Boston News via the Associated Press, and many other news sources, are running the story on a "Weekend at Bernie's" remake. Although, instead of a part 2 movie on the big screen, this story appears to be real life imitating art.
Two men, R.Y., 43, and M.R., 25, drove around Denver with a dead friend in their car while spending his money. In using the dead man's ATM card and running up a bar tab, R.Y. and M.R. have been criminally charged with abusing a corpse, identity theft and criminal impersonation.
The men are not charged with the death of their friend, J.J., 43.
A coroner is awaiting toxicology reports to establish the cause of his death.
Both R.Y. and M.R. have since been freed on bail as of September 16. Neither were available for comment.
The movie, "Weekend at Bernie's", was an 80's hit for the two young stars that played two young quick-thinkers. They arrived at their boss's home at the beach, for what they thought would be a weekend of rewards, and, upon finding him dead, drove him around town with them while pursuing their own fun.
The real-life story first broke in the Denver Post. The events occurred through the weekend of August 27. It began when R.Y., upon arrival at the home of J.J., found him unresponsive and made the decision not to call the police.
Instead R.Y. left his friend's home and went looking for his other pal, M.R.
The two returned to J.J.'s home and decided to cart his body around in M.R.'s SUV. From there the three pals drove to a nightspot to spend an hour drinking, while the dead pal stayed behind in the car.
Police documents show that the two men used J.J.'s card to pay for drinks though "they did not have (J.J.'s) consent."
After the bar, R.Y. and M.R. went to a restaurant, again while leaving the dead man in the SUV. After that trip, they returned J.J. back to his home, put him into his bed, and then the two went back out again.
This time they used J.J.'s money at a burrito joint, a gas station and finally, Shotgun Willie's strip club. At the final destination police say that they removed $400 from an ATM using J.J.'s card.
A valet at the strip club learned of the night's events. He alerted his manager, who in turn told a policeman nearby, that the two had been "driving around with a dead guy and they didn't know what to do with it and they were just going to go home really fast."
At J.J.'s home police found the body. R.Y. told police that he was aware that J.J. was dead at their very first bar stop that night.
R.Y. posted a $2,500 bond and M.R. posted his for $3,500. Both are scheduled to appear in Denver County Court, on September 27 and October 4, respectively.
If you are facing criminal charges, no matter how unique your crime, contact a criminal defense attorney to best represent you.
