CO - Richard & Mayumi Heene charged in Balloon Boy hoax, Fort Collins, 2009 - #1

[Capri]

Just jumping off of your post for the hail of it.

When someone said that he built that thing to go into thunderstorms, I was like, "What?!" I'm no great scientific thinker, but the aerodynamics of that thing would prevent it from ever getting close to the center of a storm, imo.

His i-report on CNN from the center of Hurricane Gustav [I think that was the storm], made me wonder if they weren't just in a rain storm in Colorado or somewhere and video-taped that. I mean, from what I could see, our only point of reference was the laptop with the weather radar held up in front of the camera. [I admit I haven't watched the whole thing, though.]

There was a high voltage sticker attached to the side of the thing [I can't even bear to call it a craft or balloon]. In the video where it got away from the husband and wife hanging on to the strings or whatever, you can see the yellow sticker on the side facing the camera.

Hi LFla- nice to see ya here
I almost laughed when the sheriff said one theat actual pieces of "string" (not rope) was the Henne's "tethering", LOL. I love this sheriff, he's such a straightforward LE, calling them "actors" , etc...Call it like it is, ya know?

 

[jjenny]

I want to file suit against Mr. Heene for emotional distress and the valuable time I've spent discussing it/ reliving it...perhaps a class action suit? LOL Who else is in?

I am afraid in return he could ask you to pay for entertainment provided.

 

[ATWC66]

Too much reality TV is influencing too many persons' behavior, imo.

I totally agree. With these types of shows, everyone wants to be a Star now.

 

[ATWC66]

I am afraid in return he could ask you to pay for entertainment provided.

I'm afraid what type of entertainment he would provide for me!!

 

[jjenny]

If you read the TV proposal about the balloon, it mentions that voltage stuff and whatever crackpot theory necessitated it.

I think the relevance of that claim, which the dad made a special point of working into the 9-11 call, was the claim that if touched it could electrocute someone. I wondered whether that was part of some effort to keep authorities from touching the balloon once they found it. It doesn't really enhance his scheme in any other way. Of course, it would be undermined by the fact that he sent them to rescue the kid.

It will be interesting to find out how long he thought this thing could remain airborne, and if the crash foiled some longer-range plan. It seems that once the crash occurred he had to "find" the boy to prevent a massive manhunt.

In the end, a lot of this plan makes no sense, even as a hoax.

He probably could figure out how long this thing would remain airborne because it eventually would start leaking helium. And what about all the people that could have been hurt or worse trying to rescue the kid? I've read an article on the plan to drop a rescuer in a cage from the helicopter on top of the balloon. Can you imagine if people actually got hurt or worse trying to rescue the kid that wasn't in the balloon?

 

[BuzzieCat]

If you read the TV proposal about the balloon, it mentions that voltage stuff and whatever crackpot theory necessitated it.

I think the relevance of that claim, which the dad made a special point of working into the 9-11 call, was the claim that if touched it could electrocute someone. I wondered whether that was part of some effort to keep authorities from touching the balloon once they found it. It doesn't really enhance his scheme in any other way. Of course, it would be undermined by the fact that he sent them to rescue the kid.

It will be interesting to find out how long he thought this thing could remain airborne, and if the crash foiled some longer-range plan. It seems that once the crash occurred he had to "find" the boy to prevent a massive manhunt.

In the end, a lot of this plan makes no sense, even as a hoax.

BBM

It sure doesn't. Maybe he added in the voltage aspect to give the illusion of even more danger for the child. But the thing that's most confusing to me is claiming that the boy somehow set off in the balloon by himself yet releasing a video of the parents untethering it themselves. They didn't even try to maintain any kind of consistency in their story. Hmm, this guy apparently thinks he's sooo smart and he needn't worry about what to tell the public and LE, we'll just believe any old thing.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Too much reality TV is influencing too many persons' behavior, imo.

Well, I haven't had my 15 minutes of fame yet. BUT....... I am keeping note on how NOT to behave for when I do

 

[jjenny]

BBM

It sure doesn't. Maybe he added in the voltage aspect to give the illusion of even more danger for the child. But the thing that's most confusing to me is claiming that the boy somehow set off in the balloon by himself yet releasing a video of the parents untethering it themselves. They didn't even try to maintain any kind of consistency in their story. Hmm, this guy apparently thinks he's sooo smart and he needn't worry about what to tell the public and LE, we'll just believe any old thing.

I don't think they claimed the boy set off the balloon by himself. I think those stories were the work of reporters, and not came from the family itself.
On 911 call, neither the father not the mother say the boy set off the balloon.

 

[Quiche]

That was one meaty news conference! Lots to digest...

One or two things I wonder about-- is the "contributing to the delinquency of a minor" charge likely to stem from involving the children in the lie? Wouldn't there be three counts, if that is the case? Or-- was Falcon sedated somewhere? My guess is that Dad has some pretty powerful calming meds...

Also, as to whether Falcon was in the attic-- I'm really wondering about the neighbors house, personally. When the dude next door was being interviewed while the balloon was still in flight, I just couldn't take his blathering along-- ignored most of it! Did anyone actually listen to him, and what is your take on him, could he have been in cahoots? tia

 

[BuzzieCat]

I don't think they claimed the boy set off the balloon by himself. I think those stories were the work of reporters, and not came from the family itself.
On 911 call, neither the father not the mother say the boy set off the balloon.

Oh, I didn't realize this. I had read at first that the parents claimed they were inside when the balloon went past the window. The media does get things wrong more than I'd like to think.

 

[Quiche]

Oh, I didn't realize this. I had read at first that the parents claimed they were inside when the balloon went past the window. The media does get things wrong more than I'd like to think.

Early on the story was that they were in the house...per the female LEO (blonde) that was giving an early presser. This point fluctuated considerably, imo.

 

[harleysnana]

May have drugged kids?

I wouldn’t be surprised.
If you watched their very first interview they kids were all fidgety (sp?)
and then in all the others they looked so quiet and still. And then with the little one
getting sick…
Makes sense to me that they would give them something so they wouldn’t
make another slip up like Falcon did in the first video!
IMO

 

[Linda7NJ]

That was one meaty news conference! Lots to digest...

One or two things I wonder about-- is the "contributing to the delinquency of a minor" charge likely to stem from involving the children in the lie? Wouldn't there be three counts, if that is the case? Or-- was Falcon sedated somewhere? My guess is that Dad has some pretty powerful calming meds...

Also, as to whether Falcon was in the attic-- I'm really wondering about the neighbors house, personally. When the dude next door was being interviewed while the balloon was still in flight, I just couldn't take his blathering along-- ignored most of it! Did anyone actually listen to him, and what is your take on him, could he have been in cahoots? tia

IMO The neighbor did not seem genuinely concerned.....and I thought he too was a wackadoo. Yes, I do believe they could have been in cahoots! If it were my next door neighbor's child...the very last place I would ever be... is infront of the media. He really seemed to enjoy his 15 minutes

 

[Quiche]

I wonder how many civil suits will be filed? The Heene's picked a lot of pockets with this fiasco, and not just tax payers.

 

[octobermoon]

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) -- A Colorado father accused of staging a publicity stunt when he reported his 6-year-old son was inside an escaped balloon says the saga has become "convoluted."

Richard and Mayumi Heene were shopping at Wal-Mart with their three sons as Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden told reporters at the sheriff's station that the parents' reports were a big hoax.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_BALLOON_BOY?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US

more at link...

 

[jjenny]

Early on the story was that they were in the house...per the female LEO (blonde) that was giving an early presser. This point fluctuated considerably, imo.

The reporter might have been saying that, but I don't think it came from the family. They don't say that on 911 call, which would have been the place to claim that if that what there story was.
I think there story was that they were testing the balloon and it got away from them, not that the kid set it off accidentally. Press came up with that one.

 

[cleo612]

Colorado Authorities: 'Balloon Boy' Flight 'Was a Stunt'

Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden announced at a press conference on Sunday that Colorado authorities have ruled the "balloon boy's" flight a hoax.

~~~snipped

The Larimer County Sheriff's Office will recommend charges of conspiracy, contributing to the delinquency of a minor, false reporting to authorities, and attempting to influence a public servant against the Heenes.

No charges have been filed yet, and neither Richard or Mayumi Heene are under arrest. Some of the most serious charges each carry a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a $500,000 fine.

Alderden said all three of the Heenes' sons knew of the balloon hoax, but likely won't face charges because of their ages. One of the boys told investigators he saw his brother get in the balloon's box before it launched.


~~~much more at link


http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,568420,00.html

 

[kant]

That was one meaty news conference! Lots to digest...

One or two things I wonder about-- is the "contributing to the delinquency of a minor" charge likely to stem from involving the children in the lie? Wouldn't there be three counts, if that is the case? Or-- was Falcon sedated somewhere? My guess is that Dad has some pretty powerful calming meds...

Also, as to whether Falcon was in the attic-- I'm really wondering about the neighbors house, personally. When the dude next door was being interviewed while the balloon was still in flight, I just couldn't take his blathering along-- ignored most of it! Did anyone actually listen to him, and what is your take on him, could he have been in cahoots? tia

You mean the one neighbor who was yapping on and on about how for-sure-real-and-not-a-hoax it was ? heh

I was wondering about the 25 yr old dude who said that he helped create the plan awhile back while working with Heene or something to that effect. But if he never intended for it to be carried out, and was not actively involved in this, would he be at risk for charges? Plus, I'd think that it was his coming forward nay have helped nail Heene. He didn't HAVE to say anything, but he did. Just wondering.

 

[jjenny]

You mean the one neighbor who was yapping on and on about how for-sure-real-and-not-a-hoax it was ? heh

I was wondering about the 25 yr old dude who said that he helped create the plan awhile back while working with Heene or something to that effect. But if he never intended for it to be carried out, and was not actively involved in this, would he be at risk for charges? Plus, I'd think that it was his coming forward nay have helped nail Heene. He didn't HAVE to say anything, but he did. Just wondering.

I don't think he would be charged for just coming up with plans, unless he was actually involved in carrying it out. Otherwise anyone who comes up with a plan for a movie or a show could be in danger if somebody carries it out.

 

[Quiche]

The reporter might have been saying that, but I don't think it came from the family. They don't say that on 911 call, which would have been the place to claim that if that what there story was.
I think there story was that they were testing the balloon and it got away from them, not that the kid set it off accidentally. Press came up with that one.

It was a sheriff spokesperson, not a reporter-- I know HLN has shown her a number of times.

I'm going to be fishing for old footage on a number of points... lol.