The US Alaska Airlines pilot who allegedly attempted to turn off the engines of a plane mid-flight has been indicted on 84 counts.
In an Oregon court, the grand jury indicted Joseph Emerson on 83 counts of recklessly endangering another person, one for each person on board during the October 22 incident.
He was also given one count of endangering aircraft.
According to CNN, Emerson's attorneys applauded the decision by the grand jury to not charge him with 83 counts of attempted murder.
"The attempted murder charges were never appropriate in this case because Captain Emerson never intended to hurt another person or put anyone at risk — he just wanted to return home to his wife and children," his attorneys wrote in a statement.
However according to the statement, his defence team was also disappointed to learn he had been charged at all, because he had "no criminal intent".
"Captain Emerson thought he was in a dream; his actions were taken in a single-minded effort to wake up from that dream and return home to his family," his attorneys said.
According to an affidavit filed by prosecutors, Emerson told investigators he "had consumed 'magic mushrooms' approximately 48 hours prior" to the incident.
Emerson took the magic mushrooms in Washington on a weekend getaway to commemorate the death of his best friend, he told the New York Times in November.
He said during the incident he thought he was dreaming while commuting back to California, in the cockpit jump seat of a Horizon Air flight.
It was diverted to Portland, Oregon.
He is set to be arraigned on December 7, and faces similar federal charges, according to CNN.



















SHARE ME