TSA vs. passenger tussle caught on tape, now focus of lawsuit

A New York woman has filed a $10 million lawsuit stemming from her arrest at Washington's Reagan International Airport last year, an arrest she says was unwarranted and abusive.

Police say 31-year-old Robin Kassner was obstructing justice.

Security cameras captured the incident and the video has now been made public.

Surveillance video from inside Reagan National Airport shows Robin Kassner standing with a TSA agent who sorts through her bag.

Moments later, a Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority police officer steps in and pulls Kassner to the ground.

Robin Kassner says "I was thrown across the room, into a metal chair and into a lady, and I was on the floor and realized I was being beat up."

Kassner says police officer Michael Urbina then used excessive force in handcuffing her.

Robin Kassner says "they picked me up and slammed me onto a metal table. Officer Urbina took his forearm and smashed me against the table."

But the police department says Kassner was not cooperative and the video from the February 2007 incident doesn't tell the full story.

In a statement, airport police say "the passenger was interfering with the screening process and refusing to follow security procedures."

Kassner, a Manhattan marketing executive, was charged with disorderly conduct.

That charge was dismissed.

But 18 months later she is still facing charges for obstruction of justice.

Kassner insists she didn't do anything wrong.

When asked if there was any provocation? Robin says no.

After the incident, Kassner was detained in a Virginia jail cell, left to think about why she wasn't allowed to board the shuttle back to new york.

Robin Kassner says "I was scared, I was begging them to get off of me, and I thought I was going to die."

Due to the lawsuit being filed airport officials have declined to comment further on the matter.

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