Two Dozen Additional Passengers Join The Action Against The Airline

There are now 34 passengers who claim they feared for their lives when a JetBlue pilot had to be restrained after he ran through the cabin yelling about Jesus and al-Qaida. Capt. Clayton Osbon was tried for interference with a flight crew, but was found not guilty by reason of insanity in July after a forensic neuropsychologist testified that he had suffered a "brief psychotic disorder" brought on by lack of sleep.

The Wall Street Journal reports that an amended lawsuit was filed in Brooklyn, NY, charging that JetBlue was "grossly negligent" in allowing Osbon to fly. The attorneys for the plaintiffs say they plan to look for information about Osbon's mental state prior to the March 27 incident, and if there was any indication that he had shown any signs of mental instability.

Osbon is still under observation at a prison medical facility in North Carolina for evaluation purposes. U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson extended that process through Oct. 15. He had been scheduled to return to federal court in Amarillo in August to determine if he should be freed or sent to another mental health facility.

The plaintiffs are seeking $2 million in damages for emotional distress.

FMI: www.nced.uscourts.gov