Jun 20, 2008 9:37 am US/Eastern
Carnival Sued In Alleged Cruise Ship Sex Assault
Alleged Sexual Assault By A Passenger Took Place In Feb. 2008
MIAMI (CBS4) ―
A woman's dream vacation aboard a luxury cruise ship turned into a nightmare when she claimed she was sexually assaulted on board the ship four months ago. On Thursday, the married mother of three came forward to speak about the incident and file a lawsuit against the cruise line and others.
Morgan Black, represented by Attorney Gloria Allred, filed suit against Miami-based Carnival Cruise Lines, Sixthman LLC, and the suspect, identified as "John Doe." Sixthman LLC is a company based in Atlanta, Georgia which organizes themed cruises. In this case, the cruise featured singer John Mayer. Mayer is not named in the lawsuit.
The incident reportedly took place aboard the Carnival Cruise Ship "Victory" on February 4th, 2008. On that night, Black said she was in one of the ship's nightclubs when a man offered to buy her a drink. She declined the offer and said she was looking for her friend. A short time later, the man returned and said he saw her friend in another area of the nightclub. When the two walked to the other area, the section was closed and the man forced the woman into a room where he sexually assaulted her.
The victim notified Carnival security who investigated the incident, along with the FBI. The suspect, who was a passenger, was identified in a photo line-up.
The lawsuit alleges the sexual assault might have been prevented if there had been adequate security on the cruise ship.
STATEMENT FROM CARNIVAL CRUISE LINES:
"Since we have not yet had the opportunity to review the lawsuit, it is not possible for us to comment on the specific allegations. However, we want to reinforce that that the safety and well-being of our guests and crew is Carnival's number one priority. We maintain a high level of security through an onboard uniformed security force. Certified shipboard security officers work in tandem with Carnival's shoreside security department which is made up of many highly experienced former law enforcement professionals."
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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