STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

By LATEEF MUNGIN, JOHN GHIRARDINI
> Published on: 06/02/05

Duluth runaway bride Jennifer Wilbanks pleaded no contest today to one felony count of lying to police. As part of the plea agreement, she will have her criminal record expunged after she completes probation.

The 32-year-old medical assistant was sentenced to two years' probation, 120 hours of community service work and continued mental health treatment.

Superior Court Judge Ronnie K. Batchelor, who heard the plea, also required Wilbanks to repay the sheriff's office $2,550 for overtime it incurred in searching for her.

"I am truly sorry for my actions. I want to thank the county and the City of Duluth for all their efforts," a tearful Wilbanks said.

"This is a good resolution of the matter under all the facts of the case and taking into consideration Ms. Wilbanks' prior criminal record. Other than the overwhelming scrutiny, this is a routine case handled in a routine manner," said District Attorney Danny Porter.

The felony conviction could have carried a prison term of up to five years. A misdemeanor count of falsely reporting a crime was dropped.

By pleading no-contest and receiving the so-called first-offender status, Wilbanks receives an opportunity to have her criminal record expunged if she successfully completes terms of her probation.

Wearing a black jogging suit and running shoes, Wilbanks was accompanied by her fiance', John Mason and her lawyer, Lydia Sartain.

Wilbanks was taken to the county jail for processing and then release, said Sartain.

It was not immediately clear whether Wilbanks had been discharged from the hospital or whether she intended to resume her inpatient psychiatric treatment after entering the plea.

Wilbanks disappeared during an evening jog April 26. She surfaced in Albuquerque, N.M., four days later — the day she was to have wed Mason, son of Duluth's former mayor. She initially told police she had been abducted, but within hours, she admitted to the FBI the story was fabricated.

Shortly after she returned to Atlanta, her family said she was entering a hospital for treatment of "a host of compelling issues which seemed out of control."

On Tuesday, Wilbanks paid Duluth about $13,000, an estimated one-third of what it cost the city in overtime for police and other personnel who searched for her after she fled from Duluth.

Here's the link to more pictures...

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/photos/gwinnett/0605/wilbanks/3.html

I'm sorry but what kind of idiot wears sweats to court??? Of course her past behaviour indicates she doesn't understand what's socially acceptable.