The husband and wife who pleaded guilty to criminal charges for staging the 2009 “balloon boy” rumor, in which they created a sensation in the global media with false news that their son had floated in a makeshift airship, were forgiven by governor of Colorado.
In granting executive clemency to Richard and Mayumi Heene, Governor Jared Polis said the couple, now 59 and 56, paid their debt to society for a “show” that wasted police time and resources.
The couple reported on October 15, 2009 that their six-year-old son, Falcon, was carried by a homemade helium balloon that broke free in the family yard in Fort Collins, Colorado.
News footage showed the silver balloon, looking like a flying saucer, hovering over northeastern Colorado for 90 minutes followed by National Guard helicopters as authorities struggled to redirect aviation traffic around Denver International Airport.
Millions were attracted by live coverage on television and the Internet, watching as the balloon finally landed in a wheat field. No one was on board the vessel and Falcon, the youngest of the couple’s three children, ended up showing up in the attic of the family garage.
Investigators said the mother later admitted that the goal was to give the family their own reality TV show.
The Heenes’ initial account was unveiled after an appearance on CNN’s Larry King Live show, in which Falcon was asked why he was hidden so long. Looking at the parents first, the boy replied, “You said we did it for a show.”
Richard Heene pleaded guilty to a charge of attempting to influence a public servant, which is a crime, and was sentenced to 30 days in prison. His wife pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor offense for submitting a false report and was ordered to perform 20 hours of supervised community service.
Her husband’s lawyer, David Lane, told Reuters that the family, who now lives in Florida, was “very grateful” to Polis, but he attacked prosecutors in the case. Lane said prosecutors told Richard Heene that, unless he pleaded guilty to a crime, they would move to deport Mayumi, who was a Japanese citizen. “Richard had no choice, so he accepted.”
The balloon boy case was between 18 pardons and commutations of four sentences granted on Wednesday by Polis, a Democrat in his first term.