Salesman Chris Russo of Morris Plains and science teacher Joe Rudy of Chester tied flares onto helium balloons and launched them in a nearby field on the border of Morris Plains and Hanover.
Posted on 04/02/2009 8:50:42 PM PDT by JoeProBono
Two Morris County men were so proud of pulling off a UFO hoax that they chronicled it in an online magazine. But the Morris County prosecutor regarded the stunt as a threat to aviation and tonight said he was filing disorderly person charges against Chris Russo, 29, and Joe Rudy, 28.
"If there is a single word to describe this ... it is in essence 'stupidity'," Prosecutor Robert Bianchi said at a press conference in Morristown. Bianchi said although there were indictable offenses with which he could have charged the men, he wanted to take a "measured approach" toward the offense. Between early January and late February, Russo and Rudy used Duct tape, fishing line, roadside flares and balloons to pull off a hoax that had many in North Jersey wondering whether UFOs were hovering over Morris County.
The hoax, which took place on five separate nights, involved the pair taping a car flare to fishing line, tying the line to a large helium balloon and launching the balloon into the night sky from a field in Hanover located between American Road and Hanover Avenue. They released as many as 11 balloons at once, all the time videotaping the glowing red lights bobbing and swaying above them.
(Excerpt) Read more at nj.com ...
Salesman Chris Russo of Morris Plains and science teacher Joe Rudy of Chester tied flares onto helium balloons and launched them in a nearby field on the border of Morris Plains and Hanover.
Give’em a medal. Ain’t much going on out in Morristown.
These men should be praised for their ingenuity in conducting scientific research! What a travesty to think that locals who were made to look like fools may be behind a malicious prosecution like this...
Hold Muh beer...
Hold Muh beer...
LOL!
Most fatal acts start with the phrase, “Hey y’all, watch this!”
Awwwwww, another bottom feeding lawyer wants to make a name for itself.
UFO..Unidentified Frothy Organism...
You’d die if you couldn’t post images, right?
You’d die if you couldn’t see my images, right?
Just imagine how this makes those poor folks that reported being probed by creatures from those balloons.
No, Goonch, I'd die if one day you actually wrote a single solitary paragraph in response to someone.
(A closed mouth gathers no feet)
Yeah, but your style of autism speaks volumes.
Me, too. I think UFO hoaxes should be legalized.
Yet another prosecutor contemplating a career in politics, and seeking to make a name for himself.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.