A federal jury found a man accused of interrupting a flight crew and threatening to kill a baby not guilty on Friday.

Attorneys for Sanitago Lol Tizol, a 37 year old spanish-speaking man, said he was simply misunderstood by cramped and jumpy passengers on a flight leaving Los Angeles and destined for Honolulu on December 9.

Assitant Federal Defender Matthew Winters said Tizol spilled water on his shirt and seat so he got up and paced around the plane until it was dry. Passengers found this threatening after flight attendants told Tizol to sit down several times.

Then passengers heard a word in Tizol's spanish that they thought sounded like "baby." They interpreted this as Tizol's intent to strangle a 3-year-old child on the plane. About four passengers tackled Tizol as he headed toward the first-class section.

Winters said, "This was paranoia on a cramped plane where people were pretty stressed out. He was not trying to assault or intimidate anyone on this plane."

If he had been convicted Friday, he could have faced up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines.