JetBlue pilot to use insanity defense

[alp227]

Source: CNN

- Clayton Osbon, the JetBlue pilot who was restrained by passengers after he left the cockpit and acted erratically during a flight last month, will use an insanity defense, according to court documents filed Wednesday by his attorney Dean Roper.

CNN contacted Roper's office, but was told the attorney was unavailable and would not be commenting.

Osbon was ordered to be transferred to a mental hospital to undergo a psychiatric examination two weeks ago. A hearing set at the time was postponed pending that evaluation.

He is charged with trying to "knowingly and willingly interfere and attempt to interfere with the performance of the duties of a flight crew member and flight attendant."

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2012/04/18/travel/jetblue-pilot/index.html

[bluedigger]

1. Sounds appropriate to me.

[cstanleytech]

2. Agreed but if the DA accepts it should require that he surrender his pilots license for life.

After all if he is that unstable he shouldnt be piloting any aircraft at all imo.

[bluedigger]

3. I'm pretty sure the FAA can pull it without the courts.

Nobody's flying with him again.

[Cooley Hurd]

4. He'll never have his license pulled. His medical certificate is a different story...

He'll never see a Class 1 med certificate again.

[HereSince1628]

5. Has anything more come to light about medications he was taking?

I remember some mention of that shortly after the event.

[panzerfaust]

6. Makes Sense. He was, reportedly

raving about God: A belief in whom some would take as prima facie evidence of insanity.

Invisible friend in the sky. Check.

[alp227]

7. Wait, so being religious is insane?

[Kablooie]

9. Being religious - no : Raving about religion - yes

[truth2power]

8. Am I the only one here who's willing to cut this guy some slack? It likely wasn't his fault...

I guess we'll never know (because of HIPPA) unless Osbon is willing to speak out, but I think that Dr. Lieberman who was interviewed on CBS News nailed it.

Link: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57406340/what-led-to-jetblue-pilots-midair-meltdown/?tag=contentMain;contentBody

I agree with the Dr. that it was likely some neurologic event that compromised his brain function, i.e., a mini-stroke, seizure, infection. Some organic process going on.

It goes without saying that we don't know what the medical team surely knows at this point.

As far as the legalities of the charges, I don't understand how you can be incarcerated for something you have no control over. "...knowingly and willingly" was not the case, IMO.