The mystery surrounding Jim Thornton’s suspension from Wheel of Fortune has a much clearer starting point after photographs emerged from a May flight showing what another passenger says she saw on his laptop.
TMZ published images Thursday that it says were taken aboard a May 14 American Airlines flight from Charlotte to Los Angeles. The passenger who supplied them told the outlet she became concerned after seeing messages on Thornton’s screen, photographed what she saw and alerted the flight crew, according to TMZ’s new report.
Thornton’s attorney, Allison Hart, says there is an innocent explanation. She said the longtime game-show announcer became involved in suicide-prevention advocacy after losing a close family member and was sent a link to a different forum by an acquaintance connected to that work. According to Hart, Thornton opened the link without initially realizing what kind of community it served and left after understanding its nature.
Thornton was not arrested and has not been charged with a crime. American Airlines has independently confirmed that law enforcement met Flight 1276 when it arrived at Los Angeles International Airport after concerns were reported by a passenger, while Thornton’s attorney says officers briefly questioned him and allowed him to leave.
The Passenger Photographed What She Saw on Thornton’s Laptop
The photographs provide new context for a story that initially surfaced with only vague references to an incident aboard a commercial flight. The passenger told TMZ that she saw messages she found disturbing, took photographs of Thornton’s screen and showed them to the flight crew. Entertainment Weekly reports that the images show Thornton’s laptop open to lifeline.chat, which the outlets covering the story describe as a forum serving people dealing with pedophilic thoughts.
Some of the conversations visible in the photographs contain references to children and child sexual abuse material. Hart says the website itself does not contain unlawful child sexual abuse material and has categorically denied that Thornton viewed, possessed or downloaded such material either during the flight or at any other time.
There is also a disputed timing issue. TMZ says timestamps visible across the photographs span at least 57 minutes. Hart says Thornton left once he understood the nature of the site.
Thornton’s Lawyer Says He Was Misdirected Through Suicide-Prevention Work
Hart says Thornton became active in suicide-prevention advocacy after losing a close family member to suicide two years ago and had spent time visiting online resources for people experiencing suicidal thoughts. She specifically identified 988lifeline.org and its chat service as resources he had previously used.
According to Hart, an acquaintance in that space sent Thornton a link to lifeline.chat, which he initially believed was another suicide-prevention forum because of the similar name. She said he had not understood that it served people dealing with pedophilic thoughts and left the page once he realized what it was.
Hart has denied that Thornton engaged in any illegal conduct and said he has never viewed, downloaded or consumed child sexual abuse material. She also said authorities spoke with him for no more than several minutes after the flight and then told him he was free to leave.
American Airlines told The Washington Post that Flight 1276 was met by law enforcement at LAX on May 14 after a customer reported concerns onboard, but the airline did not identify Thornton or describe the result of any police questioning.
Sony Suspended Thornton and Is Recasting His Role
@sportsnews1771 #jimthornton ♬ Sunflower – Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse – Post Malone & Swae Lee
Sony Pictures Television’s response is separate from the question of whether any criminal conduct occurred. The studio said it had recently become aware of allegations concerning Thornton, suspended him from Wheel of Fortune and began recasting the announcer position while conducting what it called a “thorough investigation.” Sony has not publicly announced a conclusion to that investigation.
The suspension also created an immediate production issue. TMZ reports that approximately the first month of season 44 had already been recorded with Thornton before Sony’s decision. Producers are now re-editing those completed episodes with another announcer ahead of the season’s Sept. 14 premiere, an effort one source described to the outlet as a “major undertaking.”
Thornton has served as the show’s full-time announcer since 2011 after succeeding longtime voice Charlie O’Donnell. He remained in the role through Pat Sajak’s retirement and Ryan Seacrest’s arrival as host alongside Vanna White.