American Morning
Balloon family feels 'under siege,' lawyer says
FORT COLLINS, Colorado (CNN) - The Colorado couple accused of carrying out a bizarre hoax involving their son and a huge balloon is "not running from the law" and deserves the presumption of innocence, their attorney said Monday.
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/US/10/19/balloon.boy.investigation/art.heene.sheriff.kdvr.jpg caption="Richard Heene has told reporters that a runaway balloon incident involving his son was "absolutely no hoax.""]
"The sheriff having a press conference saying that they're guilty does not make them so," David Lane told CNN's "American Morning."
Authorities say the event - in which the tearful couple claimed their 6-year-old may have been trapped in the flying-saucer-like contraption floating through the air - was staged. Richard and Mayumi Heene had met in a Hollywood acting school and pursued fame for their family in the world of reality TV, Larimer County Sheriff Jim Alderden said.
Lane, asked Monday by CNN about his client's state of mind, said it was "what you would expect someone's state of mind to be after law enforcement searched your house, seized your property, held a press conference announcing you're about to be charged with felony criminal charges. Your state of mind would be rather upset and you would feel somewhat under siege, which is exactly how the family feels at this point."
About this Show
Welcome to the American Morning blog where you can get daily news updates from American Morning's reporters and producers. Join us for "the most news in the morning," weekdays from 6-9 a.m. ET, only on CNN.
On Twitter
My concern is for the wife and children. From what I could 'read' in their faces it looks as if they are afraid of this man and have all most probably been at the recieving end of his rage!! That woman is in fear of this sick little boy in a mans body. He's the nut!!!!!!!!!
I think this would be a great family to live with. These children are probably smarter than the average american children. They are probably a science family that something got out of hand and probably should have had better control on the thing. Let it go people. Beleive me we've all seen worse families...hell there are parents out there teaching their kids how to kill and mame wild animals...these people are the last of our worries.
It seems clear to most people, that Mr. Henne is a narcissus publicity hound, who is trying to capitalize by using his children! Mr. Heene is like the many other families who have jumped on the band-wagon, of gaining fame and fortune, overnight, by exploiting their kids, hence Jon & Kate plus eight and "Octo-Mom!! I'm not an advocate of this type of media, whereby the parents become instant millionaires overnight,
by no viable skills of their own and the children suffer. There are many large families in American who are kind, Carring people who adopt special needs and troubled children into their homes that stay in the background and often times struggling to make ends meet. The media needs to be more responsible! Why should we have to be exposed to the daily "play by play" of these people on the news, when there are some many more important issues going on in our failing nation! Enough already!!!!!
They feel under siege? Whether or not the whole thing was a hoax will be up to a judge & jury to decide. However, they invited the media & couldn't turn down an interview. Their lawyer is now on every network. The media is largely at fault here. They ran a runaway balloon story much like they do w/ car chases. This only invites others to seek publicity. I know it's hard to fill in 24/7 time slots but it's getting ridiculous. The media can't let go & force these stunts down our throat.
just think 57 million Americans are on the hook for no COLA and the big banks have laid in BILLIONS of dollars for bonuses that to me is a travesty 250.00 is worth only 13 billion to taxpayers let the banks share and split it up give every one 1000.00 and they will still have billions to dole out to there employees as bonusues we get no COLA but our medicare cost is going up from 96.40 to 108.00 how can you justify that
This kind of stunt will undermine the public's support of truely worthy events. It is important that this family of publicity seeking wackos is not rewarded for their hoax. As this father was holding down the balloon before the launch, it would have been easily evident that it was not capable of raising his child aloft. Bottom line, they jeapordized public safety (the rescue units involved and all commercial aircraft). I am not advocating jail time, but they need to be convicted of a felony. Then the laws that prohibit a felon from proffiting from their crime will be in effect. If there is any justice in the world, this crazy family will not get rich by fooling the public.
i feel that this escapade took alot of "unecessary" time and effort and money from the local and federal authorities.....i think they should pay for the wasted money...do community service (the whole family) and be given some type of "ding" on their records....such a waste of time that could have been used elsewhere!!!!