Not Starring Julia Roberts

The so-called news story of the moment:

Prosecutors consider chares aainst Jennifer Wilbanks, the runaway bride who lied about bein abducted. NBC's Kerry Sanders reports.

The same news source reports that despite her disappearance they still plan to wed.

Do you think she should be chared? Do you think it is honourable or foolish for the room to stick by her? Also, is anyone surprised that this is considered news-worthy? 

There is a wonderful series of posts and comments on this topic at Simund, Carl and Alfred. Which reminds me....bride.....runaway....hmm

Comments

[elle]

On one hand it is a great relief that she is alright, but on the other, she's not really alright, is she?? They keep saying how wonderful her fiance and family are, yet she planned quite an elaborate getaway. Either they are hiding something, or she had a nervous breakdown, either way she should not be charged. I understand why they want her to pay the expense of looking for her, but she clearly wasn't in her right mind. At least that is my opinion at this point. Who knows what time will tell.

[nat]

At the very least, she owes a WHOPPING apology to all who participated in the search for her. Even if she had no idea that search parties were organized, those folks did what they could to help her family.

I don't know about being charged. Maybe a misdemeanor..with community service as a sentence.

[annie]

I posted about this Saturday. I think it's newsworthy in light of the fact of recent wife murdering (Lacy Peterson, Lori Hacking). Really didn't we all think at first that she'd been done in by her fiance?

She's obviously "disturbed", but heck, her family has money to spend on that circus, I mean wedding, they should reimburse law enforcement for looking for her. Also as we're finding out more about just how outrageously MUCH they were spending on that wedding, people are losing their sympathy for the "poor" girl.

And he is a fool for taking her back. She'e one of those whack jobs that would probably end up murdering her own children.

[Connie]

Oh. My. Goddess.

Are you engaged to SCA??

Mr-Oh-My-God-He-Is-Wonderful...is SCA??!!??

She won't answer, she is Miss Coy so will someone who might know PLEASE tell me?

[UV]

1. She should be charged for any police/community expenses incurred after she lied. None from before that.

2. Foolish.

3. It's mind-boggling what's considered top news, yet look at all these peeps (including me) who have thought about this story and have an opinion on it. Obviously peeps are interested in the thing, lame as it is.

[Jennifer]

I agree it was newsworthy in this day of Laci Peterson, Elizabeth Smart, et.al. But leave it alone already.

As for the runaway bride and her fiancee? Yes, she screwed up. Yes, she freaked out. Yes, she created a costly scene. Yes, she clearly has problems.

But, god. Who among us hasn't? I don't think she can be labelled all that easily. It's entirely plausible, and possible, that she took a step off the deep end. It doesn't mean she has to drown. Or that she has to live her life standing soaking wet in the middle of the 'town square' dripping her emotional problems for the rest of her life.

If he takes her back, how can he be so readily viewed as a fool? He knows her better than any of us do. If he takes her back, it may just be because he *loves* her.

Sometimes love is hard work.

Sometimes, if you're willing to invest yourself in it, it's well worth the labor.

[Jennie]

Call me crazy, but I still haven't ruled out her husband as an accompliss. Something just isn't right there. I don't know what it is, but they both look a little crazy and guilty to me.

Newsworthy? I don't know what that means anymore. :/

[Scully]

I think she behaved immaturely. I'd given anything to run away from my life many days, but I soldier on.

And what was with that huge wedding? What were they thinking? They maintain they are Christians, so are they not reading the Bible and listening to the teachings of Christ that teach moderation and not putting on ostentatious displays? Hmm?

Whether her fiance wants to marry her is their business, but all she had to do was phone him, dump him, phone her parents and go home. She did not need to lie.

Was it newsworthy? It's a slow news week.

Now let's discuss why Lyndie Englad may only serve 2 years. That's someone who is selfish and self-centred.

[Catharine Amanda]

I think her mom should shake her silly. But I'm not sure criminal charges are in order, unless she stole something. See, the fact is, this is (last time I looked) still America, and you can disappear if you want to. Yes, there was a huge search. Yes, people got kind of crazy looking for her, thinking the worst. And she probably should have said something earlier on. But if you are in the mood to run from a 600-guest wedding because of the pressure, imagine how freaked out a full-blown police search, complete with cadaver dogs and dumpster rousts is likely to make you.

She panicked. She needs some therapy. Leave her alone. Don't we have some registered sex offenders to monitor?

[maggie]

I'm not sure why this is the big news story of the week. At any rate, I'd like to see her pay back what tax money it cost to execute the search for her. Other than the tax money - what harm was done that is any of OUR business? To each his own ... not my job to judge (thank God).

[bonnie]

Mr. Wonderful didn't register for a large screen tv from Best Buy, by any chance? If so, you might want to follow this poor girl's lead! ;~)

[panthergirl]

I sympathize with her need to skip out on the wedding...it happens. Making up a story that causes people to search for you, costs lots of $$ in resources and overtime, and WORST OF ALL, could have led to the false arrest of people who fit the description of your 'kidnappers', is VERY BAD.

Still, I don't think she should be charged with anything criminal. I think she should have to pay money and that's that.

[Michael]

She should pay the cost of hunting her down. No criminal charges. Get therapy so that she gets that personal empowerment to make and voice decisions on what she wants in life. I sense she ran away because some party was pushing her into this and she felt trapped. Right?

[Mango]

Fat dude sent me.

(I love this game)

He humbly requests a comment from the lovely and talented Michele. Well, as humbly as he can request, I guess.

[Bridget Unnel]

Ohhhhhh, I hate a few thoughts on this one myself. I will not begin to judge the whackjob, errrrr, I mean the man, who is standing by his Runaway Bride. One question though: He said he already gave her the engagement ring which she had left behind. AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO THOUGHT THAT MIGHT BE A CLUE THAT SHE WASN'T ABDUCTED???

[annie]

Fat Dude sent me too, as if I'm not already here!
I LOVE the Fat Dude, who doesn't love the Fat Dude?

He misses you, Michele. He said he's sorry for all the AWFUL things he said and he wants to be friends. He said he might end it all (or run away to Vegas) if he doesn't make amends to you. This was his last request: "Please, before I go, send for Michele; I need to see her, one last time!"

Then he collapsed on his keyboard.

[iliana]

I think she should do some serious community time, pay back costs for her search and go to counseling. And of course send all the gifts back.

[golfwidow]

I guess it all depends ... was she running away from the wedding (six hundred guests and fourteen bridesmaids) or the marriage? I can understand being overwhelmed by the wedding thing - that can get out of control in a hurry - but if she was feeling like she couldn't handle the concept of being married, or of being married to him, and she couldn't talk to him or someone else about it, there shouldn't be any wedding of any sort whatsoever till she gets that sorted out in her head.

[maryse]

she should be charged with something. she's a 32 year old woman, not a child. we've all had freakouts but how many of them have involved hundreds of law enforcement man hours. and then she lied and said she'd been abducted! a wedding like that is certainly frightening but honestly, unless someone was forcing her to marry the guy, she's a big girl.

a whether for whether the groom should stand by her. while this is in the news, sure why not. why add gas to the fire. i wonder what he'll do privately.

sure it's noteworthy considering what's been going on with men killing their wives these days.

[sleepingmommy]

I don't know about what kind of charges she should face. There should be some kind of consequence to her actions though, considering how many people were out looking for her and how much of law enforcements resources were diverted to the case.

The groom? Well I guess he must really love her. Or just be plain stupid. Or both. Hope she realizes how lucky she is.

[Scully]

If she's charged, it'll be for public mischief. Making a false stataement to a police officer is a criminal offense in many areas of the US and in Canada. That's the criminal charges they are contemplating. She didn't have to lie, she had a choice.

[sheedeh]

hi .

i need post address julia roberts please send me

thank you so much