JetBlue pilot who disrupted flight free to go home

Clayton Osbon was released more than seven months after a March flight from New York to Las Vegas during which passengers said the 49-year-old pilot left the cockpit and ran through the cabin yelling about Jesus and al-Qaida. The flight was diverted and safely landed in Amarillo, Texas.

Osbon was charged with interference with a flight crew. He was found not guilty by reason of insanity after a forensic neuropsychologist testified in a short, unpublicized trial that Osbon had a "brief psychotic disorder" brought on by lack of sleep. Reports on Osbon's psychiatric evaluations over the past several months have been sealed.

Osbon remains a JetBlue employee on inactive duty, but conditions set Friday by U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson say he is not allowed on board any domestic or international flight without permission from the judge or his probation officer and he must forego his license. The conditions also say he must find regular work, unless his probation officer approves schooling or training instead.

Defense attorney Dean Roper said he did not know what sort of employment Osbon might pursue.

Osbon also is not allowed to communicate with anyone on the flight he disrupted and must participate in a treatment program for alcohol, drug and narcotic dependency, according to the judge's order.

"This is a bad situation for you and your family, but you are fortunate to have the type of immediate support that you have," said Robinson, who could have committed Osbon to a mental health facility.

Osbon appeared at his Friday hearing in a green jail jumpsuit and did not make an extended statement in court. Roper said afterward that he didn't know if Osbon would ever fly again, but was relieved the months-long legal proceeding was at an end.

"It's been a long ordeal for everyone involved, especially Mr. Osbon," Roper said.

Osbon left the federal courthouse without commenting to reporters and was to head back to his home in Georgia later in the day. Osbon and a JetBlue colleague who attended the hearing were making the 1,300-mile road trip together, Roper said.