Judge frees disruptive flight attendant but bans her from flying

The American Airlines flight attendant accused of striking co-workers and federal marshals on an overseas Thanksgiving flight from Charlotte is free to return to her New Hampshire home for a psychological evaluation.

But she can’t fly.

U.S. Magistrate Judge David Cayer set a $50,000 unsecured bond for Joanne Snow, 67, provided she visit a mental health treatment facility within 10 days for an assessment.

Snow, whose career spans some 50 years, is accused of two federal crimes stemming from a round-trip flight between Charlotte and Frankfurt, Germany, marred by what witnesses describe as her erratic and violent behavior. She faces a maximum penalty of more than 25 years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

She was arrested last Friday after the return trip to Charlotte and involuntarily committed to area hospitals. She was jailed after her release from the medical facilities.

During her detention hearing in federal court, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Savage told the judge that the government was OK with Snow being released from jail for treatment – once prosecutors had a better understanding of her condition.

Assistant Public Defender Peter Adolph said his client could get better treatment and an assessment if she was out of jail and home in New Hampshire, where she has family and friends to support her, and he raised the possibility that Snow’s behavior on the November flight might have resulted from an adverse reaction to new medication.

Cayer placed Snow under the supervision of her son Kyle Snow, who told the judge he lives within 10 miles of his mother’s home. The son also agreed to make sure his mother receives treatment and complies with the other conditions of her release.

After the hearing, Kyle Snow and other family members declined comment.

The judge banned Snow from flying or trying to make contact with the crew of the Charlotte-to-Frankfurt flight, as well as other potential witnesses in her case. She must also report to U.S. Probation officers in her home state.

An affidavit from a U.S. air marshal who was a passenger on the overseas flight said Snow struck her co-workers and marshals and then tried to flee passport control after the plane landed in Charlotte. A federal prosecutor said Snow tried to open the aircraft’s door while it taxied for takeoff in Germany.

Snow was involuntary committed to a hospital after her arrest last Friday but was released. She has been held in the Mecklenburg County Jail since her initial court appearance on Tuesday, during which she talked over her attorney and said she had not disrupted the flights.

During the Friday hearing, Snow appeared much more in control than she had at her Tuesday hearing when she talked over her attorney and interrupted the judge. Friday, she wore a burgundy Mecklenburg jail T-shirt and walked into a courtroom mostly filled with family and friends. A representative of American Airlines also was on hand.

Story and comments: http://www.charlotteobserver.com

AFFIDAVIT: Flight attendant complaint 

NORTH CAROLINA -- A flight attendant from New Hampshire will be in court for causing a big scene on an American Airlines plane overseas.

Joanne Snow of Stratham is described in federal court paperwork as "mentally unstable." 

She's accused of slapping a fellow flight attendant, kicking an air marshal and trying to unlock the plane's door as it taxied to the gate in Germany.
    
Crew members have been concerned about her erratic behavior before. 

Snow told the judge in her initial appearance that she just wants to get back to New Hampshire be with her family.
    
Show will be in court again Friday morning in North Carolina. She faces up to twenty years in prison for interfering with a flight crew.

Story and video:  http://www.myfoxboston.com

Highlights:

• American Airlines attendant charged with disrupting both legs of Charlotte-Frankfurt flight
• Affidavit says Joanne Snow attacked flight crew and marshals
• She is charged with two federal crimes

An American Airlines flight attendant faces several federal charges after she began attacking fellow crew members and U.S. marshals on both legs of an international flight from Charlotte.

Joanne Snow is charged with Interference with Flight Crew Members and Attendants, and Assault on an Officer or Employee of the United States, according to court documents related to the case.

Snow’s erratic behavior disrupted both legs of American flight 704 from Charlotte to Frankfurt, Germany, on Nov. 23 and 24, according to a federal affidavit.

According to the affidavit by federal Air Marshal Joseph D. Fialka, who was assigned to the roundtrip, Snow slapped other flight attendants and shoved, punched or kicked at marshals. Fialka says that other flight attendants told him before takeoff from Charlotte that they had tried to have Snow removed from duty but that American did not replace her.

Snow, he said, confessed to him several times before takeoff that she was “crazy” or a “train wreck.”

Once the doors closed, another attendant told Fialka that Snow had slapped her in the middle galley of the aircraft.  Some 45 minutes later, Fialka says, Snow shoved him several times.

“She was quite irrational at this time,” the marshal said in his affidavit. “She proceeded to the back of the plane, I learned that, while in the back of the plane, she grabbed the collar of the clothing (of another marshal) ... and spoke nonsensical things.”

Later, Fialka said he tried to calm Snow. In response, she struck him twice with her open palm in his chest, he said. “The force of this action moved me back. I weigh considerably more than Snow.”

The behavior continued and disrupted the rest of the flight, then resumed on the trip back to Charlotte with the same crew in place, the affidavit says.

After landing, the flight crew wanted to find help for their colleague, Fialka wrote, but at customs, Snow’s behavior escalated. She began yelling and screaming and try to get around passport control. Fialka says he handcuffed her for her own safety, then escorted her to an interview room.

There, he says, she kicked him five or six time before he and another law enforcement officer could restrain her.

Snow’s initial appearance in federal court was canceled.

Source: http://www.charlotteobserver.com

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A flight attendant on an international flight out of Charlotte was acting erratic but was not removed from the plane despite objections from the flight crew, according to an affidavit filed in federal court. 

A criminal complaint filed in federal court late last week charges Joanne Snow with interfering with a flight crew and assault, resisting or impeding a federal officer. The charges involve incidents on two flights last week.

The affidavit, written by a federal air marshal, alleges that flight attendants notified officials before the flight on Nov. 23 to Frankfurt, Germany that Snow was acting irrationally and in a manner that "caused concern for the safety and security of the flight.” The marshal claimed Snow admitted she was "crazy" and a "train wreck."

The crew members requested Snow not work on the flight but "American Airlines management did not remove her from work status," according to the affidavit.

Channel 9 reached out to American Airlines Monday and received the following statement:

"We are aware of the incident, along with the subsequent criminal complaint, and take this matter very seriously. We are cooperating fully with federal law enforcement in their investigation, and are working directly with our employees. The safety and security of our customers and employees is always the top priority."

The affidavit goes on to allege that Snow "physically assaulted," "shoved" and struck people with an "open palm."

Officials said she was disruptive for the duration of the flight.

Snow and the same flight crew were assigned to another flight departing Frankfurt on Nov. 25.

"Snow appeared to be mentally unstable this entire flight as well," according to the affidavit.

Snow was scheduled to appear in court Monday morning but the appearance was canceled. 

Story and video:  http://www.wsoctv.com