Three men convicted in parachute jump from New York's 1 World Trade Center

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

US | Mon Jun 22, 2015 5:42pm EDT

Three men convicted in parachute jump from New York's 1 World Trade Center

NEW YORK | BY SEBASTIEN MALO

Three men who jumped with parachutes from the top of One World Trade Center were convicted of criminal charges on Monday in their plunge from America's tallest building.

Their leap from the top of the 104-story building was partly caught on security video that showed at least two figures in black suits and helmets floating down beneath open parachutes and landing on the streets of lower Manhattan, one of their defense attorneys said.

A jury in state Supreme Court in Manhattan deliberated over the course of four days before reaching a verdict in the trial of James Brady, 33, Andrew Rossig, 34, and Marko Markovich, 28, who live in the New York City suburbs.

They were cleared of the most serious charge - burglary, a felony - but were convicted of three misdemeanor charges of reckless endangerment in the second degree, reckless endangerment of property and unauthorized climbing, jumping and suspending oneself from a structure.

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Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/22/us-usa-new-york-parachute-idUSKBN0P229M20150622

[Nye Bevan]

1. Obviously it wasn't "burglary".

They should never even have been charged with that.

[jberryhill]

2. Unauthorized entry with intent to commit a crime

"Burglary" is always a fun one in law school... "So, if I walk into someone's house and use their kitchen table to sign my fraudulent tax form...?"

Usually, the intent is to commit some kind of theft. While state laws vary, there are places where unlawful entry into residential or commercial premises to commit *any* crime will fit burglary.

The common law definition was more fun - Entering a residence not your own at night with the intent to commit a crime - because people would always argue over whether it was a "residence" or "at night".

[Nye Bevan]

3. Interesting.

That's one new thing I learned today.

[msanthrope]

4. Burglary in NY State does not require theft or intent to commit theft, merely the knowing entrance

with the intent to commit crime.