Jim Thornton, Wheel of Fortune Announcer, Suspended: Lawyer Speaks Out

Jim Thornton is attempting to clear his name.

After Wheel of Fortune announced that its longtime announcer was suspended from the ABC game show following undisclosed allegations, his lawyer spoke out to defend him.

Thornton’s attorney told TMZ in a Sept. 1 statement that the announcer “did not engage in any illegal conduct, was not arrested, and has not been charged with any crime.”

Plus, the lawyer provided details on the alleged incident, which involved Thornton and a fellow passenger on an American Airlines flight in May.

“When questioned about the complaint made by a fellow passenger on the flight,” the attorney continued, “law enforcement spoke to him for five minutes or less, immediately determined that no wrongdoing had occurred and told my client he was free to go.”

For their part, American Airlines previously confirmed that law enforcement was called to the scene after the alleged incident occurred, sharing in a Sept. 1 statement, “On May 14, American Airlines Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) following concerns reported by a customer onboard.”