Prosecutors: JetBlue flight attendant may avoid jail

Steven Slater, the infamous former JetBlue flight attendant who allegedly cursed out a passenger on a flight before sliding down the plane emergency exit chute he deployed at Kennedy Airport, could avoid jail time, prosecutors said Tuesday.

Slater, 38, of Belle Harbor, whose name became known worldwide after the Aug. 9 incident, is being evaluated for an "alternative sentencing" program in Queens Criminal Court, District Attorney Richard Brown said at a news conference. Upon completion of the program, if convicted, Slater could get probation or be required to perform community service as his sentence, he said.

Slater - who was charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and criminal trespass, and is free on $2,500 bail - made a brief court appearance Tuesday, but his scheduled hearing was postponed. Brown's announcement followed.

News of the flight attendant's alleged actions on the flight from Pittsburgh, which had just landed at Kennedy Airport, made him an Internet sensation and a symbol for stressed-out workers. His lawyer has said the passenger's "lack of civility" prompted Slater's behavior.

His next court appearance is set for Oct. 19. If convicted of the charges, he would face a maximum prison term of 7 years.

"The evaluation and potential participation are at the defendant's request," the district attorney said. The fact that Slater requested evaluation for entry into treatment court was evidence that he realized "the seriousness" of what occurred, he said.

"I said since the beginning that the event has been trivialized," the district attorney said.

Brown refused to comment on whether Slater was drunk or had been drinking at the time of the incident.

First reports of the incident stated that 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.

Brown said treatment court admissions typically involve defendants with alcohol, drug or mental health problems. Evaluations are done by a licensed psychologist with supervision by a medical doctor, the district attorney said.