April 30, 2005

The runaway bride.

"14 bridesmaids and 14 groomsmen"! Maybe it's not such a great idea to have a super-huge wedding.

On the other hand, if the super-huge wedding is freaking you out -- and when we can see the whites of your eyes above your irises, you are freaked out -- setting off a nationwide search, with family members crying on television, is not such a great idea either.

I just watched last night's Nancy Grace show -- which predates the surfacing of the runaway bride Jennifer Wilbanks -- and found something really quite creepy about the whole wow-we've-got-another-Scott-and-Laci vibe.

And the poor groom-to-be! He had to know everyone already had him pegged as the murderer. Everyone on TV was into analyzing why he would take a private lie detector test, but wanted special conditions before he'd take the police test. He wanted it videotaped, and the police refused. Think how he felt! They were closing in on an innocent man, and his efforts to protect himself were just more reason to speculate he was guilty.

5 comments:

Ann Althouse said...

I think the main reason Nancy Grace, et al., saw Scott-and-Laci potential here, despite no killed fetus element, is that she disappeared at a time infused with sentiment (Christmas Eve/wedding eve) and they had a beautiful, smiling photo to tug at our heart strings. If your loved one disappears some day, I hope you'll have a charming, smiling picture so people will care. If you've got one of those don't-take-my-picture types, you'll be on your own.

Synova said...

If she's stressed enough to snap, why shouldn't we expect him to be sort of on edge as well? I hate to think of how I'd react if something terrible happened to a family member, particularly if I had to face cameras. I think I'd probably go all Norwegian and not react at all or else tell bad jokes simply because I was too punch-drunk to think.

Ann Althouse said...

Lawrence: Just think how she could have laid low a bit longer and screwed him over. If she'd taken enough money, or just gone camping, and never called the police, just stayed incommunicado for a money, she could have made his life a living hell. Then, she could have walked back into the public and said, "Oh, I just needed to be alone for a while. Sorry." Everyone always assumes it's the husband/boyfriend (for good reason), and this leaves women with a awesome power, largely untapped.

Unknown said...

This story has tragicomically reminded me of when Agatha Christie faked her own death in an attempt to get her husband charged for murder.

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