An expert explains why Jaycee is speaking out now.
Poor Jaycee Dugard, 29. She suffered through 18 years of horror being held captive by sex offender Phillip Garrido and his wife, and giving birth to his two daughters. Now after living in seclusion since her rescue last summer, Jacycee and her mother, Terry Probyn, have released exclusive home videos to ABC, which aired this morning on Good Morning America and more will air tonight on 20/20 and Nightline.
In this morning’s video, Jaycee’s mom pleads for privacy before and after showing Jaycee baking cookies with her half-sister, Shayna, 19. Jaycee , the devoted mom to Angel, 15 and Starlit, 11, also speaks to the camera and thanks the public for their support and says ” I’m doing well” – see video below. But if the family wants so much privacy, why are they releasing home videos? And why is Jaycee speaking out?
There’s much more than meets the eye here, explains image consultant Michael Sands, who has been following the case. “If Jaycee really wanted privacy, she wouldn’t be releasing anything,” he says. “It’s a smokescreen. She needs M-O-N-E-Y. She lived through a horrible experience; she was tortured and she and her daughters will need years of therapy. Her family has no money and she can’t work yet, she needs money to live AND she may have to go through legal battles with Phillip Garrido, who may want to see his kids.”
Sands believes she has sold the videos for between $200,000 and $500,000 to ABC: “She will sell off ‘teasers’ leading up to selling her full story in a major book deal.” Sands believes the hardcover book rights alone could go for over a million dollars, with paperback right, movie rights and future interview rights, adding up to a potential $10 million for Jaycee, who most probably cannot sell a book until the conclusion of her captor’s criminal trial.
“People will want to read about what happened to her and he believes her story will become a major motion picture. People will be riveted by the trial, as well. She has an inspirational story of survival to tell,” he adds.
Our hearts go out to Jaycee, her daughters and mother. She deserves all the money she can make to take care of herself and her family. Good luck, Jaycee.
