JetBlue Pilot Plans Insanity Defense

[DieselDragRacer]

AMARILLO, Texas—A JetBlue Airways captain accused of disrupting a flight when he left the cockpit screaming about religion and terrorists plans to use an insanity defense at trial.


An attorney for Clayton F. Osbon filed a motion Wednesday outlining plans to argue Mr. Osbon was insane at the time of the incident on the March 27 flight from New York to Las Vegas.



Mr. Osbon remains jailed in Texas awaiting a court-ordered psychiatric exam to determine his competency for trial and whether he was legally sane when witnesses say he left the cockpit and ran screaming through the cabin.


Passengers wrestled him to the floor, and he was subdued until the plane made an emergency landing in Amarillo.


Prosecutor Christy Drake declined to comment on the filing.

 

[coogebeachhotel]

and the other option would have been?

 

[Blue Dude]

Is there some discretion here on the part of the prosecution? Couldn't he just show evidence that for whatever reason he wasn't in his right mind and therefore a Federal trial isn't warranted? I'm not sure what the point is of spending lots of taxpayer dollars on this.

 

[shroomwell]

I don't understand why he can't be granted bail. That is BS.

 

[bubbers44]

Pleading insanity so he could be let out on bail??????????

 

[Blue Dude]

Pleading insanity so he could be let out on bail??????????

One doesn't preclude the other. If a temporary medical condition caused the incident it would warrant both being released on bail under supervision and avoiding a stint in Federal prison. I'm still not convinced that throwing the book at him is appropriate.

 

[Baze]

and the other option would have been?

The Chewbacca Defense!

 

["TheBigPicture"]

I don't understand why he can't be granted bail. That is BS.

Because he's a flight risk!:nuts::nuts:

 

[crxpilot]

We are not the enemy, but that is how the government wants to treat us now. This poor guy needs mental help, not an incrimination. Even Zimmerman got away with "potential" murder for what over a month before Al Sharpton got him thrown in jail!

 

[bubbers44]

I hope he gets the help he needs. I didn't mean throw him under the bus but he caused a huge disturbance interfering with crew members. You can't let him out on bail unless you can be sure he won't do it again. Do we have any proof of that? A pilot can not expect special treatment other citizens must obey. We as pilots are human and it is possible to have a mental breakdown as he did but we are not special and should be treated as anyone else that went out of control. Let him get treated for his mental breakdown before letting him back if he still has a problem.

 

[NuGuy]

Is there some discretion here on the part of the prosecution? Couldn't he just show evidence that for whatever reason he wasn't in his right mind and therefore a Federal trial isn't warranted? I'm not sure what the point is of spending lots of taxpayer dollars on this.

He had the bad luck of doing this on a slow news day.

Nu

 

[airplane wizard]

I don't understand why he can't be granted bail. That is BS.

yea...they let murders out on bail.

 

[Miami Freight]

I hope he gets the help he needs. I didn't mean throw him under the bus but he caused a huge disturbance interfering with crew members. You can't let him out on bail unless you can be sure he won't do it again. Do we have any proof of that? A pilot can not expect special treatment other citizens must obey. We as pilots are human and it is possible to have a mental breakdown as he did but we are not special and should be treated as anyone else that went out of control. Let him get treated for his mental breakdown before letting him back if he still has a problem.

It's easy enough to keep him off a plane. Add him to the TSA watch list, problem solved. He can't buy a ticket. I'm sure he's no longer in CASS.

 

[CiFIknow]

Typical over-reaction by the Feds who, of course, are doing their best to keep us "safe". Completely headline driven. Really feel bad for the guy as this cannot have been his normal state of being. But to be pushed to the point of having to plead insanity is pretty ridiculous.

 

[sealy101]

I believe he was temporarily insane. Probably due to medication he was taking.

 

[N311HK]

Typical over-reaction by the Feds who, of course, are doing their best to keep us "safe". Completely headline driven. Really feel bad for the guy as this cannot have been his normal state of being. But to be pushed to the point of having to plead insanity is pretty ridiculous.

Ridiculous? Were the Shoe or Underwear bombers given bail? Just because he has the same profession does not make it better. Ask yourself. If he called Allah his god or his skin were dark would you have the same empathy? No flame or trying to be insensitive. Just imagine if he was doing IOE with a new hire and there wasn't a commuting pilot in the back. Do you think any family member of the Egypt Air crash would have a take on this?

 

[Skank]

Ridiculous? Were the Shoe or Underwear bombers given bail? Just because he has the same profession does not make it better. Ask yourself. If he called Allah his god or his skin were dark would you have the same empathy? No flame or trying to be insensitive. Just imagine if he was doing IOE with a new hire and there wasn't a commuting pilot in the back. Do you think any family member of the Egypt Air crash would have a take on this?

Lumping him in with those guys, really? Those guys attended training camps in the destert to learn how to kill us. Are you really making that comparison?

 

[waveflyer]

Hey man, there are a lot of places you can have a mental break down with a lot less consequences.
Without knowing him, it's probably a sad story- but there are lots of things you can't do once.

Here's the question though- is interference with a flight crewmember, if you are also a flight crewmember, really treated the same as any passenger? Seems a bit odd- but probably the only thing they could hold him on without going the terrorist route.

 

[DieselDragRacer]

Does loss of medical insurance have any exclusions if a 'crime' was committed? What I'm getting at is your homeowners insurance, personal liability umbrella and auto insurance has all kinds of loopholes if you commit a felony.

 

[N311HK]

Lumping him in with those guys, really? Those guys attended training camps in the destert to learn how to kill us. Are you really making that comparison?

Me, personally no. But I'm sorry when the moment he "allegedly" went to move those levers to idle and said "we're going down," he is in the same ballpark as those other guys. This isn't just a bad day at work here bro, attempted murder over US airspace is serious stuff.

 

[rigger]

So once again because we choose this profession we get screwed by the almighty govt. if this guy worked as a Walmart greeter ( he would probably make more money) but he would have been treated and released. But since he was a pilot on a flight he is treated no different than a person who comes on board with the intention of killing everyone.....how does this make sense to anyone. He flipped his wig and is now a federal criminal....he was just doing his job which he did with no issue for many many years, he survived how many checking events, and also went through how many background checks? But he has a mental breakdown on a flight and is still in jail....if this happened in the crew room would he be in jail? Total BS

So now as a pilot, you can go to jail for how many reasons? You can loose your livelyhood and go to jail for how many reasons? Every 6 months I can get thrown under the bus for how many reasons......if I make 1 mistake I can got to jail.....what other JOB offers this to the profession.....and one more thing how is it the company ran over him so quickly? Perhaps the non Union issue here is hurting this guy cause who is protecting him....we sure are not based on a couple comments......could be anyone of us today.....I really mean today, who knows what your mind can do today. By climbing into the flight deck somehow I have to be above and better than regular joe blow bus driver? HUH somehow if I get sick or blow a gasket or make a human error, or leave something off a piece of paper I'm a risk and must be JAILED WTF......

 

[Vastly Underemp]

Me, personally no. But I'm sorry when the moment he "allegedly" went to move those levers to idle and said "we're going down," he is in the same ballpark as those other guys. This isn't just a bad day at work here bro, attempted murder over US airspace is serious stuff.

Who the he11 ever claimed that he moved those levers (we actually call them throttles, ace) to idle and said "we're going down"? You really need to get your sh1t together a$$wipe before you invent things to convict the guy with, just to hear yourself talk.

Vastly

 

[rigger]

Me, personally no. But I'm sorry when the moment he "allegedly" went to move those levers to idle and said "we're going down," he is in the same ballpark as those other guys. This isn't just a bad day at work here bro, attempted murder over US airspace is serious stuff.

See what I mean everyone........attempted murder.....yep that him tried to kill everyone......on purpose with malice and forethought........Christ he should get the death penalty. Or maybe his punishment is enough already.....sure he scared people but damn I get scared every time I get on i95..... Let's see he lost his job, he lost his ability to ever make a living in this industry, his name has been destroyed, his family's been Hirt very badly by this, he will have a federal record now, so he won't be able to get a job as a Walmart greeter, and on and on. All because he (beyond his control) blew a gasket for a short time....yep same as a terrorist going to a camp and learning to blow people up, then planning the blow up part then getting on a plane and actually trying to do it......yep I can see your logic.....

WE ARE SO SCREWED IN AMERICA TODAY....

 

[N311HK]

Who the he11 ever claimed that he moved those levers (we actually call them throttles, ace) to idle and said "we're going down"? You really need to get your sh1t together a$$wipe before you invent things to convict the guy with, just to hear yourself talk.

Vastly

Not to be condescending like you but we call them Thrust LEVERS Chuck. And check the audio. We're going down doesn't sound good. Level 4 threat man. Attempted breach. So when the gunship (helli) escorted them just a bad day at the office? Please. I don't like it any more than you. So if your child was on that plane and you weren't a super pilot would you feel the same?

 

[N311HK]

See what I mean everyone........attempted murder.....yep that him tried to kill everyone......on purpose with malice and forethought........Christ he should get the death penalty. Or maybe his punishment is enough already.....sure he scared people but damn I get scared every time I get on i95..... Let's see he lost his job, he lost his ability to ever make a living in this industry, his name has been destroyed, his family's been Hirt very badly by this, he will have a federal record now, so he won't be able to get a job as a Walmart greeter, and on and on. All because he (beyond his control) blew a gasket for a short time....yep same as a terrorist going to a camp and learning to blow people up, then planning the blow up part then getting on a plane and actually trying to do it......yep I can see your logic.....

WE ARE SO SCREWED IN AMERICA TODAY....

Yeah attempted murder. Because he was just so ok that the FO LOCKED him out! You don't go away for a long time by pleading insanity.

 

[airplane wizard]

Treating him like a terrorist is complete B.S.

 

[Ty Webb]

The guy was out of his mind. Let him get professional help; he's already lost his career and much more . . .

Prosecuting him? What's the point? It's not like it was some premeditated act; a conviction is highly unlikely, and a waste of time and taxpayer money.

 

[SWA/FO]

Lumping him in with those guys, really? Those guys attended training camps in the destert to learn how to kill us. Are you really making that comparison?

The guy was out of his mind. Let him get professional help; he's already lost his career and much more . . .

Prosecuting him? What's the point? It's not like it was some premeditated act; a conviction is highly unlikely, and a waste of time and taxpayer money.

I agree...

He had plenty of opportunity to kill everyone on board, IF he wanted to. He didn't want to hurt anybody..... No bail for him is BULL$HIT.

 

[StarChecker]

The guy was out of his mind. Let him get professional help; he's already lost his career and much more . . .

Wait until he sees what is about to happen to our health insurance next year...


Thanks 1193...you were right! This IS better than an ALPA negotiated CBA....