Jury Gets Case in Trial of Alleged Airline Groper

A federal jury has begun deliberations in the trial of a New Jersey man charged with groping a woman on a cross-country flight last year.

Bawer Aksal has been on trial since last week in Newark. The 49-year-old Turkish-born U.S. citizen is charged with sexual abuse and abusive sexual contact.

The alleged victim testified under an alias and told jurors she awoke from sleep on the Phoenix-to-Newark flight to find Aksal molesting her with one hand inside her blouse and the other inside her panties.

An FBI agent testified Aksal told her that the woman came on to him and initiated the contact by placing his hands on her.

Aksal didn't testify in his own defense.

The Record reports the alleged victim attended closing statements on Thursday.

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