An Arizona real estate agent who was restrained with duct tape after an alleged midair outburst has spoken publicly for the first time since footage of the incident spread online.
Layne Lundeen, 67, was removed from a flight traveling from Dallas, Texas, to Newark, New Jersey, earlier this month after he allegedly launched into a racist and homophobic tirade.
Passengers restrained him in his first-class seat, forcing the aircraft to divert to Baltimore, where he was taken into custody.
According to The Banner, Lundeen appeared in court the following day and was charged with two counts of second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
The outlet later obtained audio from the hearing, during which Lundeen said he could not recall the events. “I don’t remember any of what happened,” he said.
As the charges were read, Lundeen appeared surprised and asked, “I assaulted a police officer? Is that what it says?”
After putting on his glasses to review the allegations, he added, “Oh my God. What a mess. I don’t remember any of it.”
In response to questions from the judge, Lundeen said he had been traveling to help one of his daughters move into a new apartment and celebrate her birthday.
Passengers restrained Lundeen in his seat, prompting the plane to divert to Baltimore, where he was arrested.
Lundeen told the judge he had been traveling to help his daughter move and celebrate her birthday.
“I came to New York City. I don’t know how I got to Maryland. I was supposed to land in New Jersey. I got a double whammy for my trip, now it’s a triple whammy,” he said.
Lundeen was later released and ordered to avoid drugs and alcohol. Court records reviewed by Our News Outlet show that his trial is scheduled for October 19.
Following the disturbance, it emerged that Lundeen had been seated next to Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, a controversial author known for connecting biblical prophecy with contemporary events.
Cahn told Our News Outlet that Lundeen grabbed him by the throat, struck him and damaged his laptop during the flight.
Cahn said he and Lundeen had initially been discussing their religious beliefs before the conversation suddenly escalated.
In a ‘split second,’ Cahn claimed, Lundeen, who he believes had just a couple of drinks, became enraged and started cursing at him and God.
Cahn said: ‘He said he was at one point a Christian, but he rejected Jesus after he got divorced and he felt judged by Christians over the divorce.
‘I was trying to help him, I was trying to encourage him and say Jesus had trouble with religious hypocrites.’
Since the outburst, it has emerged that Lundeen was sat beside Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, a controversial author known for linking biblical prophecy to current events, Cahn is seen here
The flight was two hours into its journey to New Jersey when Lundeen is said to have lashed out
But it was when married Cahn, 66, started talking about his own experiences of God that Lundeen allegedly saw red and ‘turned.’
‘His face changed, his voice changed, and he said… almost in a whisper, he was like, “I have something to tell you,” and he said, “Bulls***,”‘ Cahn alleged.
Cahn claimed he tried to withdraw from Lundeen by doing some work on his laptop, but his seatmate allegedly then began knocking his screen and attempting to get him to talk again.
He said a flight attendant allegedly then came over to tell him to quiet down.
As the saga escalated, Lundeen allegedly called a black flight attendant the N-word and made homophobic comments, according to TMZ.
Cahn claimed that Lundeen then hit his chest and abdomen ‘like he’s trying to start a fight,’ before allegedly threatening: ‘I’m gonna punch your f***** Jewish face in.’
He claimed he had a ‘feeling’ Lundeen wanted to destroy his laptop so he got up from his seat taking his computer and cellphone with him.
But he said when he stood up, Lundeen allegedly lunged for his laptop and tried to wrestle it off him – leaving the whole plane in ‘shock.’
He alleged that during the struggle, Lundeen broke Cahn’s laptop and hurt Cahn’s already injured arm.
Richard O’Lenick, left, and his employee Juan Mejia, right, sprang into action help subdue Lundeen on their American Airlines flight home to New Jersey
Cahn, for his part, told Our News Outlet he didn’t ‘specifically’ hear what Lundeen said – including whether or not he uttered the racial slur or made homophobic comments.
But he claimed he did hear him say something ‘vulgar’ about the genitals of a male flight attendant.
Cahn said Lundeen tried to be ‘friendly’ to him again before allegedly putting ‘both hands around my neck’ and ‘pushing going back and forth.’
Juan Mejia, a retired police officer who was on the flight, and Richard Olenick, a store manager, reportedly restrained Lundeen with duct tape around his wrists, head and body to tie him to the seat.
At one point, Lundeen allegedly tried to get out of his restraints but the male passengers held him down.
Cahn said he switched seats before the plane made its emergency landing at Baltimore.
When FBI agents boarded the plane, he said he gave them his contact details but has yet to hear from them.
After footage of the wild incident went viral, Lundeen was promptly fired from Long Realty in Tucson, where he was reportedly vice president.
