By Nathan Duke
The councilman said he plans to propose legislation that would slap persons with a misdemeanor who use a device, such as a parachute, to jump from a structure higher than 25 feet. Currently, there is no law to prevent people from so-called BASE jumping off the city's tall buildings and monuments, he said.”BASE jumping is an extremely dangerous activity,” he said. “If done at all, it should be conducted far from the public, not on the most crowded streets in the country. If these people want to risk their own lives, that's up to them. But they should not be able to risk the lives of others.”Vallone said BASE jumping, which stands for Buildings, Antennas, Spans, and Earth, is not particularly common in the five boroughs, but that 10 people jumped from the World Trade Center and the Empire State Building during the past 2 1/2 decades.No fatalities have been recorded in the city since 1981, he said.”All it would take is one mistake and innocent people could die as a result of this risky action,” he said. “Experience doesn't matter. There have been plenty of BASE jumpers who considered themselves experienced who have had fatal accidents.”Vallone said his bill would force jumpers to pay a $1,000 fine and spend up to one year in prison.On April 27, 2006, BASE jumper Jeb Corliss was arrested after attempting to leap from the observation deck of the Empire State Building. He was charged with reckless endangerment, but the charges were dropped after a judge ruled that Corliss had expertise as a BASE jumper.The charges were reinstated following an appeal and Corliss could still face up to one year in jail if convicted.Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at news@timesledger.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
