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JetBlue Attendant Makes Bail, Mysteriously Whisked Away

Mother, Ex-Wife Quickly Come To Steven Slater's Defense

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Photo From Steven Slater's MySpace Page

JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater was under arrest Aug. 9, 2010, for allegedly deploying the emergency exit slide and then sliding down it after getting in a dispute with a passenger at JFK Airport. (Photo/MySpace)

NEW YORK (CBS 2/1010 WINS) – He’s transformed from flight attendant to flat-out famous.

After one night on Rikers Island, CBS 2′s Hazel Sanchez reports Slater made his $2,500 bail on Tuesday. But that’s nothing compared to the $25,000 that will cost to replace the emergency slide he used to make his getaway.

steven slater posts bail JetBlue Attendant Makes Bail, Mysteriously Whisked Away

Slater Makes Bail (Photo/Al Jones, 1010 WINS)

Slater first calmly walked out of the Vernon C. Bain Corrections Center, briefly thanked his supporters and then made a mad dash for a mini-van waiting to take him away.

Now, the infamous JetBlue flight attendant making national headlines for his spectacular slide out of employment is getting the full support from the women in his life.

“I can understand why he snapped. I would have snapped, too,” said his mother, Diane Slater. “I also don’t think that people who are in the service industry should be abused by anybody, whether it be a passenger or family or anybody.”

Even Slater’s ex-wife, his high school sweetheart, came to his defense.

“He definitely exited in a grand fashion. He is a dramatic fellow. So I wouldn’t expect any less of him. I think he’s fabulous. I couldn’t think other than how he could do that. I just think he had enough of mistreatment,” Cynthia Suzanne added.

Slater basically said he had had it in his confession read during his first court appearance in Queens on Tuesday, saying: “I lost patience after a female passenger had an argument with another passenger and then opened the bin door hitting me on the head without apologizing.  I got on the microphone and said ‘to those of you who have shown dignity and respect these last 20 years, thanks for a great ride.’”

JetBlue passenger Katie Doebler, who spoke exclusively to CBS 2, recalled a more dramatic rant before Slater deployed the emergency slide to escape.

“He said, ‘to the (expletive) who just told me to (expletive) myself, go (expletive) yourself. It’s been a great 28 years. I’m outta here.’ And with that the whole plane gasps,” Doebler said.

Slater was later arrested at the Belle Harbor, N.Y., home he shares with his boyfriend, Ken Rochelle.

Rochelle would give no explanation for his partner’s behavior.

“Everyone will know in due time. So if you do me a favor, I have a medical condition and each and every one of you is causing me to have arrhythmia and I will pass out. Please leave me alone,” Rochelle said.

Previous Story: Judge Grants Bail For Ballistic JetBlue Attendant

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  • Carrie Pennington

    Aren’t there more significant type news stories than this Bravo/Nat’l Enquirer type crap?

  • moee

    well what happen if it is in the mid air he is going to open the door and jump???
    Not safe for everybody…

  • Sandeana

    This flight attendant did not hurt anyone. He just had a bad day. He should not have been arrested, & taken to jail. And he should not lose his job either.

  • HAK

    GAY GAY GAY IN NEEDOF MEDICATION, BET HE THOUGHT HE WAS FUNNY NOT FUNNY ANYMORE MR. GAY GUY

    • Sandeana

      What does Mr Slater’s being gay have to do with anything? How is he any different than a straight flight attendant who is male?

  • Maggie

    Flight Attendants are underpaid and subjected to rude and abusive passengers.
    Sliding down the emergency chute was not cool and could have put people in harms way. Steven being the Being the professional that he is (working in his current position for twenty years) a cooler head should have prevailed in this instance.

    Flight attendants should be afforded combat pay for the verbal and physical abuse that they are subjected to.

  • Jo

    What is going to happen to the MORON that hit the flight attendant and refused to sit down? Didn’t that idiot break any laws?

    • HAK

      FEDERAL LAWS STATE THAT YOU MUST WEAR YOUR SEATBELT DURING TAKE OFF AND LANDING ONLY. GUY WAS IN THE CLEAR. AIRLINES CAN BE AND USUALLY ARE HARD NOSED AND IMPOSE HARSHER RULES THAN FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS FYI USUALLY PERSONAL AIRLINE RULES ARE VERY STRICT SO THEY DO NOT GET SUED

  • Joe,18 years with Pan Am

    The passenger who gave Steven Slater a gash on the forehead should have been immediately arrested by federal marshals for failing to listen to flight rules and attacking a flight attendant. Why hasn’t she been arrested ???

    It may be fortunate that Slater chose to only verbally express his frustrations and make a hasty, although unconventional, exit from the aircraft rather than attempt to detain the passenger that attacked him and have her arrested.

    JetBlue should put flight attendant Slater on medical leave to deal with the physical and mental injuries he suffered due to the illegal actions of that passenger.

  • MAUREEN CHIRICHELLA

    JOB WELL DONE. ALL MY PRAYERS ARE WITH YOU. BE STRONG, GOD WILL PROTECT YOU.

  • Theresa Ct.

    The passenger started it but public profanity over the plane address system by an employee is wrong and I cannot support him.

  • Michael Young

    Steven Slater is a Great Guy……He Requested a Transfer to the Western Hub of Jet Blue when his mother was diagnosed with lung cancer…..It would only be Granted with a Drastic Pay Cut……His father died of ALS….a dreadful disease…..Steven’s mother has lived across the street from me for 19 years….He is a very nice man…..He went to the same elementary school as my children.

  • Susan

    What a scream for attention! Thousands of flight attendants fly every day and they are there for our safety. They are trained professionals and we rely on them to keep us cool, calm and collected on flights. I’m sure every flight attendant has wanted to do something like he did, but being a professional they never would. If something gets to you so bad then just sue the person who’s bothering you – don’t risk hurting the other passengers on board by deploying the chute. I thank goodness he wasn’t on Capt. Sully’s flight!

  • EML, NJ

    Good Luck Louie!!!! What happens to the person that open the over head.They should be charged as well for being ruded and impatience

  • Rob

    If it was a Actor or Actress they get away with it right there,because of money they have altogether. Let’s see whom bails this employee out of jail. I guess noone
    will.

  • http://jetblue.jbox.in/2010/08/10/jetblue-attendant-accused-of-meltdown-suspended/   JetBlue Attendant Accused Of Meltdown Suspended by JetBlue

    [...] See more here: JetBlue Attendant Accused Of Meltdown Suspended [...]

  • Rob

    This employee should not go to jail,but a hospital-mental health like Jamaica Hospital
    in Queens nyc very close to JFK Airport. Needs help dealing with problems.
    Thank you

  • JERRY , QUEENS

    This guy should not be applauded, he committed a crime. tampering with the
    emergency chute could effect that aircraft’s next flite. he should be FIRED.
    people working under the aircraft could have been injured. you don’t reward
    bad behavior.

  • Rob

    This jet employee broke the Law and noone should make this guy a hero at all.
    He could of damaged or hurt someone by going down a shoot from the plane.
    He needs Mental Health help-Maybe taken to a hospital for treatment.
    I see he needed to get his word out,but that’s not the way to go.

    • moee

      YAP YOU ARE RIGHT ROB WHO LABEL HIM …. THE HERO????

  • Ginny Bandiera

    If he had a bad day,he should have stayed home. How the attendant handled the problem ,was wrong from the start. Firing him is the right thing to do!

  • Annette

    Forget the flight attendant: That is NO way for a passenger to behave! Will the passenger also face charges for not following proper procedure? Because she was not following orders, she could have also cause harm to other passengers. She deserves to go to court and face charges also.

  • Ingrid

    Unruly passenger is responsible for this incident.
    Why is she not arrested?

  • genevieve schiefer

    Flight attendant should be fired from jetblue. He acted improperly and cannot be trusted. I have no sympathy for flight attendant. This is not a way to behave.

    • James

      this women is a peasant – she should be banned from flying – hopefully she was not flying for business – because if she was my employee shoud would be dismissed for failing to conduct herself professionally. her lack of control spells a whole different problem. She is unbalanced – if she had a drink she needs to address that problem- if she didnn’t she has a much bigger problem.

  • Iramsaran

    I stand by the flight attendant, as a passenger I am also subjected to rude passengers when disembarking from the plane, I am usually stuck waiting for soemone to allow me out into the aisle. He should be given his job back and case dismissed by any right minded judge.

  • Danno

    I’m with you Louie!!!!!

  • http://923now.radio.com/2010/08/10/flight-attendant-goes-nuts/ Flight Attendant Goes Nuts « 92.3 NOW – New York’s Hit Music Channel

    [...] Read More NOW > [...]

  • Louie

    I think the passenger should be blamed for this. If the passenger hits the guy in the head with the suitcase and the flight attendant he was acting in self-defense. That should be assault to the crew member.

    • Jan

      Get a life louie! I have had a flight attendant hit me in the head with someone elses bags! This guy was a jerk and did not care about anyone else on the flight but himself! If a passenger had acted like he was acting on the plane they would have been handcuffed and drug to jail! no exit out the side! This man needs to find a new job! He is why all flight attendants get a bad name!

    • Ginny Bandiera

      He was NOT hit by the passenger,The overhead cabnet held the passengers suitcase,that FELL onto the attendant,,,NOT self-defense,,The attendant should indeed be FIRED!

    • HAK

      SELF DEFENSE ARE YOU NUTS??? RUNNING TO THE BACK OF AN AIRPLANE AND THE PERP NOT FOLLOWING YOU THEN MAKING SNYDE COMMENTS AND BOOKING DOWN A SLIDE DOES NOT CONSTITUE A SELF DEFENSE YOU BOZO!!!

      NOR WILL IT FLY IN COURT FYI…

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