Off-Duty Alaska Airlines Pilot Indicted on 84 Charges

Joseph Emerson, accused of attempting to shut off plane engines mid-flight, faces endangerment charges but avoids attempted murder counts

An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot, Joseph Emerson, who allegedly attempted to shut off a plane's engines mid-flight, has been indicted on 84 charges by a grand jury in Oregon.
The charges include one count of endangering an aircraft in the first degree and 83 counts of recklessly endangering another person, one for each person aboard the aircraft at the time of the incident.
The grand jury declined to indict Emerson on the 83 counts of attempted murder originally sought by the state.
Emerson's lawyers stated that he never intended to hurt anyone and believed he was in a dream during the incident.
Emerson also faces similar federal charges and is set to be arraigned on December 7.