I was looking at past covers on People's website and one thing I noticed was: Every case that got the full cover is still infamous today, to various degrees. There was no case that would be considered obscure in 2012 and I bet that many people, who are old enough, would remember the cases.
These are the cases that made the cover at least 10+ years ago: Sunny Von Bulow, The Preppy Killer, Laurie Dann, Lisa Steinberg, Menendez Brothers, Carol Stuart, Central Park Jogger, Jeffrey Dahmer, Texas Cheerleader Plot, Brian Watkins, OJ, Polly Klaas, Long Island Lolita, Waco, Susan Smith, Jenny Jones Murder, Adrianne Jones, JonBenet, Dunblane Murders, Lisa Sobek, Pearl Mississippi HS Murders, Louise Woodward, Chandra Levy, Columbine, Tawana Brawley, Yosemite Murders. There are only two cases that as someone who follows true crime I don't recognize.
So being on the cover of People magazine is a BIG deal. They are not just putting the hot case of the moment on the cover. Almost every case that made the cover from the 80s and 90s is still notorious in 2012. Now, I am not saying that means Lisa's case will be remembered in 15 years. It's not as simple as People magazine cover = Infamy. But as you can see, People has a good track record when it comes to choosing cases for their cover. They aren't giving the cover to every case that makes national news....The case has to stand out in terms of circumstances, interest, and press.
So the cover of People magazine is further proof of the media's huge interest in this case. It wouldn't shock me if this case was supposed to be the replacement to Caylee Anthony; a case that would give the media years of ratings. But it didn't work out. And IMO, it's because Deborah and Jeremy stopped talking to the media. They did not capitalize on the media's interest in the case.
To the contrary, I feel like Desiree and Kaine got as much coverage out of Kyron's case as possible. You can talk to the media at every chance you get, but ultimately, it's up to them how much attention they are going to give your child's case. But I feel like Lisa's case had the potential to get a lot more media coverage than it did and should have been in the spotlight for much longer.
It does feel like the media ran to cover the Jerry Sandusky story, and that was the parent's opportunity to make the media forget about Lisa. I feel like innocent parents would still be talking to the media when the Sandusky case was happening---or getting their child's case back in the news as soon as that scandal started to fade from the headlines.
