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Woman used at LAX as Jamie Lynn Spears decoy threatens to sue LA Police
The moral of this story seems to be, if you're going to use a person as a decoy for a famous person, ask first. Don't just pick the person out of a crowd and let her or him be surrounded by paparazzi while the celebrity gets to trot off without being noticed.
This is exactly what happened to Adessa Eskridge, a woman from Ohio who happened to look a bit like Jamie Lynn Spears, AND, as fate would have it, be on Jamie Lynn's flight. I wrote about this and similar celebrity excitement that goes on at LAX in a post last September. Back then, I didn't know the story behind this story.
While Eskridge was minding her own business, just being her pretty self, the LA police noticed her, and according to this article, surrounded Eskridge as she got off the airplane. The eight or nine officers directed her to keep her glasses on and led her to baggage claim where the paparazzi snapped her picture. In the meantime, Jamie Lynn was able to trot off with her new baby without anyone noticing.
According to Eskridge, the police didn't tell her what they were up to until right before the moment the paparazzi swooped in. Even though she was beyond confused, she went along with them. After the incident, Eskridge decided she's not too pleased to have been used in this way. It caused her mental anguish and upset. As a result, she wants the LA police department to pay her more than $100,000 for her efforts. If the police department won't pay up, she's suing.
While reading the details, I'm thinking that getting hired out to be a celebrity decoy could be a plausible job in these days of celebrity love. Wouldn't it be a cool job to look like someone else so that your picture could end up on the cover of a magazine next to the check-out line at the supermarket and you'd get paid for it? Particularly if you get to travel to some exotic locations in order to throw off the scent.
In Eskridge's case, since she didn't sign up for the job, if the police won't pay up, maybe Jamie Lynn could get Eskridge a nifty gift as a way to thank her for a few hassle free moments.
What strange things have been found on planes?
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
paul Jan 7th 2009 1:10PM
I'm so tired of people suing for the most ridiculous stuff. It was crappy of them to do that, but a few moments of paparazzi is not damaging to the tune of $100,000. If anything, it's a compliment and a great story to tell to friends.
Jamie Rhein Jan 7th 2009 4:29PM
Paul, on one hand I can see your point. On the other hand, she was hoodwinked into an action by the police. As of yet, she's not suing. An interesting point a friend of mine made that I hadn't thought of is this--what if someone were nutty enough to attack Jamie Lynn Spears and attacked this woman instead? Stranger things have happened in the world of tinseltown.
DeeDee Jan 7th 2009 9:13PM
AMEN Paul! This is completely nuts.
jane Jan 7th 2009 8:24PM
What a joke anything for a buck. She looks like she is high maintenance. Its all about money these days. If it happened to me I wouldnt sit there and sue. accidents happen. I understand she was a little freaked out but to sue over it come on now. I hope she doesnt get anything out of this.
soooc Jan 7th 2009 8:40PM
where did you see her picture?
nick Jan 7th 2009 8:45PM
frivolous. omg, she's so distraught over being mistaken as a celebrity. give me a break!!! she WISHES that the paparazzi were there to see her. i hope they laugh her out of the court room. money grubber!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! oh, and jamie lynn is trash too, like the rest of her family. i just wanted to add that. thanks for the "news".
DONNA Jan 7th 2009 9:03PM
I HOPE SHE GETS ALL SHE CAN!SHE DESERVES IT! IF IT HAPPENED TO U, U WOULD DO THE SAME!!
Justjack Jan 7th 2009 9:07PM
George Clooney used to use me that way. On the one hand it was indeed very exciting- though a few women were disappointed with the truth. On the other hand it can be demanding on one's time
Frank Jan 7th 2009 9:22PM
Before Jerry Garcia died, and a short while after, people used to mistake me for him. It was fun, well, except for the woman behind the counter at McD's that screamed when I walked in. I used to tell them I was his brother. Lot of fun and then he ruined it by up and dying on me. Oh well. Now they tell me I look like Tommy Chong.
RINGOFAN Jan 7th 2009 9:32PM
I think that the women has the right to sue. She has free will, you know.........
People think I look like Danny Norriega.................
AKWARD
teltech541 Jan 7th 2009 9:34PM
Don't blame the people for the suing. Blame the lawyers. They find the smallest thing to sue about in order to make money. Spilling hot coffee on oneself and then suing the company that gave it to you and winning only shows lawyers should be done away with. Everyone is just plain greedy and the lawyers feed off this.
Joann Jan 7th 2009 10:24PM
actually we learned about that case in my law class. about the lady that sued mcdonald's for the coffee spill. turns out she had every right to sue because the coffee's temperature was way too high. it caused her to have 3rd degree burns all over her thighs and abdomen. coffee is not really supposed to be that hot when served. just fyi.
ProPalin Jan 9th 2009 3:50PM
Yeah, the McDonald's coffee was super-heated and it scalded her noonie almost shut. I used to jeer at this "frivilous" law suit but after researching a little, the woman was injured horribly. No, putting coffee between one's legs while driving isn't wise, but we have all done it.
Joey Jan 7th 2009 9:43PM
WHY is Jamie Lynn Spears considered important anyway???????
Sheila Jan 7th 2009 9:46PM
No offense but if you were to do somebodies dirty work would you do it for free? Maybe it isn't worth what she is asking but they should not have just assumed she would do it, she should have been asked first. She has the right to travel in peace just like anybody else does. They took that right away. SHe does deserve to be compensated. How would you feel about it? Better yet when you get off a plane let somebody treat you this way and see how you like being treated that way for free.
Marian Jan 7th 2009 11:36PM
It seems to me that this article was not clear, but has it occured to anyone that maybe the LAPD thought this woman was Jamie? Perhaps THEY made a mistake in identity?
Sheila Jan 8th 2009 12:04AM
Hopefully that would be the case. I was just saying that if they used her for that purpose knowing who she was then they should have to pay. I mean it would only be fair. I seriously doubt it caused her any harm as she claims it did but to do that to somebody intentionally would be wrong and if they did then they would owe her.
Sheila Jan 8th 2009 12:12AM
People do sue over stupid things but I wish people were just honest enough to compensate the ones who deserve it. Unfortunately people don't care and it seems it has gotten to the point of people having to sue.
My daughter, 5 at the time, was at McDonalds (all the ones I have been to have the tables bolted down since the are the type like card tables and very unsturdy( well she leaned over to get something and the table fell over and crushed her finger. It shattered the bone above her fingernail. We had to carry her to the hospital and of course it was huge so the doctor had to burn a whole through the nail to release the pressure that had built up, then set it. We had to drive an hour every week, then every other week to the doctor to be sure it was healing correctly since it was shattered and in the place it shattered they weren't sure her nail would grow back. You want to know what McDonalds offered us? A kid meal, only because hers was dumped out. They didn't call to check on her or anything. Just told us if we wanted we could come back and get her a kid meal. Now don't get me wrong but it would have been nice if they could have offered to help with the doctor bills which would not have been much other than the hospital bill, heck a phone call to find out how she was would have been nice since they took down our information as we were leaving. But we didn't even get that.
That is why people have become so fond of sueing.Because without that the ones who need to compensate could care less.
Hopefully the police just made an innocent mistake and if they did she needs to learn that mistakes do happen and the price she is asking for is a bit off.
Kelly Jan 8th 2009 5:55AM
Sheila, I am very sorry about your daughter's injury. But, you have to look at it from the point of view of the owner. (Most McD's are owned by someone who owns more than just one and would not have been there that day.) First off, the employees are taught to NOT admit fault, that can come back to bite the owner in court. Second, calling to check on your daughter can again be seen as admitting fault. Third, any offer of compensation can be seen as admitting fault. Fourth, there is always the "the tables aren't made for leaning on or sitting on" defense! So, the best way to handle something like this would be to take care of what happened, make sure that someone in the store documents the incident (corporate policy for atleast McD's and WalMart, I'm sure of that, so most others should be the same), take care of everything. Then, send a certified copy of the bill in a signature required envelope to the owner with a letter explaining why you are sending him the bill from the hospital. Most likely, you'll get offered at most half the bill. (In this case, they would say your daughter was the cause. If she had been sitting and the table just collapsed with no movement, then the table would be the sole issue.) Unfortunately, the world HAS become sue happy and owners have to protect themselves from perceptions that they admit fault cause that can lead to multi-million dollar settlements for some crazy things. It's easier to wait and see what the person is going to do and then deal with it.
Sheila Jan 8th 2009 5:18PM
The world has become sue happy. I read this morning about a man asking his wife for compensation for the kidney he donated in their divorse.. How funny is that? AS far as McDonalds it was the manager on duty who took the info an das I said it would have been nice if they had at least called to ask how she was doing, the doctor bills as I said were not much thanks to the insurance. But a call checking on her would have been worth alot but never got that.
I am saying that people have forgotten to care about others as people only what could and couldn't happen as far as their pocket book goes and it shouldn't be that way. Any concerned person would have walked over and checked to see if she was okay instead they stood behind the counter and watched. There is a point to where feelings should be put ahead of money and people have forgotten where that point is. Not only the people being sued but the ones who sue. When a person who was saved from something can turn around and sue the person who saved them then yes we have serious issues but look at it from the other way as well. I pay a dentist darn good money to fix my teeth but when I have wisdom teeth taken out I have to sign something saying if he tears them up them he is not responsible. That, in my book, doesn't add up. If I pay him for a job then I expect it to be done right. People are forgetting right from wrong in their greed.