CHICAGO — A former Chicago Aviation Police officer is suing United Airlines and the city of Chicago's Department of Aviation for alleged defamation and wrongful termination.
James Long filed a complaint on April 10 in Cook County Circuit Court, alleging that the defendants failed to properly train him. Additionally, the plaintiff claims the defendants fired him and then published defamatory statements about him on social media.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges he was terminated from his employment on April 10, 2017, after he allegedly was required to use to physical force on a passenger who refused to get off a plane. The plaintiff alleges that a spokesperson for the city began making defamatory statements about him after he was fired, which he claims were false and harmed his reputation.
Anne Marie Beckert
As a result, the plaintiff claims he has suffered and continues to suffer emotional injuries and has lost earnings and retirement benefits.
The plaintiff holds the defendants responsible for allegedly firing him for his actions and then publishing false statements about him on social media. The plaintiff also claims that the defendants failed to properly train him.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment for all damages arising out of his termination, fringe benefits, punitive and compensatory damages, attorney's fees, costs and any further damages the court deems just. He is represented by attorney Anne M. Beckert in Chicago.
Cook County Circuit Court case number 18-L-3544