NEW YORK — A New York man whose memorable exit from his flight attendant job made him a working-class hero pleaded guilty Tuesday to criminal mischief and agreed to undergo counseling.
“While the public interest was surprising, at the end of the day, I am a grown-up and must take responsibility,” Steven Slater said outside court in Queens.
Slater, 38, pleaded guilty to two counts of criminal mischief, one count a felony. A prison sentence of one to three years will be suspended while he completes a mental health program in Queens.
On Aug. 9, Slater cursed out a passenger on a JetBlue flight that had landed at Kennedy Airport before sliding down the emergency exit chute he deployed. First reports of the incident said Slater grabbed two beers from the plane’s galley before pulling the emergency exit handle.
After his dramatic exit, police arrested Slater at his Queens home.
Slater became a symbol for stressed-out workers. His lawyer has said the passenger’s “lack of civility” prompted Slater’s behavior.
He had been charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and criminal trespass and was free on $2,500 bail.
A review by mental health evaluators concluded Slater suffered from depression, which made him eligible for mental health court.
“As we interviewed various passengers, it became increasingly clear to me and most of my staff that the defendant’s actions were at least in part due to mental health and alcohol issues,” Queens District Attorney Richard Brown said at a news conference after Slater’s plea.
Brown said that Slater “had finally recognized the seriousness of his actions and is willing to accept responsibility.”
The emergency chute Slater activated could have injured or killed passengers or workers on the tarmac, Brown said.
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