Sheriff: Runaway Balloon Incident Was A Hoax

[Roon]

FORT COLLINS, Colo. -- Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said the runway balloon incident was a hoax planned out weeks ago and his office will seek restitution for rescuers' efforts to find the experimental balloon and the 6-year-old boy who was reportedly inside.

During a news conference Sunday morning Alderden said, "We have since learned that these people are actors" who carried out the hoax "with the hopes of marketing themselves for reality TV."

"What we know at this point, and what the hoax is, is this has been a planned event for at least two weeks. The plan was to launch this spacecraft in order to gain media publicity," Alderden said.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/21330084/detail.html

[Deja Q]

1. Final proof that ambient environment influences (when it doesn't desensitize) people.

I wonder if they show reality tv in prison...

[NYC_SKP]

2. Well, I am not surprised and I respect the Sheriff's restraint leading up to this.

You wouldn't want to publicly say it's a hoax until you are certain.

[Ruby the Liberal]

3. He said in the presser that they knew that night but wanted the family

to think they were still on their side because they wanted to separate them, question them and administer a polygraph "to prove their innocence".

[stray cat]

4. And all along Heeny's thought they were playing the police and the media is unhappy

the police didn't tell them the truth? Stupid media!

[Ruby the Liberal]

8. I'm still laughing about it.

:D

[Roon]

5. So the Sheriff was acting too?

This story just keeps on giving.

[stray cat]

6. Unclear how suspicious they were until the Larry King show - but yes they misled Heeny and media

and now the media is crying because they were "lied to" by the police chief.

[Ruby the Liberal]

7. Isn't that a riot?

He said the "we did it for the show" moment was their a-ha moment. They delayed the questioning until Saturday because of the Friday AM shows where the kid was puking on the air as they wanted them all "rested" in order for the polygraph to be accurate.

You should watch the presser. Fun times!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x390557

[snagglepuss]

9. Your so right about this story as being one that keeps on giving.

It has as many twists as an Agatha Christie mystery.:popcorn:

[Roon]

10. Thanks for the link

lock that father up!