The former Alaska Airlines pilot, accused of attempting to disable the engines of a Horizon Air flight, now faces 84 endangerment charges, with authorities clarifying that attempted murder charges have been dropped, as announced on Tuesday.
The Multnomah County district attorney’s office in Oregon, where Portland is located, disclosed the grand jury’s indictment against Joseph Emerson. He is set to be arraigned on Thursday, facing 83 counts of recklessly endangering another person — one for each individual on the plane — and one count of endangering an aircraft. Previously, Emerson had pleaded not guilty to attempted murder charges filed by state prosecutors and a federal charge of interfering with a flight crew.
In Oregon, initial felony charges can be brought by prosecutors prior to a grand jury’s indictment. The charges in an indictment can vary based on the evidence presented.
Emerson’s defense team expressed satisfaction with the grand jury’s decision, asserting that the attempted murder charges were unwarranted. They emphasized that Captain Emerson’s intentions were not to harm anyone but to return home to his family, describing his actions as a result of a perceived dream-like state.
Prosecutors allege that Emerson attempted to disable the engines during an October 22 flight from Everett, Washington, to San Francisco while occupying an extra seat in the cockpit. After a brief struggle, as described by the flight crew, Emerson exited the cockpit. Flight attendants restrained him and placed him in the rear of the aircraft, leading to the plane’s safe diversion to Portland with over 80 people on board.
Charging documents reveal that Emerson, following his arrest, admitted to struggling with depression, mourning a recent friend’s death, and consuming psychedelic mushrooms approximately 48 hours before the incident. He also claimed to have been sleep-deprived for more than 40 hours.
This narrowly averted disaster has prompted renewed scrutiny of cockpit safety and the mental well-being of individuals granted access to them.
You can also read: Ex-Marine Admits Guilt in Planned Parenthood Firebombing Case
Emerson remains in custody in Multnomah County.