Sexual assault on a plane faces up to life in prison but interference with a flight crew is only up to 20 years? What the heck!?



"A Chicago man was charged with interference with a flight crew after he groped a pregnant passenger and caused an emergency landing of a JetBlue Flight in Denver.

Shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday, JetBlue Flight 677, an Airbus-A-320 carrying about 150 passengers from New York to Los Angeles, was diverted to Denver because of an unruly passenger who groped a female passenger, according to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Denver.

Officials on the plane said the passenger, identified as Marcus Covington, 32, of Chicago, was intoxicated and making passengers nervous by walking up to their seats and saying things that didn't make any sense, according to the complaint. Soon after, passengers seated next to Covington asked to move away from him.

During the flight, Covington was waiting to use the lavatory behind a 27-year-old pregnant woman who he groped, according to the complaint.

A flight attendant nearby then asked Covington if he would be able to remain seated and he told her to "bounce," that he didn't want her near him, the complaint said.

A passenger told authorities that he saw Covington take at least eight pills on the flight, the complaint said.

Covington was taken off the plane in handcuffs, and while Denver police officers were trying to get him to sit in a chair, he kicked, spat on and threatened to kill them, the complaint said.

If convicted, Covington faces up to 20 years in prison. He appeared in court this afternoon where he was appointed a public defender, officials said.

His next court date was scheduled for Aug. 24 at 2 p.m., officials said.

I had the exact same thought when I read it. I guess jmiz is right though.

That's how the law and its punishment is written. Why are you surprised by this?

What are the chances he'll get life in prison for this? JJ was going for dramatic and you bit.

"A North Bergen man has been charged with sexually abusing a sleeping woman on a commercial airline flight and he faces up to life in prison if convicted, officials said yesterday." http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index ... n_man_charged_with_1.html

Now I'm as against sexual assault as the next person, but WTF is wrong with our society? Possible LIFE for a 1st offense? Do we really have no sense of proportion? More time for what sounds like a mental health lapse than for drug dealing or murder? Not to say pillaging a country of it's life savings via mortgage fraud. This system is out of wack.

Edit: if this is more shitty JJ reportage, never mind.