Hard to believe that Randi is defending the runaway chick.

[Catherine Vincent]

I'm shocked. She says she understands what she went through.

[thebigidea]

1. I think a lot of people are projecting their own experiences into this

I just wish it wasn't projected onto my damn tv. Agghghghg!

[mitchum]

96. Beautifully said!

[deutsey]

125. Yes, again I find myself wondering why a non-issue like this is

receiving so much media attention.

Unbelievable. :banghead:

[LoZoccolo]

2. There's several variations of understanding though.

It's like, I understand that it was awful for Eric Harris and Dylan Kliebold to get picked on like they did, even if I think that how they reacted to it was atrocious.

[sasquatch]

3. The hubby is probably a jerkoff and the whore media gave her WAAAYYY-

too much fucking attention.

[slackmaster]

108. He's definitely a FOOL of the highest order

I just heard he wants to go through with the wedding.

:eyes:

[Walt Starr]

4. I understand, too...

and the runaway bride only broke the law in New Mexico. They let her go, probably realizing how awful the media circus would be if they charged her with the felony misdemeanor she commited there.

The Duluth, Georgia idiots are the most moronic fools I've ever seen. They actually want to charge her with a crime even though she committed no crime whatsoever in Georgia!

It is 100% legal to disappear without a trace and not inform friends or family. In fact, it happens all the time!

[Catherine Vincent]

12. She shouldn't be charged with a crime but she should be charged

or fined or maybe assigned to do community service or something. Had it been anyone else, they would have been punished for it. What makes her so special?

[Walt Starr]

20. Sorry, there is no law saying you can't disappear without a trace

It happens all the time.

What are you suggesting, that a law be instilled so that you must report your movements constantly?

Georgie and Alberto would really love a law like that!

[Catherine Vincent]

24. No that is not what I am saying.

I thinking about all the resources wasted looking for her. If I had done something like that, they would have fined me.

[Walt Starr]

51. She is in no way responsible or culpable for those resources

She did not make the report of her being missing. She has no civil liability in this whatsoever.

[Mondon]

55. Didn't she initially tell the police she had been kidnapped

after she turned up?

[Jacobin]

59. Yes, she did.

[Walt Starr]

70. In New Mexico. That jurisdiction has chosen not to prosecute.

They let her go.

No criminal charges and there can be no civil liability as she did not report herself missing.

She did nothing illegal until the 911 call and that jurisdiction has chosen not o bother prosecuting.

[Mondon]

72. Then she should be left alone, IMHO. n/t

[Walt Starr]

73. Don't get me wrong, New Mexico could still prosecute

but I doubt they will want the media hype over what is essentially a crime that carries little in the way of punishment, especially for a first offender with no criminal record.

[zauberflote]

28. Well said Walt n/t

[SammyBlue]

35. You cannot fine someone if no crime as been committed

As reprehensible as what this little girl has done. . .she committed no crime.

Now, if I were the fiancee, I would run, and never stop running, from her. Imagine when they have kids and money is tight.

"Daddy, where's mommy?"

"Oh Christ. . .she did it again!"

A week or two later:

"Honey. . .hi! Ummm, remember that till death do us part thingie? Haha. . .funny story. I meant until I no longer felt like this is what I wanted. But now, since I am holed up in a flop house on the side of I-5 somewhere near Stockton, CA. . .I need you to come and get me. I love you!"

My response: "You have two legs. . .use them! By the way. . .as soon as I hang up, I'm calling my divorce lawyer!"

[Wilber_Stool]

21. That was the point I wanted to make.

If she hadn't lied about being abducted, she'd be home free. So to speak.

[Shrek]

27. But supposedly she lied to Georgia law enforcement

From MSNBC:

Porter said he had no jurisdiction over the woman’s initial 911 call in Albuquerque, in which she told an operator she was kidnapped by a man and a woman in their 40s who were driving a blue van. Through sobs, she told the dispatcher they had a small handgun. But Porter said Wilbanks could be charged for reporting her kidnapping story over the phone to Duluth Police Chief Randy Belcher.

Not a huge crime by any means, but still illegal.

[Walt Starr]

71. She signed no statement for Georgia law officials

and at that time, everything was under the jurisdiction of New Mexico.

There is no there there.

[chookie]

75. She did do something illegal in Georgia

While on the bus, presumably, she threw the clothes she was last seen in out the window and onto the highway in 3 locations, separated by dozens of miles. It would appear that she did so knowing they would be found by investigators, and that it would look like evidence that she had been the victim of a crime.

Surely falsifying evidence in preparation to falsely report that she was the victim of a crime is illegal.

[Walt Starr]

82. So you can read her mind?

You make the false assumption that she knew she would be reported missing and she knew the clothes would be found.

Assumptions like that never make it to a court of law.

[chookie]

85. Please offer another explanation

Can you please offer another explanation why she would throw her clothes out of a window of a bus, onto a highway?

Also -- are you suggesting that she was in some fugue state in which she had no knowledge of the consequence of her actions i.e. that police would investigate her disappearance, and if so, what do you base it on?

[Walt Starr]

88. She didn't want anybody spotting her and telling her family

where she was, so she ditched the clothing, just like she cut her hair.

There is nothing illegal about it unless she makes a sworn statement that she dumped those clothes to be false evidence. The inferrence that it is what she intended would never be allowed in a court of law. It is speculation with no evidence to back it up.

[chookie]

92. Why throw them on a highway?

Gee, when I sneak away, I dispose of the clothing I was last seen in discreetly, carefully hiding the articles in garbage cans. Or I just stick them in my bag so I can wash them when I resurface. Is this not smart of me? Is it better to get rid of things by throwing them out onto busy highways? Maybe I need to rethink my operating procedure. :-)

[Walt Starr]

93. I've seen people throw shit on the highway every day!

Look at any highway, there's shit all over the side of the road.

shoes
socks
jackets
shirts
bras
panties

Fuck man, there are clothes all over the highways!

[chookie]

99. Oh!

I see. Everybody does it. Natural as can be. Part of everyday life.

Gee -- I'm surprised the police even bother to look through the stuff at all, since it's such a common occurance. :-)

So it's just a coincidence.

Nah -- I still don't buy the "everybody does it" explanation, but thanks for trying.

[Walt Starr]

119. Doesn't matter if you buy it or not

it's a plausible explanation and you have yet to prove intent.

That's the only way throwing clothes on the highway would be illegal, if you can PROVE intent.

No prosecutor in their right mind will go there without a sworn statement from Wilbanks.

[Walt Starr]

121. Convenience

Prove she didn't do it for that reason.

[DoNotRefill]

90. It's not illegal to throw out clothes at different locations...

It sounds like she just wanted to disappear, and had no idea that people would freak out so badly.

People choose to disappear all the time. It's not criminal. And Faux News bears a lot fo the blame for this situation by running coverage of this story 24/7 in the HOPE that it would turn into another Laci Peterson story...fuckin' vultures.... :grr:

[chookie]

94. Please help me understand this

Why would one of the many people who disappear all the time throw their clothes out the window of a moving bus?

[DoNotRefill]

117. Because it had cooties?

We live in a society where people don't NEED to give a reason for what they do unless it violates a law and the need is part of an affirmative defense. The rule is: "Anything not specifically forbidden is allowed".

[bunkerbuster1]

79. Punishing someone who'd committed no crime? In Georgia?

Golly, that'd never happen, would it?

[tyedyeto]

118. A question?

What is a felony misdemeanor?

[peaches2003]

127. But she did...

Sorry, but she DID commit a crime in GA. Not when she ran away, but when she talked on the phone from NM with the GA police chief and told him she had been kidnapped at gunpoint in Duluth by a Hispanic man and white woman in a blue van.

False reporting of a felony is a crime.

[bpilgrim]

5. she is defending her putting the cops and first-responders through that

she usually sticks up for law enforcement :shrug:
can't listen if she is gonna talk about that 'drama' :puke:

peace

[lapfog_1]

16. sorry - SHE didn't "put the cops" through anything!

her family and especially the media put the cops and first
responders through the wringer.

All she did was run away without telling anyone.... which is
her RIGHT.

The only thing she did which might be construed as illegal was
fabricate the kidnapping story, but if the media wasn't all over
this, she likely would have simply called and told her family
and her fiance the truth.

The 24 hour cable "news" outlets are doing the US great harm,
with their constant succession of non-news "news" media circus
events, distracting the populace from the real events (like the
War, what congress is doing, etc).

[Walt Starr]

22. DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING DING!!!!!!

You are 100% wihtin your rights to pick up and leave whenever you choose and are under no obligation whatsoever in the eyes of the law to inform anybody about your movements.

[Mondon]

58. Hear hear!

I agree with that 100%

[Catherine Vincent]

25. Lapfog, you're right.

It wasn't actually her that wasted the resources looking for her. It was the family. But she shouldn't have called and said she was abducted.

[lapfog_1]

33. I'm sure that panic set in when she saw her name all over CNN

I have this sneaky feeling that there is more to the story than
she felt overwhelmed and skipped off to somewhere.

Having been the instigator of this behavior in women before, I
suspect an old lover called and they arranged to "hook up" in
Las Vegas before the knot was tied to someone perhaps steady
and boring... hence, while in Vegas, she had no clue that CNN, FAUX
and the whole media pack horde were after her. On the way back
home (New Mexico), she finally decided to "re-engage" with the world,
either saw or heard the massive man hunt effort and 24 hour reports.
And then she made the stupid mistake of fabricating a kidnap story

This is just a hunch, and very speculative, but it's my best guess.
I have quite a bit of sympathy for her.

[bpilgrim]

41. you go missing, without any word, loved ones will start looking for you

and call the police.

HER actions caused those resources to be WASTED.

it is much WORSE than pulling a fire-alarm, IMHO.

peace

[Walt Starr]

53. So you advocate people being forced to report all movements?

PAPERS PLEASE!

[bpilgrim]

60. pfft... give me a break!

it is IRRESPONSIBLE to disappear just prior to a HUGE wedding and not tell anyone and a CRIME to file a FALSE report and RACIST to blame it on Hispanics.

please don't try to play the spin game with me, i know you, like you and respect you, so please, chill.

now i gotta go take my son to baseball practice, cya later :hi:

peace

[Walt Starr]

65. But not illegal

and not civally liable, either.

[bpilgrim]

67. filling a FALSE police report and blaming Hispanics is not only ILLEGAL

it's RACIST to boot.

i'm out, cya.

peace

[Walt Starr]

69. New Mexico chose not to prosecute

so there's no there there no matter how much you want there to be a there there.

[bpilgrim]

36. whatever, she disappeared without telling anyone ANYTHING and then claims

she was KIDNAPPED, hello...

her own IRRESPONSIBLE actions are the cause of this drama.

sure, the media went overboard with the 'story', as usual, but they didn't make her runaway without leaving word with anyone or made her claim to have been kidnapped.

peace

[Walt Starr]

54. I CALL BULLSHIT!!

You are 100% within your rights to pick up and leave without a trace. There are no laws governing this and if there were, they would probably be unconstitutional.

She was 100% within her rights to leave without a trace. Nothing illegal in that whatsoever.

[bpilgrim]

66. she was IRRESPONSIBLE and filled a FALSE police report.

she is RESPONSIBLE for those WASTED resources... it is worse than pulling a fire-alarm, IMO.

call bullshit all you want those are the facts.

peace

[Walt Starr]

68. Nope, she's not responsible for a dime of it.

She did not report herself missing. Somebody else reported her missing. She left without a trace as is the right of any American citizen.

Sorry, but Georgia won't see a dime from her. There is no civil liability on her part.

[Donailin]

111. AS usual, Walt Starr

gets it right. again.

The only reason she lied was probably because of the godamned media making a federal case out of it.

[progressivebydesign]

102. She didn't make the claim until AFTER the media went apeshit. n/t

[bpilgrim]

115. so. it's STILL racist, illegal and IRRESPONSIBLE.

the M$MW are still just as guilty but they aren't the only ones.

peace

[progressivebydesign]

103. She didn't make the claim until AFTER the media went apeshit. n/t

[marions ghost]

126. LOL-- if you prosecuted

people harshly for every case of "irresponsibility," you'd have a lot more prosecuting to do.

The family should offer to pay for the search. Obviously they can afford it. But would you deny that same search to a family who could not afford it?

I think this story is bringing out some frustration with our whole system, which is understandable. The courts are clogged with street crime while white collar criminals go free, and the mainstream "news" media shoves tabloid stories down our throats. The real scandals are not even reported at all--now that's something to get upset about! The country is falling apart right and left, but if everybody would just "behave" all would be well...

Shredding this pathetic woman is just displacement for other frustrations.

[LostinVA]

37. What she did was inconsiderate, but not illegal

And, I was judging her very harshly over the weekend. But, after having seen her Freepoid fiance on TV, I am giving her some compassion. What she did wasn't right -- she should have told a family member she had to get away, and not made people worry. But her finance seems a bit sanctimonious, eh? Plus, I'd wager she has a self esteem problem, because I'd also wager she has an eating disorder. She physically reminds me of people I've known who have had eating disorders. And, even though all long distance runners do not have eating disorders, ALL women I've known with eating disorders have been long distance runners.

There are alot of societal pressures on women in the US, and women of her background seem to have a bit more.

[bpilgrim]

44. filing a FALSE police report is ILLEGAL and WRONG

leaving your loved ones without any word is also WRONG and irresponsible but technically not illegal.

and now y'll think her fiance say is a Freepoid from seeing him once on teeVee.

americans gotta be THE most judge mental group on the planet especially when they base there judgments on what snippets the teeVee shows.

:crazy:

peace

[Walt Starr]

56. And the false report she filed was in New Mexico

New Mexico chose not to prosecute.

End of story.

[bpilgrim]

61. so what, it's still ILLEGAL

hello...

peace

[Walt Starr]

64. Nothing is illegal unless it's prosecuted

and New Mexico (wisely) chose not to prosecute. More than likely because the DA determined that a felony misdemeanor that carries a light sentence would not be worth the hassle of the media circus that would ensue.

[bpilgrim]

116. nonsense

if it is against the law, which it is, it's ILLEGAL. whether it's prosecuted or not.

peace

[LostinVA]

74. I believe he is a Freepoid because of his excitement

Over meeting Hannity. I wouldn't be excited. My conservative father wouldn't be excited -- he hates him. Seriously, who would be excited over meeting Hannity? A probable FReeper.

I think people are being judgmental about this situation, including me: we're blaming the REASON for why she left on her -- she's nuts, etc. The way she did it I don't agree with, but I can sympathize with why she did it. More than one of my (now divorced) friends has told they knew they were making a mistake, but all of the invitations had been mailed, money had been spent, and they didn't want to disappoint people. It's crazy.

[chookie]

83. It is also illegal to falsify evidence

In the press conference Friday -- the same one in which they said the search was off locally, and that they believed that she was the victim of a crime -- the police announced that hair of the same type as hers had been found, as well as 3 items of clothing -- which appear to be the clothing in which she was last seen wearing. The items of clothing were found a 3 locations, each separated by dozens of miles.

It would appear that she threw her clothing out the window of the Greyhound bus in order to lead investigators to believe she had been the victim of a crime. That's illegal.

It would appear that she had premeditated intent to falsely claim she had been abducted.

[Walt Starr]

91. Speculation is not evidence and is not admissable

Prove her intent or there is no falsified evidence.

She is not responsible for what the suppositions of the police when they found her clothing. For there to be a crime here, her intent must be PROVEN beyond a reasonable doubt.

she has made no sworn statement that she intended to falsify evidence, ergo, it is incumbent oin those who would allege she falsified evidence to prove her intent.

Your talking about a thought crime here with no evidence that a crime was committed other than inadmissable supposition.

Prove her intent.

[The Straight Story]

95. Well she did commit one crime it appears

Littering :)

[Walt Starr]

120. Misdemeanor

and a fine at best.

I doubt they'll push it.

[Done]

39. Absolutely!

:yourock:

[Maru Kitteh]

45. Media hype didn't MAKE her lie about it

She chose to commit that crime.

[Walt Starr]

57. And the jurisdiction the crime was committed in chose not to prosecute

End of story.

[Orsino]

62. And who was that stupid "criminal profiler"...

...hairdo that CNN had on Saturday morning? The blonde who said she wanted Wilbanks "charged" with a crime? Never mind that no crime seems to have been committed.

This is the sort of Republican mindset that moans about government aid to the unfortunate while ignoring the missing $8 billion in Iraq.

What an idiot. "Criminal profiler," indeed.

[chookie]

77. She falsified evidence in Georgia

Were you aware that 3 items of clothing were found in Georgia, in locations separated by dozens of miles, on the highway -- which turned out to be clothing she was last seen in? This was announced Friday -- at the same news conference in which the police stated that they feared she had been the victim of a crime, but that they had called off the search locally. Her hair was also found, but I am not sure where.

Presumably she threw them out of the window of the Greyhound as it drove west.

She left a trail of fake evidence to make investigators think she had been the victim of a crime. That's illegal.

[Walt Starr]

84. That's not falsifying evidence

Presuming her intent is not proving her intent.

Sorry, it just doesn't fly.

[chookie]

87. Help me with this

I would love to hear another explanation for why someone -- who surfaced days later with a story about being abducted in a van from Duluth Georgia -- threw their clothes out of the window of a bus, in three different locations.

Please help me understand why a person throws clothing out of bus windows onto highways. Especially people who later claim to have been abducted.

Don't get upset with me. I am stating this not to antagonize you. You feel very strongly that she had no criminal intent -- I'd just love to see what rational explanation for this specific behavior that you can provide that shows she had no intent to falsify evidence.

[Walt Starr]

89. Sorry, she's not under the burden of proof here

Those who make the allegations that she dumped her clothes to falsify evidence are under the burden of proof.

Prove her intent because what you are alleging is a crime of intent.

You are under the burden of proof.

all you have offered to this point is speculation and that is not evidence.

Prove the intent.

[LostinVA]

122. My take on the clothing

Yes, she could have done it to make up a story, but I actually think the story came later. She cut her hair, changed her clothes, and escaped -- fora day , a week, a month, forever. Who knows. The FIRST thing I thought when I heard about the hair and clothes was that: she cut her hair to change her appearance because she didn't want to be found. She threw the clothes out of the window so that no one could find her/trace her -- she wanted to get away. That was MY first thought. She couldn't burn the clothes, and if she threw them away too close to home, someone might find them. Again, this was my first thought. I didn;'t even think about the "trail" theory until someone here mentioned it. I actually think that makes no sense: why would we want someone to find her?

I think she either changed her mind on the drive, or heard about the manhunt for her, and this came up with a story. She based her "kidnappers" on a real couple who gave her a ride -- which was bad. Lying to the cops was bad, but her running away is something I don't think we have a right to judge -- who the hell knows what is going on in her life or mind.

[progressivebydesign]

101. Thank you!! You're right on with this!!

The media and her family made this into a 3-ring circus. Women disappear every single day... BUT the media loved the idea of this story, and ran with it. A pretty bride disappears days before her giant wedding... Shit. A 35 year old woman disappeared last week from Tacoma. Her car, wallet, keys, left in a restaurant parking lot. her brother just died in an alleged suicide-by-cop, wherein he forced them to kill him, because of her disappearance. WHERE is the national coverage for her vanishing? Is it because she's not pretty? She's not a bride?

[Drewskie]

6. Ed

Schultz called it a non-story and distraction to the deaths of soldiers in Iraq, which is what it is.

[CBGLuthier]

7. There is no legal obligation

There is no legal obligation in this country to tell people where you are. Assuming you have not been convicted of a crime of course.

Sure, it was an unethical thing she did. She had to know it would cause such a response. But, except for the 911 call she did absolutely nothing illegal.

She is going to be crucified in her hometown for this.

[tuvor]

8. Why is she talking about her at all?

It's "news" only because the MSM is inexplicably fixated on it.

Aren't there more important things, Randi?

[Catherine Vincent]

14. She only spoke a few minutes about it.

No big deal.

[TreasonousBastard]

9. Hard to believe anyone actually gives a shit about her.

[MADem]

10. Maybe she did the same thing???

Hey, 14 bridesmaids, 14 groomsmen, and maybe you don't LIKE the guy??? What's funny is that this used to happen all the time back in the old days, except usually it was the GUY doing the running. The first time I ever heard the term Runaway Bride is when Julia Roberts did the movie of the same name.

I can understand someone wanting to back out, but that stunt she pulled was THOUGHTLESS and UNCARING. She had to know she'd put her family through hell...to say nothing of the expense the police would be put through looking for her. What ever happened to faking getting sick, if she didn't want to confront the guy? The best bet is always the TRUTH, of course, but apparently she wasn't up to that.

I guess she felt steamrollered, but her coping strategy sucked!

[UdoKier]

11. There are two distinct possibilities here:

1. The guy is such an asswipe that he made her feel like running away on the eve of her wedding.

2. She is such a flake that she would run away on the eve of her wedding to a "nice guy".


Either way, the wedding should not proceed.


But I really didn't need to know about any of this nonsense. Thanks for the useless info, corporate mega-media!

[TheDebbieDee]

19. I'll go for option #1, for $200, Alex!

[northzax]

23. I'll take number two, I think

she's proven herself to be a little kooky...

[the_spectator]

76. Option 3 -

This was a delayed reaction to the hotness disparity in their relationship (she's hot, he's not.)

I haven't been following this story much, and I wonder whether the prospective groom brings a lot more income to the marriage than she would. If not, a hotness disparity would be insurmountable.

[supernova]

13. Hey, I understand...

Look, she didn't have a right to put other people under so much duress but it is better than getting married for all the wrong reasons. Those around her will merely be inconvienced for a few days (and maybe a lota $$$$ - catering deposits and so forth) but it's doable compared to a lifetime of misery in a rotten marriage.

[LostinVA]

123. My take exactly, Supernova

I have more than one friend who, close to their wedding, KNEW they didn't want to get married, but do so anyway, because: disappointing relatives, money's been spent, etc. Every single one of them is divorced now.

It's the MSM's fault for making this into the Crime of the Century.

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

15. Hard to believe this

whole thing is getting the attention it is........it's really a non-story. Certain members of the media pump it up as though it really affects our lives (one definition of what constitutes news)so they don't have to do any really hard work, like question everything that comes out of the Oval office!

[riverwalker]

17. the onus should be on the media

the media decided this was a HUGE story, in spite of the fact that many other people are missing, they choose this incident and made a conscious decision to devote 24/7 news to it. They thought it would be a "big story" unlike an illegal war, thousands of dead, a lying president, and blackmailing hookers running amok in the oval office.
As much as I dislike idiotic spoiled Jennifer and her ditsy family and boyfriend who adores Sean Hannity, (these people HAVE to be republicans, I just know it) the media blew it way out of proportion.

[autorank]

18. Why are they always white?

This is a rhetorical question unless you have an answer. Kidnapped kids, run away brides...always white. I think the news pukes should have to do equal time for other ethnic groups and minorities (including mine, PAGANs - (People Against Goodness and Normality)

Better to run away than stay and ultimately leave. Hats off to her!Better to run away than stay and then leave. Hats off to her! If you find the post, someone had a link to her gift registry. She was in for a big haul.

It is a non story.

BTW, There is a relatively rare condition called 'dissociative fuge' where people end up somewhere away from home and are found several days later. Something snaps them back but until that point, they don't know who they are. This condition does not apply to college students or others who engage in serious partying and have similar chemically induced experiences.

[Catherine Vincent]

26. There is another thread that says the groom was waiting anxiously

for Hannity to interview him. That must mean he's a right winger. Could it be that she is liberal and wanted no part of it? Well then, I don't blame her for doing that. LOL!

[autorank]

30. hey, cat_girl25--You're the People Mag of DU. Lighten up GD, I like it!

He must be a wingnut, you're right. Hannity is not the guy I'd go to for compassion and understanding. I'd like to see Larry King interview the guy with his sensitive style: "So what was it like being dumped?" "Do you think it was because you're fat?"

There are many out there who probably should have done this before the wedding.

:hi:

[Dulcinea]

29. Who cares?

Let this whole non-story die.

[autorank]

32. This is just a mindless diversion from our otherwise intense deliberations

Sort of a pit-stop for the easily distracted and inquiring mind:silly:

[autorank]

34. This is just a mindless diversion from our otherwise intense deliberations

Sort of a pit-stop for the easily distracted and inquiring mind:silly:

[Catherine Vincent]

46. Okay!

There's always someone else we can talk about.



:evilgrin:

[benddem]

31. there is something strange

about someone who has 14 bridesmaids for her wedding. Can you imagine how p/o'd you'd be after paying for that ugly dress...not having to wear it? Wonder how much money the family is out???

[blondeatlast]

78. Now, I'd love to hear more from the BRIDESMAIDS...

:evilgrin:

[moobu2]

38. First of all, I'm sick to death of hearing this story but here's my 2 cent

She had every right to leave whenever she wanted, no, there's no law baring people from leaving home (YET). It's a free country and anyone can leave home anytime they want.

She only broke the law at the end when she gave false statements to police saying that someone had abducted her.

Other than the false statements which she quickly recanted, I cant see what laws were broken.

[rocktivity]

40. Randi once said her wedding day tears were from sorrow, not joy

because she knew she was making a mistake.

I can certainly understand what a horrible conclusion that is to come to when you're all dressed up and all the preparations have been made and everyone is sitting in the church waiting for you. But Randi DIDN'T run away, and she TRIED to make it work.

Nonetheless, there are more important things to talk about, Randi!!!

:headbang:
rocknation

[bpilgrim]

48. she can be such a drama queen but acts so tough on radio...

guess thats why she gets the big bucks :evilgrin:

peace

[WilliamPitt]

42. Hard to believe she's wasting valuable air time

on distracting cable news dreck when there are wee other things to talk about:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/5/2/16258/65970

Don't get me wrong, I really like Randi. She gave me my first interviews way back when and really helped me out. But why anyone would bother alloting one brain cell to this demonstrably transparent distraction is a mystery.

[bpilgrim]

49. zactly...

we should make it a rule to never bring up there mini soap operas unless we are belittling them and NOT to get sucked into who was right or wrong.

but hey, nobodies perfect, eh ;->

peace

[Maru Kitteh]

43. I can't believe it either

Good lord, I'm not saying burn the witch but she should be held accountable. If her ass wasn't so lilly white, holding her to account wouldn't have ever been in question.

[blondeatlast]

80. Precisely--and once again, it's pinned on a minority race.

The hell with the rest of the story--why does every wackjob liar who gets found out ALWAYS blaming a person/persons of color?

IMHO, someday someone IS gonna be kidnapped, but the perp will be reported as white, and no one will give a damn.

[marions ghost]

124. If her ass were dead

nobody would be holding her accountable or talking about the "crime" she committed.

There are bigger crimes than THIS in this country...every hour of every day. That's why they dropped it. Check out what's really going on in the courts (and congress) on a daily basis. This is nothing.

[brooklynite]

47. Groom Still Wants to Marry Runaway Bride

DULUTH, Ga. - The jilted groom whose bride-to-be ran away four days before their wedding still wants to marry Jennifer Wilbanks, saying, "Haven't we all made mistakes?"

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=514&e=3&u=/ap/20050502/ap_on_re_us/runaway_bride
- - -
Unless Georgia has a "Son of Sam" law, they'll be able to finance their kids' educations with the money from the movie rights...

[bpilgrim]

50. and that is surprising

not.

sheesh, can we MOVE ON
(ah, for once i get to use that corny phrase :P

peace

[Nikia]

86. I hadn't been following it much until I heard that she was safe

If I remember right, she claimed that she was abducted but had gotten away. They didn't have to look for her after she made that call. The major hunt for her commenced before she made that claim. If I have that part incorrect, please correct.
I don't know what the big deal was. When I was a little girl, my grandmother's employer, an owner of a small business suddenly disappeared. He had people who were concerned about him. There was a quiet police investigation. He reappeared after about a week, announced that he was selling the business, and retiring to a private life. Running the business had become too stressful for him.
In runaway bride's case, the wedding and facing marriage became too stressful so she ran away for a while just like the man in my home town did. Doesn't this sort of thing happen all the time? People get too stressed with no one to turn to about their problems so they run away either temporarily or permanently. It's it actually somewhat common. Heck, I have even thought about it and even have in away on a couple of occaisions (just not shown up to confrontational meetings and "disappeared" for a few hours). I guess that I definitely won't because I'd definitly be much more stressed after all the media coverage that this woman has received. Didn't anyone ever think of that.

[brooklynite]

104. Not a great prize...

In runaway bride's case, the wedding and facing marriage became too stressful so she ran away for a while just like the man in my home town did. Doesn't this sort of thing happen all the time?

Probably it does. However, when your disappearance becomes a major news story, and when your fiancee is publicly suspected of murdering you, it might be a good idea to pick up the phone and say you're all right, not suggest you've been kidnapped.

[progressivebydesign]

106. She needs to continue running, if that's the case.

You should not marry someone that caused you to run screaming in such a fashion. If there was not some issues between them, she could have told him that she was not up to the big wedding and that was that.

[deadparrot]

52. Honestly, I really don't know that much about the situation.

Frankly, it's none of my buisiness. It should't be newsworthy, especially considering 11 more people died in Iraq today with the growing insurgency.

[obnoxiousdrunk]

63. Why is the cabal

news networks even so bothered about this story when we have stories like Mischael Jackson's trial,Tom Cruise's engagement to Katie Holemes, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie seen together on a beach to report ? Where are the priorites you Mo-Fo's ?

[ecstatic]

107. Tom Cruise is engaged to Katie Holmes?!?

Isn't he like 3 times her age? hehe

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

81. Anybody for popcorn with this media circus?

[Lilith Velkor]

97. Hard to believe so many people give a fuck.

Better this crap than the budget, I suppose...

[B Calm]

98. This should be a lesson to all young girls to scale down on big

weddings. Not only are they a huge waste of money, the planning can drive you insane enough to run away!

[BiggJawn]

100. Thanks for the Heads-Up.

I TRY to listen to Randi on my way home, which isn't easy, since I'm 80 miles out of Chicago and I'm getting AAR from Cincinatti.

If she's gonna spend all her time in between the 15th mortgage and limp-dick pills ads defending the "Deer in the Headlights" Runaway cracker woman, I'll give my ears a rest and listen to Shortwave...

[Catherine Vincent]

105. Oh don't do that. Really, she only talked about it for about five minutes.

She then went on to something else. I didn't think this thread would have no more than about ten posts.

[BamaLefty]

109. Jail Time, Money Paid Back, Counseling,etc

These should all be considered. This gal has more than just cold feet.

[Donailin]

110. I defend her too

Cold Feet.

I for one am happy to hear of this turn of events that are really none of my damn business. Why? Because if half the folks who knew that they were marrying the wrong person had the courage to stop and say I can't do this, the divorce rate would be way lower.

My solution to this problem is this: No one gets to have that big expensive celebration of nuptuals untill they make the ten year mark as a married couple. Afterall, the marriage is official at the county court when the couple gets their license, everything else is icing on the cake. THEN, if they are solid, let the games begin. The ring, the invitations, dress, the photographer, the limo, the caterer, the hairstylists, the accomodations for the guests, the blue dresses for the bridesmaids, the flowers, the tux's, the pastor, the honeymoon, etc etc etc., all these things that we are pressured to spend money on in preparation for making the biggest decision in our life takes away from the serious contemplation and reflection necessary to make that decision. And when you have all these people spending their money for your big day it's incredibly difficult to back out, so many of us just think he'll change, or I'll learn to accept, or everything will be ok!

NO, if you really want to be with that person, then you would marry them without the party that cost the same as a dwon payment on a house. Many people say yes because the wedding is so exciting and they get to be the center of attention like a queen and king where everyone comes to see you and praise you. And what for? You haven't done anything worth praising yet. The easy part is the party, the hard part hasn't even begun. Mnay folks don't think about the hard part.

[Jose Diablo]

112. In Sundays Atlanta Constitution-Journal, Gwinnett section

There were quite a few articles. Today there is an article about recouping the money spent by Duluth and maybe Qwinnett county for the search and investigative team.

Here is the way I take-it. The family of the groom is old family in Gwinnett. Mucho dinera and loads of power. Now one of the family PROBABLY pulled the police chiefs chain with political power, remember the search started before 24 hours had elapsed. One of the family was spouting how she would be talking to the city attorneys and Danny Porter about prosecuting the bride. But the bride is not the one that yanked the Duluth Chief of Police chain, the grooms family did that, I think. It would seem to me that whomever yanked the chain is the one responsible if any restitution is owed.

As for the bride, it is speculation on my part, but I wonder if originally she may have just wanted a simple ceremony, but the grooms family insisted on a gala affair. I could understand how a bride could become overwhelmed with the complexity of handling a wedding with 600 guests. Being wealthy, would the groom have been able to stick-up for his future wife, or would he just mumble along with his families wishes without seeing his future wife was in trouble?

If I were to sit as a jurist and it came out this is what happened, I'd hold that loudmouth relative culpable if she was the one that pulled to strings of power and award damages to the bride. Thats what I would do.

[bpilgrim]

113. would anyone here defend anyone who pulled a false fire alarm?

then why defend someone who pulled a false police alarm?

i don't get it :crazy:

half the people here act like they knew the people involved and are making wild a$$ assumptions, sheesh... no wonder the media like focusing on these mini dramas, it WORKS.

get a grip, people.

peace

[Shennendoa69]

114. Odd - Randi and Hannity on the same side here

I caught a piece of Hannity's show and he was saying the same thing.