Off-duty pilot's wife defends him against accusations of endangering flight's engines
The wife of Joseph D. Emerson, the off-duty pilot accused of attempting to disable the engines of an Alaska Airlines plane mid-flight, insists that her husband would never knowingly hurt anyone. Emerson has been charged with interfering with a flight crew and faces numerous state charges, including attempted murder. His wife acknowledges his recent depression but says he had no intention of harming himself or others. Emerson's defense attorney claims he believed he was in a dream-like state during the incident and denies that he was under the influence of intoxicants. An arraignment on the federal charge is scheduled for November 22.