Judge frees JetBlue pilot who disrupted flight

AMARILLO, Texas — A federal judge in Texas says a JetBlue Airways pilot who disrupted a flight by running through the plane and yelling about terrorists can go free.

The ruling Friday in Amarillo comes months after Clayton Osbon was found not guilty by reason of insanity for his behavior on a March 27 flight from New York to Las Vegas. Osbon had been charged with interference with a flight crew.

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JetBlue pilot Clayton Frederick Osbon, right, is escorted to a waiting vehicle by FBI agents as he is released from The Pavilion at Northwest Texas Hospital, in Amarillo, Texas, in this In this April 2, 2012, photo. Osbon was charged with interference with a flight crew for his behavior on the March 27 flight from New York to Las Vegas. AP / Amarillo Globe-News, Michael Schumacher

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A neuropsychologist testified at the bench trial in July that Osbon had a “brief psychotic disorder” brought on by lack of sleep. In August Osbon had another psychotic episode while in prison for a mental evaluation, which was ordered by U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson.

Robinson extended the evaluation before issuing her latest ruling.

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