United Passenger Dr. David Dao's Attorney Raises Rosa Parks Comparison

Dr. David Dao's attorney dared to go there ... bringing up a comparison of Dao's brutal removal from a United flight to the plight of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks.

It happened during the nearly hour long news conference in Chicago -- Tom Demetrio mentioned an email from a Dao supporter, who suggested the doctor is the "modern day Asian" version of the great Rosa Parks.

Now, Demetrio was quick to distance himself from that remark, but still -- there's clearly a reason he mentioned it in the first place.

The question ... did it backfire?