Oregon pilot who tried to turn off plane engines had taken magic mushrooms for depression

[jmbar2]

Joseph David Emerson, 44, was riding in the cockpit of the plane as an authorized occupant on Sunday evening when he unsuccessfully tried to disrupt the engines about halfway between Astoria and Portland, according to a probable cause affidavit.

During a police interview, Emerson said he was having "a nervous breakdown," hadn't slept for 40 hours, and felt dehydrated and tired. He admitted to pulling the handles and said he did it because "I thought I was dreaming and I just wanna wake up."

Emerson said he had taken "magic mushrooms" about 48 hours before the incident. He told police he'd been struggling with depression for six years and that one of his friends recently died.

"The officer and Emerson talked about the use of psychedelic mushrooms and Emerson said it was his first time taking mushrooms," a probable cause document said.

https://katu.com/news/local/pilot-who-tried-to-shut-off-engines-of-plane-mid-flight-was-high-on-psychedelic-mushrooms-psilocybin-arrest-doc-says-alaska-horizon-portland-international-airport?utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&sfmc_id=4790135&utm_guid=398548a3-32c3-4be9-8854-c81561884912&utm_campaign=

[Sneederbunk]

1. Not an Oregon pilot. Did it over Oregon.

[hlthe2b]

2. He's going to need quite a sympathetic judge/jury for that to be a successful defense.

Not to mention some incredibly authoritative and convincing experts-- which given recent decisions by localities to allow or at least decriminalize some use of psychedelic mushroom-derived substances would seemingly go against the bulk of evidence to date.

I'm not saying it is not possible, but... We shall see.

[jmbar2]

4. It will be an interesting case to follow

There has been a long push in Oregon to make shrooms legal for treatment of depression. In many cases, it has been successful. Apparently not in this case.

The fact that he took them two days before seems to make it unlikely to play a role in his actions. I do feel sorry for him. Sounds like he's really struggling.

But killing a plane load of people is not the answer to one person's depression.

[Historic NY]

3. Bad Shrooms...he just screwed up his entire career

[link:https://www.faa.gov/ame_guide/media/Controlled_Substances_and_CBD_Products.pdf|