Man accused of slapping crying boy on Delta flight out of job. Should he have lost his job?

[NWP]

Man accused of slapping crying boy on Delta flight out of job

From Ric Ward and Michael Martinez, CNN

updated 5:47 AM EST, Mon February 18, 2013

Joe Rickey Hundley of Hayden, Idaho, shown in a photo from a previous arrest, has been charged with assaulting a minor.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• "I was shaking," the mom says
• Mother tries to soothe crying 2-year-old son as Delta flight descends into Atlanta
• Man beside them allegedly says "shut that ('N word') baby up," court papers say
• He then allegedly slaps the crying boy in the face with an open hand, papers say

(CNN) -- An Idaho man accused of uttering a racial slur and slapping a crying 19-month-old boy on a Delta Air Lines flight is now out of a job.

Joe Rickey Hundley of Hayden, Idaho, was charged with assaulting a minor in the February 8 incident. His company, which initially suspended him, said Sunday that Hundley no longer has his job.

"Reports of the recent behavior of one of our business unit executives while on personal travel are offensive and disturbing," said a statement from AGC Aerospace & Defense. "We have taken this matter very seriously and worked diligently to examine it since learning of the matter on Friday afternoon.

"As of Sunday, the executive is no longer employed with the company."

AGC Aerospace & Defense supplies technology and other services to the military and businesses.

Affidavit: Slap with an open hand

According to documents filed in U.S. District Court in Atlanta last week:

The boy's mother, Jessica Bennett, 33, of Minnesota and her son were seated in row 28, seat B, on Delta Flight 721 that originated in Minneapolis.

As the plane began its descent into Atlanta, the boy began to cry because of the altitude change and his mother tried to soothe him.

Then Hundley, who was seated next to the mother and son, allegedly told her to "shut that ('N word') baby up."

Hundley then turned around and slapped the child in the face with an open hand, which caused him to scream even louder, an FBI affidavit said.

The boy suffered a scratch below his right eye.

Other passengers on the plane assisted Bennett, and one of them heard the slur and witnessed the alleged assault, the affidavit said.

No comment

"I could not believe that he would say something like that and to a baby or about a baby and then to hit him was just, I felt like I was in another world. I was shaking," Bennett told CNN affiliate KARE in Minneapolis.

The charge of simple assault on someone under age 16 carries a prison sentence of one year, court papers said.

In 2007, Hundley pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge filed in Virginia, according to court records.

Reached by phone Friday, Hundley declined to comment to CNN and referred inquiries to his attorney.

The attorney couldn't be immediately reached for comment at the time.

[lga1965]

Yes. I'm glad they fired the racist,abusive monster. It's exactly what he deserves.

[Jers.]

Yes, he is the president of the company and he has an obligation and responsibility as the face of that company.  Also, since there are charges against him, it seems more than reasonable that he would lose his job

[JakeandEmmasMom]

 Yes.  I think a company should have recourse when an employee does something so terrible, so publicly.  Good for them.

[katy_kay08]

Actions have consequences.  This is not a man I would want representing my company in any way shape or form.  

[mikiemom]

Yes, he was traveling on Business paid for by his company so therefore he was representing his company at the time. Since he was technically working at the time the company had no choice in firing him as his actions violated their written policies on the subject. Plus they have government contracts, they risk censure if they did not deal with the subject. The company did the right thing - but the fact is they had to fire him

[candlegal]

yes, he should have been fired.

Back in the day when I worked for insurance companies most employees had to sign a contract that stated they could be fired for moral turpitude.   I wonder if people still have to sign that.

[jesusismyfriend]

Ummm yeah. Why is this even a question. Dude even plead guilty.

[meriana]

If he had done that to my child, losing his job would be the least of his worries.

[Binkys_Buttons]

Doesn't surprise me.... I live in the hayden area. It's airen nation country up here. Compounds and all...


Good for the company for taking a stand and sticking to it.

[NWP]

"Reports of the recent behavior of one of our business unit executives while on personal travel are offensive and disturbing," said a statement from AGC Aerospace & Defense.

It wasn't a business trip...should that matter?

Quoting mikiemom:

Yes, he was traveling on Business paid for by his company so therefore he was representing his company at the time. Since he was technically working at the time the company had no choice in firing him as his actions violated their written policies on the subject. Plus they have government contracts, they risk censure if they did not deal with the subject. The company did the right thing - but the fact is they had to fire him