Judge Determined Incarceration Would Not Be An Appropriate Punishment

Two BASE jumpers who leaped from an as-yet-unfinished 1 World Trade Center in 2013 have avoided jail time for the stunt.

Television station WNBC reports that 33-year-old James Brady and 34-year-old Andrew Rossig were sentenced Monday to conditional discharge with a $2,000 fine and community service. Brady must spend 250 hours volunteering, while Rossig was sentenced to 200 hours.

A third skydiver, 28-year-old Marko Markovich, will be sentenced next week.

All three were acquitted on charges of felony burglary, the most serious charge they faced for the stunt. The charges that drew the fines and community service hours were BASE jumping and reckless endangerment.

Prosecutors had asked for at least 60 days in jail, saying that the stunt had posed a risk to bystanders. Judge Juan Merchan had previously agreed that they had created a "substantial risk" with their stunt, but said he could only impose sentencing within the limits of the law. They had, however, sullied the memory of 9/11 with their stunt, the judge said.

After the sentencing, Rossig told reporters he appreciated that the judge was "reasonable" in the case, and he looks forward to completing his community service. Meanwhile, "we won't be parachuting in New York City any more," he said.

(Image from YouTube video captured before the jump)

FMI: YouTube Video