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Lawyers for the family of a 9/11 victim can question a United Airlines employee about a call allegedly made using her cellphone to terrorist ringleader Mohamed Atta, a judge has ruled.
Manhattan federal Judge Alvin Hellerstein gave the lawyers up to one hour to ask Julie Ashley about “any communications she may have had, or has firsthand knowledge of, in which information about United Airlines’ operations was communicated to one of the September 11 hijackers.”
The decision issued Monday capped a battle over efforts to depose Ashley in connection with a wrongful-death suit against United by the mother of Mark Bavis, who was killed when United Flight 175 slammed into the south tower of the World Trade Center.
Ashley, 47, has denied any contact with the hijackers. United spokeswoman Megan McCarthy said yesterday, “We will continue to defend our employee from these irresponsible attacks.”