US 'cyber-bully' mother indicted - 13y old DEAD!

[Jens Van Assterdam]

A Missouri woman who allegedly used a fake MySpace profile to bully a girl who later committed suicide has been indicted by a federal Grand Jury.

Lori Drew, 49, allegedly posed as a boy on the website to befriend Megan Meier, 13, who hanged herself after he broke off the virtual relationship.

Ms Drew denies creating the profile on the social networking website and sending messages to Meier.

She faces four charges, each carrying a maximum 5-year prison term.

Meier, a neighbour of Ms Drew in St Louis, Missouri, took her own life in October 2006.

It is alleged that she killed herself after receiving several cruel messages, including one purporting to be from the fictitious 16-year-old boy - named Josh Evans saying the world would be better off without her.

Ms Drew faces charges of conspiracy and accessing protected computers without authorisation to inflict emotional distress.

"Any adult who uses the internet or a social gathering website to bully or harass another person, particularly a young teenage girl, needs to realise that their actions can have serious consequences," said Los Angeles federal prosecutor Thomas O'Brien, who brought the charges.

Dean Steward, a lawyer representing Drew in the federal case, told the Associated Press a legal challenge to the charges was planned.

"We thought when prosecutors in St Louis looked at the case and all the facts, it was clear no criminal acts occurred," he said.

MySpace issued a statement saying it "does not tolerate cyberbullying" and was cooperating fully with the US attorney.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7403957.stm

[Socks]

lol, imagine being that lady.. You spend one drunken night on myspace, and it ends up in a teen suicide, national and worldwide media attention, and now perhaps prison.

She's a fucking tool, but just goes to show that all actions have a reaction

[CyberHustler]

[GAMEFINEST]

ohhhh snap

[Phoenix]

she deserves what she gets

[CherryLipsRosa]

Yeah that is stupid

[Angry Jew Cat - Banned for Life]

old news, but i'm glad to hear the bitch is getting what she deserves now.

[GrouchyAdmin]

I know I'm jaded, but..
I think more people from myspace should kill themselves, regardless of age.

[Matt 26z]

I hope anyone who agrees with this understands that your own prison sentences will be justified when someone you know kills themselves and YOU are fingered for it because you were not nice to them. This case is a joke and I hope the jury has some common sense. You can't possibly prove why someone killed themselves.

By definition, anyone who kills themselves is insane. Sane people do not kill themselves. Therefore nobody should be held accountable for the actions of the mentally insane.

[Iron Fist]

Originally Posted by GrouchyAdmin

I know I'm jaded, but..
I think more people from myspace should kill themselves, regardless of age.

Sadly... I agree with you.

[lazycash]

Originally Posted by Matt 26z

I hope anyone who agrees with this understands that your own prison sentences will be justified when someone you know kills themselves and YOU are fingered for it because you were not nice to them. This case is a joke and I hope the jury has some common sense. You can't possibly prove why someone killed themselves.

By definition, anyone who kills themselves is insane. Sane people do not kill themselves. Therefore nobody should be held accountable for the actions of the mentally insane.

There's a bit more to the story, the woman being charged was a neighbor of the girl and was upset about how the girl had treated her daughter. She then set out to emotionally manipulate the girl as revenge. I agree that she shouldn't be charged for her death, but certainly something needed to be done.

[mozadek]

I hope she does at least 10 years in prison, old cunt.

[dave90210]

You can now go to prison for giving someone a hard time online? Her mom should be thrown in jail I'm sure the parenting had something to do with her decision. If I call someone a worthless piece of shit that's now illegal?

[Matt 26z]

Originally Posted by lazycash

There's a bit more to the story, the woman being charged was a neighbor of the girl and was upset about how the girl had treated her daughter. She then set out to emotionally manipulate the girl as revenge. I agree that she shouldn't be charged for her death, but certainly something needed to be done.

I am familiar with the story. I've been following it from the start.

The 13yo who killed herself had mental issues dating back years. This was just the final straw. It was going to happen anyway. And one could make the argument that without this fake online friend she would have done it sooner.

[Beaver Bob]

Originally Posted by Matt 26z

I hope anyone who agrees with this understands that your own prison sentences will be justified when someone you know kills themselves and YOU are fingered for it because you were not nice to them. This case is a joke and I hope the jury has some common sense. You can't possibly prove why someone killed themselves.

By definition, anyone who kills themselves is insane. Sane people do not kill themselves. Therefore nobody should be held accountable for the actions of the mentally insane.

true, but the lady should still face charges for harassment over the internets.

but anyone who would kill themself because someone on a computer said to, they had much bigger issues.

[Angry Jew Cat - Banned for Life]

Originally Posted by Matt 26z

I am familiar with the story. I've been following it from the start.

The 13yo who killed herself had mental issues dating back years. This was just the final straw. It was going to happen anyway. And one could make the argument that without this fake online friend she would have done it sooner.

You don't see a problem with a grown adult luring a 13 year old girl with personal issues into a trap and building up her esteem with the sole intent of crushing her and making her feel more worthless? The world would be a further off if it were this stunned cunt who offed herself than some depressed adolescent girl.

[Redrob]

They are saying that harassing somebody using a fake nic is now a federal crime....yikes!

[2crazy4u]

the old bitch had the intent to do harm

[AaliyahLove]

Originally Posted by Redrob

They are saying that harassing somebody using a fake nic is now a federal crime....yikes!

If thats so, ur all in trouble LOL

[Bojangles]

Damn.....

[wootpr0n]

Where are the parents of the girl who comitted suicide? They knew that she was depressed and on medication, and they knew that she was having conflicts with people on MySpace and was swearing at them.

And how do you hang yourself from a closet railing with a belt anyways? The parents insist that they didn't know what was going on until 20 minutes after she died, when they went upstairs to check on her.

What if "Josh" was a real kid and decided not to talk to her anymore? Would we charge him with anything?

[dave90210]

I Agreed.

Originally Posted by Matt 26z

I hope anyone who agrees with this understands that your own prison sentences will be justified when someone you know kills themselves and YOU are fingered for it because you were not nice to them. This case is a joke and I hope the jury has some common sense. You can't possibly prove why someone killed themselves.

By definition, anyone who kills themselves is insane. Sane people do not kill themselves. Therefore nobody should be held accountable for the actions of the mentally insane.

[Redrob]

As I read it,

Apparently this woman violated the terms of service by using an alias for MySpace and is therefore being tried as a hacker who caused harm to an individual under Federal hacking statutes.