‘Mile High Karen’ Starts Brawl On Delta Airlines Over Offensive Rosa Parks Comment
A woman accused of assaulting another Delta flight passenger who called out her disparaging Rosa Parks comment faces jail time.
CNN, citing an unsealed criminal complaint, confirmed on Tuesday (Dec. 28) that Patricia Cornwall, 51, allegedly hit a male passenger in the head with a closed fist in an altercation on a Dec. 23 flight from Tampa to Atlanta.
Cornwall now faces federal charges that could land her in prison for up to one year and fined up to $100,000.
The man told the FBI that Cornwall was in the aisle trying to return to her seat from a restroom in the back of the plane, according to the complaint. A beverage service cart blocked her path, so the flight attendant requested that she find an open seat in the back of the aircraft until beverage service was over.
"(Cornwall) responded to the flight attendant, 'What am I Rosa Parks?'" the complaint says.
After hearing that comment, the male passenger said he “told Cornwall it was an inappropriate comment and that she 'isn't Black....this isn't Alabama and this isn't a bus.' "
He then purportedly told Cornwall to "sit down, Karen," according to the complaint.
That ignited an argument that led to Cornwall allegedly striking the man, causing a visible head injury. He also told the FBI that she spit on his face and head area.
Atlanta Police Department arrested the woman after a video of the incident went viral. “Based on the statements gathered and visible evidence, officers detained Ms Cornwall and contacted the on-call FBI agent. The officers then relocated with Ms. Cornwall to the domestic Atlanta Police precinct where FBI agents responded and took custody of Ms Cornwall,” the APD continued.
According to IMDB, Cornwall is a former actress, Playboy model and Raiders cheerleader who appeared in the 1989 TV series Baywatch as well as the 1987 sitcom Married… with Children and Playboy film Playboy: Cheerleaders.
A video below, posted by ATL Uncensored, purported to show what happened.
