JetBlue Flight Attendant Steven Slater Is a Free Man
Steven Slater—the JetBlue flight attendant who walked off the job via inflatable slide and was arrested by the cops yesterday mid-embrace with his boyfriend—is a free man tonight after coming up with his $2,500 bail.
Slater was charged with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, and criminal trespass, and a judge set his bail at $2,500 at at his arraignment earlier today. Unfortunately, Slater didn't have the cash available to spring himself from the clink this morning, and it looked like he'd have to spend another night behind bars. We called Slater's Legal Aid lawyer, Howard Turman, several times today and offered to cover his bail for him, but didn't get a call back. But it looks like he managed to come up with the funds on his own: He was released on Tuesday night after bail was posted by persons unknown, picked up by a waiting minivan, and whisked off into the night.
The only thing Steven Slater has said to the media is that he has "greatly appreciated" the public support. But it seems like people mostly appreciate him. Slater's already a folk hero for quitting his job in the most scorched-earth way possible, grabbing two beers and cursing on the airplane intercom before bouncing down the giant inflatable slide, and running home to make sweet love to his boyfriend. Sure, it wasn't the safest way to exit an airplane, nor was it the most mature way to quit a job—but it's the ultimate revenge fantasy for anyone who's toiled away at a thankless job, and we're glad somebody did it. Steven Slater: We're glad you're a free man this evening. And we hope those two beers—and your boyfriend—are waiting for you at home.
Previously:
Flight Attendant Uses Inflatable Slide for Dramatic Job Walk-Out
Cranky Flight Attendant Was Banging His Boyfriend When the Cops Showed Up
