Fil-Am teen who climbed to top of 1 World Trade Center faces judge

Justin Casquejo arrives for his court date in New York, Wednesday, April 2, 2014. The 16-year-old boy described as a thrill-seeker bypassed an inattentive security guard in the middle of the night and climbed a ladder to the spire of 1 World Trade Center, where he apparently took pictures, authorities said. AP

NEW YORK — A teenager who climbed to the top of 1 World Trade Center will be assessed in a program for youthful offenders.

A judge on Wednesday ordered Justin Casquejo to return to court April 30. He and his lawyer declined comment outside court.

The 16-year-old from New Jersey was arrested last month. Authorities say he was dressed like a construction worker when he squeezed through a hole in a fence at about 4 a.m. and took an elevator to the spire.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey owns the site. It says it’s reassessing security.

Three other people parachuted from the building in September.

The 1,776-foot (540-meter) skyscraper is America’s tallest building. It was built to replace the twin towers destroyed in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

Read more...