Oldguy, I think the executives who really run Idol are taking that risk.  Several exposes of the show have been written, and at least one of them discusses Fremantle Media's "Executive In Charge of Production", a British woman named Wyleen May, who I've read is one of the most arrogant, imperious, boorish people to have ever worked in television.

You think Simon Fuller or the private equity firm that bought Idol's parent company, CKX, a few years back, care if they get caught rigging?  TV is not dominated by prime time game shows like it was back in the late 1950's.  The show has made billions of dollars.  I doubt anyone would go to jail, just pay several million dollars in fines.

So it wouldn't surprise me at all if Jessica was put in the B3 and they used the save on her to pump her up.  Don't forget, unless Ryan Seacrest actually says something like, "I'm looking for the people with the lowest number of votes," the "bottom three" means nothing.