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Balloon Boy 911 Call Released

By Jeralyn, Section Colorado News
Posted on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 02:31:30 PM EST
Tags: Balloon Boy (all tags)
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For those still following the Balloon Boy case, here's the 911 call.

There is an issue worth discussing about the case: Is it okay for law enforcement to lie to the media?

If you are still searching for a Halloween costume, Balloon Boy ones are now available.

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    Balloon Boy 911 Call Released | 17 comments (17 topical)

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    Is it legal (5.00 / 1) (#12)
    by TeresaInSnow2 on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 06:51:33 PM EST
    for the media to distort to the public?

    I've really gotten to the point where I don't bother believing anything I hear in the media no matter who says it.  I wait for actions, and if they affect me, I worry about them.  Otherwise, media is just entertainment, no matter who is speaking.

    Considering (none / 0) (#1)
    by CoralGables on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 02:55:08 PM EST
    it's quite possible balloon boy was nothing more than a figment of a father's quest for more face time with television, shouldn't we begin to refer to balloon boy with the more appropriate nickname of "Box Boy".

    That works... (none / 0) (#2)
    by kdog on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 02:58:52 PM EST
    or "hoax boy", or just cut to the chase and  call him "that poor boy".

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    The boy in the story is 6 years old (none / 0) (#3)
    by Inspector Gadget on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 03:20:03 PM EST
    and has quite the future ahead of him. I expect he'll be teased for the better part of his years over this.

    Is it reasonable to openly call this a Hoax, as is done by the paper releasing the 911 tape? Has someone confessed or been found guilty?

    Come up with any name that doesn't have boy in it to identify the people facing possible criminal charges in this story.

    I think the family was trying to plan a stunt to get attention for a tv show, I just think it's possible this incident may have been unfortunately timed and looks like it was connected to the plan.

    If they really called the FAA, they must be smart enough to know that situations that bring out rescue can easily cost those involved a great deal of money and embarrassment if there really was no emergency. Did runaway bride end up having to pay for the national search efforts on her "kidnapping"?

    Is it ok for law enforcement to lie to the media? (none / 0) (#4)
    by shoephone on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 03:43:20 PM EST
    To the media? A pox on the media. It's about lying to the public.

    According to the article, it is legal for law enforcement to lie to the public. So, putting aside the issue of legality, the question of whether it is "okay" hinges on whether or not someone is harmed by the lie, and who is harmed. In this case, was someone harmed by the lie? Were the Heene's harmed by the lie? Allegedly, it was they that committed the harm -- by wasting police, media, air flight and emergency responder hours, and wasting taxpayer dollars for those services.

    Was the public harmed by the lie? I say not. That doesn't mean I'm comfortable with law enforcement lying. But the question is not one of who is offended, but who is harmed.

    Um . . (none / 0) (#5)
    by SOS on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 03:55:43 PM EST
    "If you are still searching for a Halloween costume, Balloon Boy ones are now available."

    I'll conclude this was a cynical comment and not a suggestion for this years masquerade?

    Now where can I find (none / 0) (#15)
    by Fabian on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 08:12:16 PM EST
    two hot gigolos in speedos?

    Parent
    I understand it's legal for law enforcement to ly (none / 0) (#6)
    by steviez314 on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 04:42:39 PM EST
    to a suspect under most circumstances.

    Seems lying to the media ranks far below that.

    Is it legal for ANYONE (none / 0) (#7)
    by Fabian on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 05:25:59 PM EST
    to lie to the media?

    Is it legal for the Media to lie to us?
    What authority does the media have anyway?  What moral authority?  And ethics - don't talk to me about ethics!

    I think it should illegal for law enforcement to lie under oath, same as it is for anyone else.  But if we are going to pick on law enforcement for lying, there's a very long list of other civil servants who should held to the same standard.

    Law enforcement officers are held to (5.00 / 1) (#8)
    by oculus on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 05:43:41 PM EST
    the same standard as any other witness regarding telling the truth under oath.

    Is the 911 call evidence of a hoax or a legitimate call?  I vote for hoax.

    Parent

    The best part (5.00 / 1) (#9)
    by CoralGables on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 06:34:04 PM EST
    of this story is that it gave an old guy a flashback to stovetop jiffypop. Other than that it looks to be an example of a very needy attention starved father.

    Parent
    tough call as to (none / 0) (#11)
    by CoralGables on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 06:46:34 PM EST
    which is the more stomach turning...the sheep or the priest. Looks like a tossup (oh wait that's the third pic)

    Is it ok...? (none / 0) (#14)
    by jbindc on Wed Oct 21, 2009 at 07:02:53 PM EST
    Sure.  Would you rather they come out and say, "So and so is a suspect and here's why." Just in time for So and so to destroy evidence and avoid justice?

    Frankly, if it means getting people off the street who don't deserve to be there, then let them lie to the media all day long.  After all - politicians do it.

    Refusing to comment is not lying ... (none / 0) (#16)
    by cymro on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 04:24:24 AM EST
    ... and is entirely appropriate in many situations, especially during an ongoing police investigation. So you are posing a false alternative.

    The alternative to lying is saying nothing, not telling everything, or talking about "suspects", as you suggest. When did we all become clones of Nancy Grace, needing to find "suspects" to be the focus of our hate? In business there are penalties for leaking insider information. Why aren't law enforcement officials subject to similar restrictions and trained in the proper way to behave when questioned by the media?

    Parent

    And sometimes (none / 0) (#17)
    by jbindc on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 01:11:24 PM EST
    Police lying to the media throw the real suspect off, he drops his guard and makes a mistake and helps catch him and bring him to justice.As seems to be the case here. Why is that a bad thing?  

    A stupid criminal get caught because he believed what the police said in a press conference and I'm supposed to fret about that?  Sorry - not gonna happen.

    Parent

    For somebody... (none / 0) (#18)
    by kdog on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 01:25:10 PM EST
    with such zest to catch criminals, ya sure don't mind when the authorities act like criminals jb.  I hope the ends justify the means.

    Parent
    I would think that saying nothing at all to (none / 0) (#19)
    by Inspector Gadget on Thu Oct 22, 2009 at 05:10:01 PM EST
    the media makes the suspect afraid to make any move (mistake, or otherwise), and would have the effect of making the public safer.

    The police should do their jobs and the media should do theirs.


    Parent

    Balloon Boy 911 Call Released | 17 comments (17 topical)

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