Jennifer Wilbanks

Jennifer Carol Wilbanks, C.M.A. (a.k.a. "The Runaway Bride") (born August 25, 1973) is an American who ran away from home on April 26, 2005, in an effort to avoid her wedding with John Mason on April 30. Her disappearance from Duluth, Georgia, sparked a nationwide search and intensive media coverage. On April 29, she called Mason, her fiancé, from Albuquerque, New Mexico, and claimed falsely that she had been kidnapped and sexually assaulted by a hispanic male and white woman.

Related Topics:
August 25 - 1973 - American - Ran away - April 26 - 2005 - Wedding - April 30 - Duluth, Georgia - April 29 - Fiancé - Albuquerque, New Mexico - Kidnap - Sexually assaulted

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Wilbanks gained national fame and notoriety in the United States and internationally, and her story persisted as a major topic of national news coverage well after she was found and her safety assured. Many critics of the mass media attacked this as a media circus. Howard Kurtz, influential media critic for the Washington Post and CNN, wrote that the runaway bride had become a "runaway television embarrassment," and compared the story to a soap opera. {{ref|SoapOpera}}

Related Topics:
Mass media - Media circus - Howard Kurtz - Washington Post - CNN - Runaway bride - Soap opera

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Wilbanks' false claims resulted in a felony indictment of giving false information to police, a charge that could result in up to five years in prison. On June 2, 2005, Wilbanks pleaded no contest to the charge. As part of her plea bargain, she was sentenced to two years' probation and 120 hours of community service (including mowing lawns and cleaning toilets in government buildings) and was ordered to pay $2,250 in restitution to the Gwinnett County Sheriff's Department. Also as part of the deal, a misdemeanor charge of filing a false police report was dismissed. Wilbanks' record will be expunged if she successfully completes probation.

Related Topics:
Felony - Prison - June - 2 - 2005 - No contest - Plea bargain - Misdemeanor

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As of June 2005, Wilbanks and Mason had not married.

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