Via Photodude, I see this story on Jennifer Wilbanks, including this delightful quote:
A bench warrant will be issued today for Wilbanks, but it was not clear when she would be arrested. Her attorney, Lydia Sartain, issued a statement Wednesday saying Wilbanks is undergoing intensive psychiatric treatment at an undisclosed mental health facility.
Reid
Ol’ Danny Porter is also in the news locally because of an as yet unprosecuted incident. A year ago yesterday, a man who was handcuffed, shackled, held down by five deputies, and then Tased repeatedly while he begged for his life … died in police custody. The whole thing is on videotape. It’s appalling.
But Ol’ Danny didn’t think the video was worth showing the grand jury, has lied to the local paper (he first told them the case was closed, and when they filed for the public records a closed case represents, he said, “nope, not closed”), and generally stalled for a year.
But he slapped a felony on Jennifer Wilbanks in about four weeks.
Far North
It’s truly amazing that a story so unworthy of national coverage can be whipped up into a national obsession by the likes of FOX, CNN and MSNBC. That’s exactly what kept this non-story nonsense alive. People like Nancy Grace, Anderson Cooper, Hannity and all the other blithering idiots manufactured this thing into a national obsession. What’s laughable is that these mouthpieces think they are news people. Really, they are nothing more than glorified “entertainment tonight” hosts.
I expect this from FOX but it’s really sad to see what’s become of CNN.
scs
Yes, there are people out here that think charging Jennifer is more than grandstanding. And I’m one of them. I don’t know what your aversion is, John, to prosecuting this woman. Is it because she is the ‘girl next door’ type that you wish to defend her so much? Did you run away from your own wedding too? Who knows, it’s beyond me.
Yes of course, there is such a thing as prosecutorial discretion. For instance, obviously we all jaywalk, and are not thrown in jail for it. (Its always funny to see the European vistors in my town who wait patiently until the light turns green.) But attempting to lie about a kidnapping and rape, two of the most serious crimes there are, after planning and staging a disappearing act for days, is beyond the pale.
Yes, she confessed her story a few hours later. But do you really think that was her ORIGINAL intent – to confess? She had obviously planned to play this out to the hilt. Fortunately, she got cold feet with her fake story plan too after she saw she was trapped by disbelieving cops and she knew the jig was up. She may be crazy but she ain’t stupid.
Reporting a fake kidnapping and rape is not the same as jaywalking, John. Maybe I’m crazy here but I think kidnapping and rape are serious matters. Every week on the news we see more women and children raped and murdered. Fake stories about them is nothing that should be played around with, not for the amusement or the utility of schemers like her and they should be punished accordingly.
aw
It’s not a crime to back out of a wedding by running away. It’s not national news when a grown woman disappears for a couple of days (or it shouldn’t be).
She was (and is) obviously emotionally troubled and panicked when she saw her disappearance was national news and reacted badly–but criminally, not really.
They are going to waste more money on this case than they ever will recover. It’s just stupid.
Molly
SCS…
Agree that Wilbanks should face consequences of her actions if for no other reason than to discourage copycats — but it was the media that blew this way out of proportion, ended up looking silly and now are exacting their own kind of revenge by pushing for criminal charges against a sad, silly and apparently not-too-bright individual. The DA is obliging because he gets lots of face time on local and even national news.
Enough of it already.
John Cole
Reporting a fake kidnapping and rape is not the same as jaywalking, John.
I am sending this post and that comment to the Fallacy Files to be used as a definition of a ‘straw man.’
I never said that jaywalking and reporting a false crime were the same thing. Period.
I am saying that her lying to the police for two hours was not that as big of a deal as you and the Gwinnett County DA are making it out to be.
scs
Well John, I hope you are taking my comparison figuratively, because by the sound of it, you aren’t. I was using jaywalking as an example to illustrate the difference between a minor infraction and a more serious infraction. But if you use your imagination a little, I think the comparison still has merit. There is no need to send it to your special files, you just need to stop taking things so litterally.
I used jaywalking as an example because jaywalking is the only infraction that I can think of right now that police don’t bother to charge. Maybe public spitting, too. Hmmm, what else, playing your stereo too loud? Well you get a warning for that usually the first time.
By not giving charging Jennifer for what she did, flirting with charges of rape and kipnapping, two very serious crimes usually against women, you are placing her act and the minor infractions police don’t usually charge in the same category. And those two don’t compare to me. And if you think they do thats an insult to women.
And although I do believe what Jennifer did was serious, you act like it’s not serious at all! C’mon a little fine and some weekends in jail is not all that serious! I mean you get a fine for double parking, why not fake rape stories?
scs
By the way,aw, I have a totally diferent take on the path of this story. Obviously Jennifer did not just freak out and impulsively come up with the kidnapping story after she saw the national attention.
She obviously came up with that one before she left the house without her car keys and money and all her hair, and with an already bought bus ticket. My theory is she planned to see her old boyfriend who lived in New Mexico, but she wanted a backup story to explain her absence to her fiance if her old boyfriend rejected her, so she could keep her fiance on the backburner. And maybe at the same time get sympathy from her old boyfriend. Hey Audrey Seiler in Wisconsin did it. This was all about planning to me.
Levi
Hey Guys!!! We LOVE Danny Porter here in Gwinnet County!! He had overwhelming (70% to 30%) support here to prosecute her. Most of us have made it clear to her family and John’s family that they will NOT be welcome as residents of our county. This bug eyed freak of a woman is in the local psych unit with “ANXIETY”. Not really considered a mental illnes! She should’ve faked hallucinations and some paranoia and maybe gotten a diagnosis of schizophrenia if she wanted any compassion! Anxiety just isn’t going to cut it!!
Samsung
Quote:
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I am saying that her lying to the police for two hours was not that as big of a deal as you and the Gwinnett County DA are making it out to be.
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Some interesting details for you:
From a TCS column:
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…it was discovered that Wilbanks had taken a bus to Las Vegas, and that she had told whoppers to the police about being abducted and sexually abused by a Latino man and his white female accomplice in a blue van …
http://www.techcentralstation.com/052705D.html
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The local Latino community might beg to differ, Mr. Cole. For someone who wasn’t too bright she seemed pretty adept at exploiting prejudice against Latin Americans in order to make her story more plausible. This is a slur against the character of the ethnic group in question and will probably not improve race relations in her town. I don’t care if statistics DO show that latinos are more likely to commit felonies; the allegation is still inexcusable. Plus, that’s not even counting the impact that her lies will have on REAL victims of abduction in the future and the money wasted (yes, I do believe the regional authorities have a right to be angry at the squandering of resources over what turned out to be a hoax).