A Scrushy Wilbanks

Example
The news yesterday that runaway bride Jennifer Wilbanks has been indicted contrasts nicely with word from the Richard Scrushy trial of a possible jury impasse. How might you ask are these two related — other than the possibility that Ms. Wilbanks checked in to one of Healthsouth’s facilities following her marital meltdown?

From a PR perspective, Ms. Wilbanks shunned all interviews and appeared to have little if any in the way of professional PR help. (Her jilted fiance did appear on NBC “Today,” however.) As the facts surfaced about Ms. Wilbanks’ less-than-innocent past, her public image eroded faster than the ice shelf in Antarctica. (Shades of Kobe.) Scrushy on the other hand appeared on “60 Minutes” to proclaim his innocence. In fact, his eagerness to mug before the cameras put even Donald Trump to shame.

Am I saying that Scrushy’s pre-trial posturing led to the possible deadlocked jury or that Ms. Wilbank’s second disappearing act led to her indictment? (Her Crest White-stripped smile only carried her so far.) It’s hard to measure exactly, but certainly worth considering.