During a trip from Los Angeles to Boston, a Massachusetts man is accused of attempting to stab a flight attendant in the neck with a broken metal spoon and open the emergency exit. A court has ordered that the man remain in custody while getting a psychiatric evaluation.
In federal court in Boston on Thursday, Magistrate Judge Judith Dein stated that Francisco Severo Torres, 33, exhibits indicators of mental health concerns and should be assessed by a specialist. After the examination, a doctor will report the results to the court, which will then decide if the man is qualified to face trial.
The mental health evaluation was ordered by the prosecution due to what they described as a history of violent outbursts.
Torres’ defense counsel contested the assessment, claiming that their client did not think he had any mental health problems. After the hearing, the two defense lawyers, Allen Franco III and Joshua Hanye, declined to talk to the media.
Torres allegedly constantly contemplated injuring himself and admitted to police following his arrest on Monday that “he would not die if stabbed in the heart or shot in the chest.” Instead, he would reanimate, according to prosecutor Elianna Nuzum.
At the jail where he is being housed, Torres allegedly “punched a guard repeatedly without provocation,” Nuzum claimed.
Federal marshals looked around the courtroom for anything that might be potentially dangerous before bringing Torres in. In cases like Torres’, a marshal who claimed the search was normal said they specifically seek out pens or other items that may be used as improvised weapons.
Torres was cuffed, wearing his long hair down, and wearing a jail-tan jumpsuit when he entered the courtroom.
According to him, “the father, son, and holy spirit” had instructed him to speak out; the judge was informed. Torres was told by Dein to keep quiet, to which he replied, “Fine, it’s on you.”
Torres is charged with one count of attempting to use a hazardous weapon to interfere with members of the flight crew and attendants. He allegedly used the broken spoon to stab the flight attendant three times. He has not yet pleaded guilty.
Torres’ violent outburst allegedly took place on a flight from Los Angeles to Boston, according to the prosecution. Prosecutors claim that flight attendants discovered that both the emergency lever on the door and the plane’s door had been deactivated.
According to the prosecution, a flight attendant challenged Torres about the door and informed the captain that they thought Torres represented a threat.
After yelling at passengers and threatening to “murder every man on this plane,” Torres is seen on video taken by other passengers approaching two flight attendants who are standing in the aisle.
Video captures Torres initially moving slowly down the aisle while extending one hand in front of him and holding something metal close to his chest in the other.
The metal object, which Torres subsequently told authorities was the handle of a metal spoon that he had broken in two in the aircraft’s lavatory, was seen being rushed at one of the flight attendants on the video.
Video captures Torres yelling that he was “taking over this plane” at the same time.
After being tackled by other passengers, Torres was arrested as soon as the plane touched down.