United Passenger Plea Guilty After Stabbing Flight Attendant

dailyblitz.de 3 hours ago

CHICAGO- A Massachusetts man, Francisco Severo Torres, has pleaded guilty to attempting to stab a flight attendant on United Airlines (UA) Flight UA2609 from Los Angeles (LAX) to Boston Logan Airport (BOS) in March 2023. The plea deal may result in his release with time served.

The incident, involving an attempt to open an emergency exit and a violent assault with a broken spoon, raised significant safety concerns onboard. This article details the event, legal proceedings, and implications, as reported by PYOK.

United Passenger Attempts Stabbing

On March 5, 2023, United Airlines (UA) Flight 2609, a cross-country service from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) to Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), was approximately 45 minutes from landing when an alarming situation unfolded.

The cockpit received an alert indicating that a mid-cabin emergency exit door between First Class and the Main Cabin had been disarmed.

Flight attendants discovered the slide arming lever was in the disarmed position, and the door handle had been shifted about a quarter of the way toward the open position, posing a severe safety risk at 35,000 feet.

A flight attendant observed Francisco Severo Torres, a 33-year-old from Leominster, Massachusetts, near the door and suspected he had tampered with it.

When confronted, Torres reportedly asked if cameras had recorded his actions, heightening crew concerns.

The crew notified the captain, expressing fears that Torres posed a threat to the aircraft’s safety and urging an expedited landing.

Shortly after, Torres escalated the situation by rising from his seat, approaching two flight attendants in the aisle, and threatening to “kill every man on this plane.”

He then attacked one attendant, striking them three times in the neck with a broken metal spoon.

Passengers and crew swiftly intervened, tackling and restraining Torres until the plane landed safely in Boston.

Mental Health Assessments

Upon landing at Boston Logan International Airport (BOS), Torres was arrested and charged with interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon, a federal offense carrying a potential life sentence and fines up to $250,000.

In July 2023, US Magistrate Judge Judith Dein ruled Torres unfit to stand trial due to a mental health condition, leading to his commitment to a mental health facility.

In December 2023, the facility’s director deemed Torres fit to proceed, but his legal team introduced independent experts who diagnosed him with anosognosia, a condition impairing his ability to recognize his mental illness.

This led to his recommitment to a mental health institution. After further evaluation, Torres reached a plea deal with prosecutors in May 2025, pleading guilty to the interference charge.

Prosecutors have recommended a sentence of time served, reflecting the over two years he has spent in custody and mental health facilities, along with a fine ranging from $15,000 to $150,000.

Torres is scheduled for sentencing on July 17, 2025, with the court holding the final decision on his penalty.