A Manhattan judge has ruled that felony charges against three men for BASE jumping off of 1 World Trade Center won’t be dismissed, reports the Daily News. The trio snuck into the bland skyscraper last September and parachuted down with GoPro cameras strapped to their heads.
Soon after the stunt, they posted video footage of the stomach-churning feat to YouTube to the delight of urban explorers and thrill-seekers alike. Daredevils James Brady, Marko Markovich, Andrew Rossig and their lookout, Kyle Hartwell, were hoping to only face misdemeanor trespassing charges, a sentiment not shared by Supreme Court Justice Charles Solomon, who characterized their actions as “unsafe, reckless, and highly inappropriate behavior.” According to CBS, “the burglary charge involves being in a building illegally with an intention to commit another crime.” Tacking on a burglary charge is a tactic often used against graffiti writers caught painting on rooftops.
In court papers filed in August, lawyers for the adventurers said their clients heroically exposed security flaws at the site and that “the charges reflect a dysfunctional and politically motivated attempt to set an unwarranted example.” The men will go to trail in mid-January.
