Taking off and hopping a Greyhound bus has long been a way out of certain unmanageable situations. Sure it is incredibly cruel to those left behind and the world is rife with stories of, for example, children whose fathers just left.
In Georgia though, they think that it is a criminal act that could result in charges. Consider this:
1. The bogus tale of a kidnapping came out after the search costs were incurred, was told to authorities other than those in Georgia, and lasted no more than a few hours in which the authorities did little more than question her about the tale.
2. Nothing she did invited the search. In fact, despite the press attention to cases like this one, dozens and probably hundreds of people disappear every day without a search like this one.
3. It doesn't matter if she knew of the search. Is this the new paradigm: someone goes missing and we launch a highly publicized, rather expensive search so that they either have to reappear or pay the tab? I give it about two weeks before abusive husbands figure out how to game the system to track down their fleeing victims.
I don';t know why Jennifer ran. I am willing to bet that there were several options better than running. However, I think she had every right to go.
Posted by Justene Adamec at May 2, 2005 12:46 PM | TrackBackBUT if you tell NM authorities you were kidnapped in GA and brought to NM, that's not going to stay a NM issue.
I'm not a lawyer, I don't know GA criminal law, but I think she screwed herself if GA wants to sue her for the costs of the search. She was cognizant of the search and lied outright to authorities, so that they'd maintain the investigation. The fact that she recanted a few hours later rather than a few days or a few years later, seems to me to be irrelevant to her liability for the deception, it just affects the total cost of the deception.
Posted by: The Yell at May 4, 2005 12:25 AM (Permalink)...dozens and probably hundreds of people disappear every day without a search like this one.
Immediately before a rather large wedding?
Posted by: McGehee at May 6, 2005 08:57 AM (Permalink)