Georgia Woman Found.. (1 Viewer)

[MarkHastings]

Exactly. While I understand what Marc is trying to say, I think this is a case where she is completely responsible for the money spent on the search because she knew very well what was going to happen.

 

[Glenn Overholt]

I will agree with that. Buying the bus ticket a week before and NOT taking her purse make it all premeditated. She knew what she was doing and what would happen.

If she had taken her purse they might have thought twice about filing a missing persons report. The police might have argued that she "just left" if her purse was gone too.

Glenn

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

Good thing she didn't embarrass herself or her parents with the runaway scheme! (where is that mocking smiley when I need it?)

It's pretty clear this was premeditated, although I can't go so far as to say she would have known the extent of the search. She should be resposible for some kind of compensation, and still owes the Hispanic community an apology IMO.

If this situation doesn't raise some red flags with hubby to be, he is as spinny as she is.

 

[David Williams]

Well at least the nutcase has checked herself into a mental hospital for treatment.


Is this really a problem in the 21st Century with phones, text messaging, emails, faxes, answering machines, Western Union, telegraphs...? You'd have to be Herman the Hermit not to tell anyone you were going away somewhere, even if it was sudden. Not to mention the sane impromptu traveller would take their purse/wallet, luggage, keys, maybe their car, etc.

 

[MarkHastings]

Yeah, if I all of a sudden didn't show up (for example) work for 4 days, I'm sure they wouldn't have a hard time tracking me down. Calling family members, friends, emergency numbers, etc. - If NO ONE (that knows of me) can figure out where I am, then it's safe to say that something "not normal" is going on.

I could see if this woman lived alone and didn't have any family or friends, but I mean, this wedding had 600 people!

 

[Drew Bethel]

Sorry but this is not even close to what happened.

 

[Nathan*W]

It's official.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050525/.../runaway_bride

 

[MarkHastings]

Who wants to bet that she won't be around when they go to give it to her!?

 

[Ricardo C]

Is there a point when you can lie to the police?

 

[David Williams]

Can I get a hallelujah? I just hope the prosecutor stays strong and doesn't wimp out. I want to see some jail time on this one (or have her shipped out to a secure psychiatric facility until she's able to rejoin society). There should always be consequences for one's actions.

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

I agree that the charges are warranted, and while I don't think the maximum jail term is necessary, I hope this sends a clear message to anyone else planning to pull a stunt like this that there will be repercussions. Running away is one thing, but fabricating major crimes is another.

 

[george kaplan]

I think it's very, very rare, that 'messages' get sent like this and are actually recieved. Do you really think the next unstable woman who gets overwhelmed and runs away from her wedding is going to suddenly stop and do the right thing because of what happens to this woman?

Aside from drunk driving, which is not just due to some harsh laws, but a major multi-year advertising campaign, consequences of crimes just don't stop people from committing them.

Would you kill someone if you were guaranteed to get away with it? No, 99.99999% of us wouldn't. On the other hand, no murderer ever decides not to kill someone because there's a death penalty if they get caught. They don't believe they'll get caught, so the consequences are of no deterrence value whatsoever.

Fining this woman is going to get money back to the city. Jailing her will make some people feel good. But nothing that is done to her is going to do one iota to prevent someone else from doing the same thing.

 

[BrettB]

Disagree about a billion %.

 

[ChrisMatson]

I agree with George.

 

[BrianB]

Isn't it widely agreed that the death penalty doesn't actually act as a deterrent?

 

[Jeff Ulmer]

As I said, it isn't about an unstable woman running away, that is not illegal. What is illegal is reporting fabricated crimes in an effort to make your actions look respectable.

Will it stop others? Possibly. Will it stop all others? Of course not. Then why should we have laws if everyone, or most everyone, will live harmoniously with others, won't feel they are entitled to taking other people's property or won't infringe on their rights is any way? Deterents are in place (both legal and moral) to stop people from acting on their inherently selfish nature.

If there were no laws against murder, rape of any other crime - and that includes religious teachings against those behaviours - all of these acts would be rampant. Morality is something we learn through enforcement, it is not part of our natural instinct, which is to survive at all costs.

 

[Malcolm R]

Only because it isn't implemented often enough or quickly enough.

If it were administered minutes after the "guilty" verdict, then it would be a deterrent. But since it merely leads to a multi-decade appeals process, it's not that big a deal.

 

[Jeff Gatie]

Yes, by those that oppose it. Others may have a different view, epspecially the deterrent it performs against those that may someday be released if they receive "life in prison" instead.

Myself, I think a highly publicized case such as this which carries a harsh penalty may make someone think twice before putting their family, community and the police through an ordeal such as this, but then again I may have a greater faith in the sanity of the average bride-to-be (and women in general) than most.

 

[WillG]

Yeah, but how do we ever know who has decided against Murder for fear of the death penalty?

 

[MarkHastings]

But you shouldn't need a case like this to send a message out. I would think you should have greater faith in women for NOT doing something like this, based soley on the fact that it is WRONG and not because someone got in trouble for it.

We shouldn't need examples of why things are wrong.