AND BRING YOU UPDATES ON AIR, ON
OUR MIDDAY NEWSCAST, AS WELL AS
ONLINE AT NBCBAYAREA.COM. MARCUS AND LAURA.
>> GINGER, THANK YOU.
>>> 6:35 RIGHT NOW.
THE ACTIONS OF AN OFF-DUTY PILOT
FROM THE BAY AREA CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR AN
IN-FLIGHT INCIDENT HAS LANDED
ALASKA AIRLINES IN COURT.
>> KRIS SANCHEZ JOINS US FROM
THE NEWSROOM WITH WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THIS CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.
>> WE KNOW THAT THAT ALASKA AIRLINES PILOT WAS OFF DUTY ON
THAT HORIZON FLIGHT, BUT AN
ATTORNEY FOR THREE PASSENGERS
FILED A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT TO
FORCE THE AIRLINE TO PUT THEIR
PILOTS THROUGH MORE RIGOROUS PREFLIGHT SCREENINGS, WHETHER
THEY’RE ON DUTY OR NOT.
TWO OF THE THREE PASSENGERS ARE
FROM SAN FRANCISCO.
IN ADDITION TO BETTER SCREENING FOR PILOTS, THE SUIT SEEKS
DAMAGES FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL INJURY AND DISTRESS, AND FOR LOST
TRAVEL AND ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITIES, BECAUSE OF THAT
TRAUMATIC EVENT.
JOSEPH EMERSON OF PLEASANT HILL
REMAINS IN CUSTODY AND WILL
RETURN TO COURT LATER THIS
MONTH.
IN ADDITION TO 83 CHARGES OF
ATTEMPTED MURDER IN THE SECOND DEGREE, HE FACES ONE COUNT OF
ENDANGERING AN AIRCRAFT AND A
FEDERAL CHARGE OF INTERFERING WITH A FLIGHT CREW.
AFTER THE PLANE LANDED SAFELY
AND EMERSON WAS TAKEN INTO
CUSTODY, HE ALLEGEDLY TOLD
POLICE THAT HE WAS DEALING WITH
DEPRESSION, HE FEARED HE WAS
HAVING A NERVOUS BREAKDOWN, AND
THAT HE HAD TAKEN PSYCHEDELIC
MUSHROOMS DAYS BEFORE AND HAD
NOT SLEPT IN 40 HOURS.
HE WAS IN AN EXTRA SEAT IN THE COCKPIT WHEN HE TRIED TO
ALLEGEDLY TURN AN EMERGENCY FUEL
SHUTOFF, WHICH WOULD KILL THE ENGINE AS WELL.
ONCE HE WAS SITTING IN THE BACK
OF THE PLANE, HIS HANDS
RESTRAINED BY ZIP TIES, HE ALLEGEDLY ALSO TRIED TO OPEN AN
EMERGENCY EXIT DOOR.
EMERSON WAS UP TO DATE ON THE MANDATORY MEDICAL EVALUATIONS
FOR PILOTS OVER THE AGE OF 40,
THAT REQUIRES PILOTS TO BE
EXAMINED EVERY SIX MONTHS AND
DISCLOSE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES
AND MEDICATIONS, BUT DOES NOT
REQUIRE FULL MENTAL EVALUATIONS
AS PART OF THAT PHYSICAL.
ACCORDING TO THE
WASHINGTON-BASED LAW FIRM THAT