Warning: This article includes spoilers for Trainwreck: Balloon Boy!
Trainwreck: Balloon Boyreveals that Richard and Mayumiu Heene pleaded guilty to their respective charges, but they were surprisingly pardoned in 2020, raising the question of why. Netflix’s Trainwreck documentary series previously covered Woodstock ‘99, the Mayor of Mayhem, andthe Astroworld tragedy. Their newest addition to the mix is Trainwreck: Balloon Boy, which focuses on the Balloon Boy Hoax of 2009. After the Balloon Boy incident, Richard Heene pleaded guilty to a felony charge of attempting to influence a public servant, while Mayumi Heene pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of making a false report.
According to theBBC, he faced 90 days in jail, 30 of which would be served consecutively, while the remaining 60 would include work during the day and jail at night. He also faced 100 hours of community service and $42,000 of restitution. After his sentence ended, Mayumi Heene did 20 days of weekend jail, allowing her to care for her children during the week. However, as mentioned in theNetflix documentary, they were eventually pardoned, despite their refusal to acknowledge that the whole thing was a hoax.
Richard & Mayumi Heene Were Pardoned By The Colorado Governor In 2020
Governor Polis Thought They’d Paid The Price For Their Actions
In 2020, Governor Jared Polis provided Richard and Mayumi Heene a full and unconditional pardon. The Heene’s lawyer, David Lane, construed the pardons as acknowledgment that the conviction was incorrect (viaCPR News), but Governor Polis never indicated that as the reason.
By removing the incident from their criminal records, they have a chance to contribute to society in more substantial ways.
Instead, Polis emphasized that Richard and Mayumi Heene had served their time and didn’t deserve for their past mistake to impact their lives forever. He said this in a press conference (via9 News):
We are all ready to move past the spectacle from a decade ago that wasted precious time and resources of law enforcement officials and the general public. Richard and Mayumi have paid the price in the eyes of the public, served their sentences, and it’s time for all of us to move on. It’s time to no longer let a permanent criminal record from the balloon boy saga follow and drag down the parents for the rest of their lives.
He further expounded upon the reason for the pardons in the letters to the Heenes attached to Executive Order C2020 011 (Mayumi Heene) and C2020 0012 (Richard Heene). In both letters,the governor stated that he believed they’d proven they wouldn’t repeat their mistakesand could contribute to society more if they were pardoned.
Governor Polis re-emphasized in his letter to Mayumi Heene that she’d paid the consequences for her past decisions. Additionally, he brought up Mayumi’s naturalization as a United States citizen, suggesting that he wanted to give her a fresh start. Here is a passage from the letter:
You and your husband were involved in a very high profile incident that garnered attention across Colorado and across the country. You wrote to me that you regret that anything you did could have caused anyone harm or inconvenience. I believe you and trust that the legal and social consequences you have suffered in the intervening years will prevent you from ever repeating your past mistakes.
Since this event, you have dedicated yourself to raising your children to be honest, respectful, and kind, and you became a naturalized American citizen. I hope this pardon will create opportunities for you, including the positive legacy you would like to build for your three children.
Similarly, Governor Polis mentioned that Richard Heene had already paid the social and legal price for his past actions. Additionally, he brought up the fact that Richard Heene could get his contractor’s license if his felony charge is removed.
You and your wife were involved in a very high profile incident that garnered attention across Colorado and across the country. You wrote to me that you have taught your three children to be honest and hardworking, and you have been diligently passing on your construction trade to your sons. I believe you and trust that the legal and social consequences you have suffered in the intervening years will prevent you from ever repeating your past mistakes.
Since this event, you have dedicated yourself to being a devoted husband and father. You own a small business and have sought to contribute to your community by researching and educating about extreme weather events. I hope this pardon will create opportunities for you, such as being able to obtain your general contractor license.
Ultimately, the decision seems to be rooted in rehabilitative justice. It’s unlikely Richard or Mayumi Heene will ever be able to face the public scrutiny for the Balloon Boy Hoax, and that makes the chances of recidivism extremely low. However, by removing the incident from their criminal records, they have a chance to contribute to society in more substantial ways.
The Balloon Boy Hoax Charges Were Also Removed From Richard & Mayumi Heene’s Criminal Records
Richard & Mayumi Heene Can Move On Without Significant Barriers
When Governor Polis pardoned Richard and Mayumi Heene, the charges were removed from their criminal records. This allows them to move forward, making it easier for them to get jobs and granting Richard Heene the ability to participate in activities like voting. I feel like that’s reasonable considering they experienced those consequences for eleven years. That’s a lot of time to suffer for the hoax, in retrospect.
Richard and Mayumi Heene were not allowed to profit from the Balloon Boy Hoax as part of their sentencing, and they can presumably make money from it now that their charges have been pardoned.
However, it’s reasonable to say that they will remain a part of this bizarre cultural flashpoint in late ‘00s history, possibly forever. It might be one of the sillier additions to theTrainwreckdocumentary series, but it was a trainwreck nonetheless. It will be a long time before the media stops parodying and dissecting the event.
Sources:BBC, CPR News,9 News, Executive Order C2020 011, and Executive Order C2020 0012
