Three women JetBlue crew members met JetBlue pilots Eric Johnson and Dan Watson on a beach in San Juan, Puerto Rico, May 9, the lawsuit alleges. After talking for some time, the pilots shared some opened cans of beer with the women. "The beer was laced with a drug, and after that point, the rest of the night became a blur for [the women]."
One of the women, described as Jane Doe 1, from Riverton, Utah, came to consciousness later in a nearby hotel room as Johnson was raping her, but due to the drug she was unable to react. She also described witnessing Johnson rape another drugged crew member, and recalls him telling her, "Thank you for making my fantasy come true."
Jane Doe 2 describes being in the hotel room, but vomiting frequently because of the drugs she'd been slipped, which prevented her from being assaulted.
Shortly after the incident, the women reported the events to JetBlue headquarters in New York, and Jane Doe 1, fearful of STDs, was tested. The lawsuit alleges she had contracted HPV, a sexually transmitted virus she hadn't had before the rape. JetBlue promised to investigate the matter, but no action was ever taken against the pilots. Now, each of the three plaintiffs is seeking at least $75,000 in damages through the suit, which names the JetBlue corporation and the pilots individually. They charge that JetBlue's failure to address the situation amounts to sexual discrimination, sexual harassment and a hostile work environment, among other crimes.
"What happened to my clients is truly horrific, and JetBlue's failure to take appropriate action is appalling," said the women's lawyer, Abraham Melamed, according to the New York Post.
JetBlue would not comment on the pending case, but told the Post that it takes "allegations of violent or inappropriate behavior very seriously and investigates such claims thoroughly."
