Edit: seems this doesn't apply because the doors hadn't been closed yet. See below I found this law which, from a layman's perspective and based on my understa

Edit: seems this doesn't apply because the doors hadn't been closed yet. See below I found this law which, from a layman's perspective and based on my understanding of the sequence of events, the passenger violated: https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/46504 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/49/46504 "An individual on an aircraft in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States who, by assaulting or intimidating a flight crew member or flight attendant of the aircraft, interferes with the performance of the duties of the member or attendant or lessens the ability of the member or attendant to perform those duties, or attempts or conspires to do such an act, shall be fined under title 18, imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both. However, if a dangerous weapon is used in assaulting or intimidating the member or attendant, the individual shall be imprisoned for any term of years or for life." If a flight attendant asked him to get off the plane and he belligerently refused, that would seem to be a violation of this law. Note that I'm not arguing that the original request was justified OR that the police response was justified.