The unsubstantiated claims of Cuban involvement in the hijacking, drove Representatives and Senators outraged by the event to make their feelings clear. Republican Edgar W. Hiestand sent a fiery telegram to the President calling for action against Cuba, “Quit playing patsy to a pipsqueak and call a halt to the continuing disgraces by communist Cuba”.  “It is an act of war and should be dealt with accordingly.” stated Democratic senator Clair Engle. Anti communist Senator Stiles Richards of New Hampshire and Senator Henry Jackson of Missouri gave a filmed press conference stating emphatically, "I'm shocked as every American is, at the hijacking of an American plane, the latest at El Paso. It's an act of piracy and it smacks of an organized plot by Castro. As far as the previous plane that was hijacked, if it isn't given up immediately, I would go into Cuba with sufficient force to take the plane, and the man or person who perpetrated the crime and bring them out. And .... I have introduced a bill which will provide a heavy fine and long imprisonment for a person carrying a concealed weapon or a death weapon onto an American plane."  Jackson stated “It is part of a premeditated plan ...  by Castro to tax ... the patience of the American people.... there may well be an intervention on the part of the United States, this will not be the first time we have had to go after bandits.".

 

In response, the Cuban representative to the United Nations expressed condemnation and anger at the accusations that the Cuban government had any involvement in the hijacking of Flight 54. They in return claimed that the hijacking was forerunner to military action against Cuba. The failed Bay of Pigs Invasion in April of 1961 had been condemned by the international community and had resulted in the capture of 1,200 members of the CIA backed 2506 Brigade. Soviet-American relations continued to sour in the following months leading to the Cuban Missile Crisis. The Cuban representative stated in a note to the Security Council to “Take necessary measures to avoid the repetition of these congressional accusations, taking into consideration that they are ill inspired and endanger world peace”. El Mundo, a government controlled publication in Cuba, denounced the incident as “the hysterical, war-like campaign”. The note also stated “Congressmen of the United States, acting accordingly to previously-organized strategy and tactics, made threatening statements bordering on an ultimatum and a threat of war”. On the evening of the 4th of August an emergency Senate hearing into the recent hijackings of the past year was held in Washington, with the key witness at the hearings being Najeeb Hallaby.  The hearings proposed various new measures that included various security procedures and the introduction of legislation to deter future hijackings. Several proposals were declined fairly quickly including arming pilots and hand searching passengers luggage.

 

When asked about the spate of skyjackings Halaby stated that the events were not a “momentary thing” and that new legislation was imperative in stopping the “air drunks, flying fools and spies in the sky, a fool who flies for individual missions of their own''. He explained further that the recent string of hijackings were committed by foolish individuals who “By heroic act, they could make some progress in their individual lives, psychopathic as they may be..these abnormal discontented Americans''. In regards to security measures, the FAA had in the prior months before the Continental hijacking, advocated to the airlines to introduce new security measures including reinforced cockpit doors and plain clothed security detail on every flight. Another proposed idea was for flight crews to be trained and equipped with firearms as a deterrent. Halaby along with vice president of the Airline Pilots Association John C. Carroll dismissed the idea which in the event of a struggle could prove catastrophic in the small cramped space of a flightdeck. For Captain Rickhards, who had seen the damage a handgun could do in the cramped flight deck of Flight 54, it was fairly self-evident that the idea was completely impractical. “If I had a gun it may have become more serious. I would have tried to use it, and who knows what might have happened ?” . Airport security proposals including hand searching passengers luggage before every flight was considered, but was decided to be impractical long term. Halaby stated directly that “can you imagine the line that would form from the ticket counter in Miami if everyone had to submit to police inspections?”. 

 

When the hearings concluded, the Senators voted unanimously to make air piracy punishable by death. In the following days, Congress with approval from the Kennedy administration introduced several laws. Public Law 87-197 allowed the power to try under law such events as;

 

“Interference with the aircraft's crew, carrying weapons aboard an aircraft and conveying false information about a hijacking”. It stated that 

“Whoever commits or attempts to commit aircraft piracy, as herein defined, shall be punished (a) by death . . . or (b) by imprisonment for not less than twenty years if the death penalty is not imposed. (2) As used in this subsection, the term "aircraft piracy" means any seizure or exercise of control, by force or violence or threat of force or violence and with wrongful intent, of an aircraft in flight in air commerce”. 

 

On the 10th of August, at a White House Press Conference, President Kennedy was asked by a reporter “Mr. President, would you give us your views on the latest hijacking plane incidents involving Cuba-”,  “The Cuban one or the American one?” Kennedy replied. “Both”, the reporter answered. Kennedy continued, “Well, let me say I think it is my understanding that the hijacking which took place yesterday of the American plane was done by -- at least the information I had before I came in -- by a Frenchman who had been treated earlier this year for mental aberrations at Bellevue. The hijacking a week ago was done once again by two men, one of whom had been also treated for mental weakness. It does indicate that the lunatic fringe, those who are desirous of seeing their name in the paper, and all of the rest, have seized upon this technique. I am, of course, wholeheartedly opposed to it. I am hopeful that we can make it possible to work out satisfactory procedures so that every government involved will take steps to prevent hijacking, which endangers the lives of innocent people. Now, let me say that we are -- have ordered today on a number of our planes a Border Patrol man who will ride on a number of our flights. We are also going to insist that every airplane lock its door, and that the door be strong enough to prevent entrance by force, and that possession of the key be held by those inside the cabin so that pressure cannot be put on the members of the crew outside to have the door opened. In addition, I am hopeful that governments everywhere will use their maximum influence to discourage this kind of action which endangers the lives of the crew, of the people involved, and which is an exercise in futility. And that is the view of this government, and we will take every means that we can to prevent not only the hijacking of our own planes but the hijacking of other planes. And I am hopeful that all concerned will do the same. It just endangers the lives of people who should be protected”.

 

Presiding over Beardon's trial was U.S district judge for western Texas Robert Ewing Thomason. The bespectacled judge ordered that Leon Beardon was to be given a psychiatric evaluation by retired Army Colonel Joe Hornisher. Hornisher concluded that both Bearden’s were competent to stand trial “there was nothing crazy about him, just a character behavior disorder, a personality defect. That's all, he wasn't insane”. El Paso based lawyer Robert Pine was selected to represent Leon Beardon whilst former assistant attorney Frank Hunter was assigned to Cody. When the two men ultimately went to trial, Hunter arranged to make a bargain with Cody Beardon to declare guilty for leniency. As for Leon, he was defiant and refused any plea bargains, Robert Pine concluded following the trial that Beardon was unstable “I am still convinced that he was not of sound mind”. Following closing arguments, the jury returned after 22 minutes with a verdict of guilty on all counts. Because of the plea deal struck, Cody Beardon was sentenced to a Colorado federal juvenile center where he was to remain until he was 21. He was eventually released the day before his 21st birthday on the 12th of November, 1965. Leon Beardon was sentenced to twenty years to life and was sent to the Leavenworth Federal prison in Kansas. He was eventually discharged on the 3rd of August 1976, 15 years to the day of the hijacking. His wife Mary Ruth divorced Beardon whilst incarcerated, he later remarried and died in 2008. Cody would go on to marry twice and later moved to Washington State where he currently resides with his second wife. 

 

In the days following the end of the siege, the damaged Boeing 707 was accessed to confirm if the aircraft was in a repairable condition. When it was confirmed that the damage was repairable, the ground crews in El Paso began to prepare the jet for a ferry flight that night to Los Angeles. The district sales manager for Continental detailed the extent of the damage, “We don't know if the damaged engine can be repaired or not. A mechanic pulled a handful of metal and some bullets out of it yesterday. The tires were all shot, except one. Some may be retreaded. Damage will certainly be in the thousands of dollars”. Following the replacement of the number one and two engines, tires and some temporary repair work to the fuel tanks and wing. The jet was then ferried unpressurised to the Continental Maintenance base in Los Angeles for further permanent repairs. Representatives of Boeing flew down to Los Angeles to assist the Continental Maintenance crew and remarked how impressed they were by their efforts to get the jet back into service so rapidly. Following extensive testing of the fuel, flight control and pressurization systems, the aircraft was approved by the FAA to be returned to service. Although the aircraft was considered fit to fly, many Continental crews would often refer to N70775 as the “hangar jet” due to its constant presence in and out of the maintenance department. During a taxi test following the extensive repair work an unfortunate rabbit that made its way onto the tarmac was sucked into an electrical access panel and what was left of its carcass shorted the electrical panels. A mechanic performing a regular service on the jet noted an extensive crack had formed in one of the undercarriage gear struts. The damaged strut was later replaced and a short time later when the same mechanic happened to inspect the replaced strut, he was gobsmacked to see an almost identical crack.