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Two Pilots Charged With Operating Plane Drunk in Court

Aired September 30, 2002 - 13:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Two airline pilots charged with operating a plane while drunk are in court today. A hearing is getting under way in Miami.
CNN's Mark Potter is there. Mark, what's the latest?

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. Well, there have been some developments in this hearing, which is under way now in the Miami-Dade circuit court.

The first thing I'll tell you that the trial date, which was originally set for October 21, has now been backed up a little bit to November 4. We are looking now at the courtroom. The two pilots are there, Thomas Cloyd and Christopher Hughes. There are there with their lawyers. The prosecutor there, too. In fact the prosecutor announced a few moment ago a new charge is going to be leveled against the pilots. It is a charge of culpable negligence. That in addition to the main charge against them of operating an aircraft while intoxicated. As they did what that charge, the pilots today pleaded not guilty to the culpable negligence charge.

Now before the hearing, we got a little bit of news from the prosecutor, who said that efforts had been under way to negotiate some sort of plea deal between the state attorney's office and the pilots and their lawyers. But the prosecutor said that was unsuccessful, and it now does look indeed as if this case will go it trial in the beginning of November.

There will be some defense motions also that will be heard at some point, at another date. The defense is asking that all the charges be thrown out, and also the -- if that doesn't occur, that the case be transferred from state court to federal court. That will be heard later, but before the trial but the judge here, David Young.

PHILLIPS: All right, Mark Potter, we will continue to follow the story with you. Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired September 30, 2002 - 13:54   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Two airline pilots charged with operating a plane while drunk are in court today. A hearing is getting under way in Miami.
CNN's Mark Potter is there. Mark, what's the latest?

MARK POTTER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Kyra. Well, there have been some developments in this hearing, which is under way now in the Miami-Dade circuit court.

The first thing I'll tell you that the trial date, which was originally set for October 21, has now been backed up a little bit to November 4. We are looking now at the courtroom. The two pilots are there, Thomas Cloyd and Christopher Hughes. There are there with their lawyers. The prosecutor there, too. In fact the prosecutor announced a few moment ago a new charge is going to be leveled against the pilots. It is a charge of culpable negligence. That in addition to the main charge against them of operating an aircraft while intoxicated. As they did what that charge, the pilots today pleaded not guilty to the culpable negligence charge.

Now before the hearing, we got a little bit of news from the prosecutor, who said that efforts had been under way to negotiate some sort of plea deal between the state attorney's office and the pilots and their lawyers. But the prosecutor said that was unsuccessful, and it now does look indeed as if this case will go it trial in the beginning of November.

There will be some defense motions also that will be heard at some point, at another date. The defense is asking that all the charges be thrown out, and also the -- if that doesn't occur, that the case be transferred from state court to federal court. That will be heard later, but before the trial but the judge here, David Young.

PHILLIPS: All right, Mark Potter, we will continue to follow the story with you. Thank you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com