On Thursday, Jerry Ba Nguyen, 24, of San Jose, California was found competent to stand trial in federal court in Lubbock.
Nguyen was arrested in September after a flight from Ontario, California to Dallas/Ft. Worth made an emergency landing in Lubbock. Nguyen was accused of interference with a flight crew.
A criminal complaint said Nguyen appeared agitated and walked toward the front of the aircraft as it was preparing for take off.
At first, the flight crew was able to calm him down.
But later, “Nguyen also made statements that the police were not his friends and the U.S. Government was responsible for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks,” according to the criminal complaint.
During the flight he began kicking and banging on the cockpit door, according to the complaint.
In October, Nguyen’s defense attorney requested a psychological examination for him which was approved in early January.
“Mr. Nguyen exhibits erratic behavior, inability to control his thoughts, and paranoia. Mr. Nguyen also reports suicidal thoughts, along with visual and auditory hallucinations,” the request said.
A judge on Thursday ruled that Nguyen “has a factual and rational understanding of the charges and proceedings against him.”
“Jerry Ba Nguyen has sufficient present mental capacity to properly assist his attorney in the preparation of a rational defense and communicate with his attorney in a rational and logical manner,” the ruling said.
If convicted, Nguyen faces a maximum of 20 years in prison.
