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Court documents: Georgia doctor faces federal charges after allegations he groped woman on plane

Throughout the flight, the woman says, he would touch her inappropriately -- including when the plane encountered turbulence.

Court documents: Georgia doctor faces federal charges after allegations he groped woman on plane

Throughout the flight, the woman says, he would touch her inappropriately -- including when the plane encountered turbulence.

Southeast Georgia and the low country. This is W JCL 22 morning news. See us. Now, your folks have, the more likely it is that they'll be sick. *** growing number of states on the east coast bracing for dangerous air pollution caused by dozens of wildfires in Canada. The area is expected to see the worst conditions this week. Deputies arresting *** woman days after she's accused of shooting and killing her neighbor. *** brand new first hand account this morning of what happened I'm running because I think this country is in *** lot of trouble. Mike Pence speaking for the first time since he officially launched his presidential campaign. Why he says he chose the constitution over former president Donald Trump. We want to thank you so much for waking up with us right here on W J C L 22. Good morning. I'm Emma Hamilton and I'm Frank Sokolski. Let's go ahead, get meteorologist, Jonathan Myers in here now. And I tell you what, Jonathan, those images we're seeing from the northeast and it's just crazy down here. We're just dealing with some heat. Yeah. And also, uh Frank, we probably will see some of that smoke in our area today, in the low country, also coastal Georgia. So we will see those hazy skies is what we'll see through the afternoon. And another hot wind on tap for us. Today, temperatures for *** lot of us will be approaching 90 this afternoon. Starting the morning off, upper sixties to around 70 75 at night. We'll see that high for today. Close to 90 degrees at three o'clock, Most of the day will be dry. But after about 23 o'clock, we'll see some showers and thunderstorms begin to pop up and where those thunderstorms do fire up later today could produce maybe some gusty winds. But for today, just like yesterday, the severe threat is low but couldn't rule out maybe some down of those thunderstorms. No rain across coastal Georgia, low country. They start off *** cold front to our north. You can see the showers associated with that from Myrtle Beach all the way to Augusta as that front moves our way. You get the daytime heating going. That's why I do believe we will see some of those thunderstorms too fire up later this afternoon. And like I said, just *** little second ago, hazy skies this afternoon, it will be another hot one and it is going into the weekend that warm weather will continue. I'll detail more on the certified most accurate forecasts in less than 10 minutes. Very, very scary. Just walking down the street and feeling like I'm going to have an asthma attack this morning. Health experts say being exposed to air in New York for one day right now equals smoking six cigarettes. I'm still in shock about that stuff and impacts from the air pollution are being felt in states all along the east coast as far south Georgia. Yeah, New York is reporting the worst air quality of any major city in the world because of hundreds of active wildfires up in Canada. Now these images of the cloudy New York skyline are just shocking to see. And Washington DC expected to see some of the worst conditions today while cities in Ohio, they're bracing for the worst tomorrow. It is yet another alarming example of the ways in which the climate crisis is disturbing our lives and our communities more exposure folks have. The more likely it is that they'll be sick. Six million acres have already burned up in Canada. Her son was literally gasping for air telling me that his mother had been shot by the lady across the street shooting and killing her neighbor in front of the victim's Children is in jail. Deputies. They arrested her yesterday. Nearly *** week after the shooting happened following protests from folks in the community, Tony Atkins from our sister station down in Orlando caught up with the neighbor who talked to the victim's son. Right after that shooting. She took someone's kid's mom away. She didn't just kill someone she killed someone's mom. Megan Stevens is talking about her neighbor from across the street. Susan Lawrence who's now charged with shooting her neighbor from next door AICA Owens or AJ for short parents here say all the kids play outside together. Many of them black or mixed. They say Laurence would often call them slurs before things escalated, calling them the N word hard. R you know, whatever, you know, stop that. This memorial right here is the result of what happened in this field. Now, people in this neighborhood say this field is where kids like to play. You can see why because it has so much space and this is where all the Children in the area would come and play. Now they say that Laurence really had an issue with kids playing near her home. It eventually escalated and Owens came over from her house across the street to confront Laurence. And that's when deputies say she shot through her front door, killing Owens. And I heard *** bang on my door so loud that my windows were shaking and I came outside and her son was literally gasping for air telling me that his mother had been shot by the lady across the street. He said, you knew who that was. I knew who it was immediately I'm running because I think this country is in *** lot of trouble. Former Vice President, Mike Pence is making it known where he stands on critical topics after he launched his presidential campaign, he held *** town hall last night. Many of the questions asked him about his former boss, former president Donald Trump, including how he felt when Trump was calling for leaders to overturn the results of the 2020 election. When the president asserted that I had the right to overturn the election. I said today that I, I felt that he was, he was asking me to choose between him and the constitution. I chose the constitution and I always will. I said today President Trump was wrong, then he's wrong. Now, Pence also talked about his stance on other important issues. He says if he's elected, he would not pardon January six riders. He wants to fight for more abortion restrictions and he supports states banning tiktok. Now Pence of course, joined *** crowded Republican race made up of 10 candidates including former South Carolina, Governor Nikki Haley and South Carolina, Senator Tim Scott Ari Backer mic fakes spins the pirouette and the bucket is good. 32 dude making moves like Emma right there. Just shifty there. Denver Nuggets now leading the NBA finals two games to one over the Miami heat. Last night, you watched the Nuggets make history right here on W J C L 22 during game three of the finals. Two players, same team, triple doubles. Yeah, that's the first time that's happened in NBA finals history. The teams now get set for game four. You can watch it right here on W J C L 22 that's coming up tomorrow night at 8 30 passing over to Jonathan time for the traffic track 22 as we head out this morning. No problems on the roadway around the Savannah Hilton Head International Airport. If you are headed to the airport this morning, looking very quiet. Savannah downtown to the airport about 20 minute commute. Hilton head in Hinesville. That south and north bound on I 95 *** little more than about *** 50 minute commute. So no issues out there on the roadways this morning is very quieter even across the low country, not seeing any accidents at this time. Highway 21 at Gulf Stream Road, you see there's some wet roadways still out there from the overnight rain, but no problems for that commute this morning to keep up with traffic throughout the day time. All you need to do. Just go to our website W J O dot com slash traffic for all the latest updates.
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Court documents: Georgia doctor faces federal charges after allegations he groped woman on plane

Throughout the flight, the woman says, he would touch her inappropriately -- including when the plane encountered turbulence.

Above video: Your Thursday headlinesA Georgia man is facing federal charges after being accused of groping a woman on a flight to Maine.Jake Namjik Cho was scheduled to face a judge Thursday morning for an initial appearance in connection to the March incident. That appearance was rescheduled to June 23. Multiple media outlets have identified Cho as a Georgia doctor who specializes in nephrology.Piedmont Healthcare lists a Dr. Cho as having nephrology offices in both Fayetteville and Newnan.According to court documents, Cho was seated next to a woman on a Delta Airlines flight from Georgia to the Portland International Jetport. When they arrived in Portland, the woman accused Cho of continuously leaning into her seat area while he pretended to be asleep.TRENDING STORIESMan walking from Georgia to South Carolina arrested after deputies find him naked by interstateTracking the Tropics: Following Arlene, what's in store next for the Atlantic?Hilton Head Island's new brewery, beer garden and restaurant officially opens its doorsThroughout the flight, the woman alleged, Cho would touch her inappropriately -- including when the plane encountered turbulence. She said despite shifting her body away from him, he reached over "which would have required the male's deliberate movement."The victim exclaimed "Excuse me," to which the man reacted by immediately retracting his hand, documents say. Upon landing in Portland, the woman reported the incident to authorities who identified the man as Cho, according to officials.Before his return trip to Georgia, Cho was interviewed by Portland police and a Federal Air Marshal. He told authorities he was a doctor in Georgia who lived in Peachtree and worked in Fayetteville.Cho denied touching the woman at all, claiming he was in Maine to propose to his girlfriend.Cho would be interviewed again in April, once again denying that he assaulted the woman who sat next to him on his flight to Portland "indicating that she made up the story," documents read.However, during an interview after a polygraph test, Cho admitted he touched the woman but denied it was sexual, documents say.According to court records, Cho said he stretched out his legs and at some point touched his left foot against her right and maintained contact until he fell asleep. The statement continues he fell asleep and woke up leaning on his left facing her. "At some point, I saw her and reached out and grabbed her right upper thigh with my left hand," the statement reads, "I intended to only squeeze her upper right thigh and never intended to touch her crotch."Court documents say Cho would go on to say his glasses were off and it was dark, adding he removed his hand when he heard her exclaim."I was so embarrassed and did not know what to do so I closed my eyes and I tried to go back to sleep for the remainder of the flight," the statement reads.Cho faces one count of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft and could face up to two years in prison with a fine of $250,000.

Above video: Your Thursday headlines

A Georgia man is facing federal charges after being accused of groping a woman on a flight to Maine.

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Jake Namjik Cho was scheduled to face a judge Thursday morning for an initial appearance in connection to the March incident. That appearance was rescheduled to June 23.

Multiple media outlets have identified Cho as a Georgia doctor who specializes in nephrology.

Piedmont Healthcare lists a Dr. Cho as having nephrology offices in both Fayetteville and Newnan.

According to court documents, Cho was seated next to a woman on a Delta Airlines flight from Georgia to the Portland International Jetport.

When they arrived in Portland, the woman accused Cho of continuously leaning into her seat area while he pretended to be asleep.

TRENDING STORIES

Throughout the flight, the woman alleged, Cho would touch her inappropriately -- including when the plane encountered turbulence. She said despite shifting her body away from him, he reached over "which would have required the male's deliberate movement."

The victim exclaimed "Excuse me," to which the man reacted by immediately retracting his hand, documents say.

Upon landing in Portland, the woman reported the incident to authorities who identified the man as Cho, according to officials.

Before his return trip to Georgia, Cho was interviewed by Portland police and a Federal Air Marshal. He told authorities he was a doctor in Georgia who lived in Peachtree and worked in Fayetteville.

Cho denied touching the woman at all, claiming he was in Maine to propose to his girlfriend.

Cho would be interviewed again in April, once again denying that he assaulted the woman who sat next to him on his flight to Portland "indicating that she made up the story," documents read.

However, during an interview after a polygraph test, Cho admitted he touched the woman but denied it was sexual, documents say.

According to court records, Cho said he stretched out his legs and at some point touched his left foot against her right and maintained contact until he fell asleep. The statement continues he fell asleep and woke up leaning on his left facing her.

"At some point, I saw her and reached out and grabbed her right upper thigh with my left hand," the statement reads, "I intended to only squeeze her upper right thigh and never intended to touch her crotch."

Court documents say Cho would go on to say his glasses were off and it was dark, adding he removed his hand when he heard her exclaim.

"I was so embarrassed and did not know what to do so I closed my eyes and I tried to go back to sleep for the remainder of the flight," the statement reads.

Cho faces one count of abusive sexual contact on an aircraft and could face up to two years in prison with a fine of $250,000.