Shelley Meyers

Shelley Meyers is the main villainess from "Say Hello to My Little Friend," episode 3.04 of Scandal.

She was played by Melora Hardin.

Shelley Meyers is a lawyer and the wife of Senator Richard Meyers, who was accused of murdering a woman named Desiree Oaks, who Richard had been sexting. Olivia Pope took on Richard as a client, with Shelley sitting by him and supporting him while he claimed his innocence. Richard stated that he attempted to get the photos back, while Shelley said that she would testify that she was home with him while the murder was committed, while insisting that her husband's career shouldn't be destroyed due to one mistake. However, as the episode progressed, it was revealed that Desiree wasn't the only one receiving Richard's lewd texts, and he even sent texts to a young woman during his trial. After the latest text was sent, Shelley lashed out at Richard, ending her support.

Olivia tracked Shelley to a hotel, where the scorned wife continued bashing Richard and expressed regret over what she had become due to defending him. However, under Olivia's advisement, Shelley gave her alibi during her testimony, stating that Richard was at home with her at the time of the murder, and that while Richard is a known adulterer, that wasn't illegal--murder was, and Richard didn't kill Desiree. However, a twist in the climax revealed that Shelley lied about her alibi, not to cover for her husband, but for herself, as she was the one who committed the murder.

After learning about Richard's texts to Desiree, Shelley turned heel and devised a murderous plan to save her husband's career, which began with Shelley tracking Richard to Desiree's place and waited in ambush. Following her husband's departure, the evil Shelley entered and bludgeoned Desiree to death, doing so under the belief that Desiree was the only one that her husband texted. Shelley's act as a supportive wife was to mask her heel persona, but it was Richard who actually provided his wife's reveal as a villainess, when he informed Olivia that Shelley lied and that she was out shopping and came home late. After Richard's acquittal, Shelley was confronted with the facts by Olivia, with the villainess responding by repeating Olivia's sentiment that everyone deserved a second chance, before walking off to be interviewed.