10/27/2010 // West Palm Beach, FL, US // Sandra Quinlan // Sandra Quinlan
Memphis, TN—The commercial pilot who rejected a full-body screening and pat down at Memphis International Airport has filed a lawsuit against the Transportation Safety Administration (TSA). The plaintiff contended the pending litigation seeks to dispute “the constitutionality of the new policies under the 4th Amendment,” according to an October 27, 2010 WMC-TV and a previous article titled, “Memphis Pilot Refuses Full-Body Scan, Pat-Down; Stands Up for Privacy Rights.”
Michael Roberts, a pilot with ExpressJet Airlines, filed the civil rights lawsuit after he refused to walk through a full-body scanner or allow TSA agents to frisk him. His refusal to comply with TSA regulations subsequently barred him from traveling to his job in Houston.
“I’m not against airline security, but this is not security in any stretch of the imagination… It’s not reasonable when you walk into the airport, and just because you want to fly on a airplane that they should strip search you, or physically put their hands on your crotch or feel your body from top to bottom,” explained Roberts.
While the TSA would not comment on the civil rights lawsuit, a spokesperson for the agency released the following statement:
“Advanced imaging technology is optional for all passengers. Passengers who decline to be screened using advanced imagining technology will receive alternative screening to ensure the safety of the traveling public. Anyone who refuses screening will be denied access to the secure area.”
The case is underway.
Legal News Reporter: Sandra Quinlan– Legal News for Tennessee Civil Rights Lawyers.
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