewed Schuller’s lawyer and Tuesday taped an interview with Elabiad, Grossman said. The show will air in September, said a spokesman for “Inside Edition.”