This story is unbelieveable but somehow unsurprising at the same time. Really horrible stuff. I guess I'm not sure what to think. Should this lady be held accountable? She's a sadistic bitch without a doubt. I imagine many people wouldn't balk at calling her a bad person in general. But the charges...I've never heard of anything like this before.
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- A Missouri mom was indicted Thursday for her alleged role in the death of a teen who killed herself over a failed Internet romance that turned out to be a hoax.
Megan Meier, 13, hanged herself in her bedroom after being targeted in a MySpace hoax.
A federal indictment accuses Lori Drew, 49, of O'Fallon, Missouri, of using the social networking Web site MySpace.com to pose as a 16-year-old boy and feign romantic interest in the girl.
The girl, Megan Meier, committed suicide after her online love interest spurned her, according to prosecutors, telling her the world would be a better place without her.
Drew faces up to 20 years in prison on charges of conspiracy and accessing protected computers to obtain information to inflict emotional distress.
The indictment, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles, accuses Drew and others of registering on MySpace as "Josh Evans" and using the account to lure Meier into an an online romance.
Authorities have previously said that Drew set up the account to find out what Meier, who lived in her neighborhood, was saying about her daughter.
Prosecutors allege that Drew and the others violated MySpace's terms of service by using false information to create the account so they could "harass, abuse or harm" Meier, according to the indictment.
The two corresponded for about four weeks before "Josh" broke off the relationship, authorities said. Within an hour, Meier hanged herself in her room and died the next day.
The indictment does not allege that Drew sent the final message telling Meier the world would be a better place without her. Instead, it blames her unnamed co-conspirators, who authorities have previously said include a teenage girl.
After Drew learned of the teen's suicide, the indictment alleges, she directed one of the teens involved to "keep her mouth shut" and deleted the account.
Meier's mother, Tina Meier, told CNN in November that her daughter had self-esteem issues and had struggled with depression since childhood.
She said when her daughter began receiving messages from "Josh" telling her she was pretty, she was thrilled.
When "Josh" broke off the relationship, Tina Meier said, her daughter was devastated.
"She was looking for me to help calm herself down like I always did and be there for her. And I was upset because I didn't like the language she was using, and I was angry she didn't sign off when I told her to," Tina Meier told CNN. Watch Tina Meier's reaction to the charges »
"She said to me, 'You're supposed to be my mom, you're supposed to be on my side,' and then took off running upstairs," Tina Meier said.
Tina Meier found her daughter hanging by a belt shortly afterward.
"It's as if my daughter killed herself with a gun," Meier's father, Ron, told CNN. "And it's as if they loaded the gun for her."
Drew is scheduled for arraignment in June.
"This adult woman allegedly used the Internet to target a young teenage girl, with horrendous ramifications," U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O'Brien said in a written statement.
"Any adult who uses the Internet or a social gathering Web site to bully or harass another person, particularly a young teenage girl, needs to realize that their actions can have serious consequences," O'Brien said.
In December, Missouri prosecutors declined to file charges against Drew, saying there was no law under which she could be charged.
"There is no way that anybody could know that talking to someone or saying that you're mean to your friends on the Internet would create a substantial risk," St. Charles County Prosecutor Jack Banas said. "Under the law, we just couldn't show that."
I liken this to the lawsuits in the 80s about song lyrics, subliminal messages, and suicides. The prosecution alleged that the songs made them do it...ignoring the fact that the people did it, not the music. If something like that can drive a person to suicide, then there has to be background issues that went unattended. This girl's mother admitted that her child had depression and self esteem issues since she was little.
So while it was very cruel of the person to bait this girl and then break her heart, they are not soley responsible for her death. 20 years max is ridiculous. And what's this "protected computer" crap? The feds are acting like this woman headed to her local government office and commandeered a computer. Seems pretty flimsy to me.
That said, I could see a charge along the lines of aggravated harassment or something. That would seem the most appropriate, if there is such a thing.
I'm pretty sure it is illegal to help someone commit suicide. I don't think this is quite murder, but maybe on par with accidentally running a red light and killing someone. I don't think the woman meant for the girl to kill herself, but she bears some responsibility. If the victim were an adult I may think differently. No matter what this woman deserves some portion of guilt and should be punished appropriately. A couple of years seems justified. But yeah, not 20.
Number Johnny 5
Gary Carter: I liken this to the lawsuits in the 80s about song lyrics, subliminal messages, and suicides. The prosecution alleged that the songs made them do it...ignoring the fact that the people did it, not the music. If something like that can drive a person to suicide, then there has to be background issues that went unattended. This girl's mother admitted that her child had depression and self esteem issues since she was little. So while it was very cruel of the person to bait this girl and then break her heart, they are not soley responsible for her death. 20 years max is ridiculous. And what's this "protected computer" crap? The feds are acting like this woman headed to her local government office and commandeered a computer. Seems pretty flimsy to me. That said, I could see a charge along the lines of aggravated harassment or something. That would seem the most appropriate, if there is such a thing.
I agree, that someone would have to have an already depleted sense of self worth in order for this typ of harassment to cause suicide.
However, let's say you have a child that has a depleted immune system and an adult attacks that child with a flu virus that would only cause the child to turn ill had they not had the immune system disorder but in this case, they did have it and died.
Just playing devils advocate, not really sure how to look at this myself.
Personally I think she should be let free without rights, I always thought that would at least be a great premise for a movie about the future. A future without jails, but your punishment for crimes are times where you don't have any rights.
You can't vote, you can't press charges on anyone , in fact, someone could kill you and there's nothing that .will happen to your killer.
It's a stepping stone to anarchy I guess.
Of course this isn't an agenda but a only a creative thought.
Your brain does not work correctly.
GOOTS: Your brain does not work correctly.
Coming from you that's a compliment
Wow Goots, I've gotta disagree. Its not akin to running a red light because she did nothing to inflict physical harm. Nor did she hand her a loaded gun (or belt in this case). She was miles away on a computer.
The ramifications are scary to me. Let's say one of the dudes from Drift Effect was right on the ragged edge and you ripped his band on this forum. He melts down and ends it. Do you bear some responsibility for his untimely demise? I say no. Even if you were really mean to the dude (which you weren't, incidentally), you can't be held accountable for his lifetime of instability. Chances are probably pretty high that he was going to find another cause and end it even if you hadn't come along and been the final straw. Maybe someone was going to take his hat or something....
Anyhoo...this lady was a freak and probably has big mental and emotional issues but she didn't assist a suicide. She pranked some kid and it blew up on her. Seriously, prison time? You really think that's warranted?
G.G.: Wow Goots, I've gotta disagree. Its not akin to running a red light because she did nothing to inflict physical harm. Nor did she hand her a loaded gun (or belt in this case). She was miles away on a computer. The ramifications are scary to me. Let's say one of the dudes from Drift Effect was right on the ragged edge and you ripped his band on this forum. He melts down and ends it. Do you bear some responsibility for his untimely demise? I say no. Even if you were really mean to the dude (which you weren't, incidentally), you can't be held accountable for his lifetime of instability. Chances are probably pretty high that he was going to find another cause and end it even if you hadn't come along and been the final straw. Maybe someone was going to take his hat or something.... Anyhoo...this lady was a freak and probably has big mental and emotional issues but she didn't assist a suicide. She pranked some kid and it blew up on her. Seriously, prison time? You really think that's warranted?
I think GG has a point here. HOLY CRAP!!
What this lady is guilty of is nor more than being a complete asshole and as far as I know, assholes are still a protected class in this country.
Harassment charges I would try and prosecute but I would have to see the whole trial as a juror in order to decide if that is even valid.
GOOTS: I'm pretty sure it is illegal to help someone commit suicide.
I'm pretty sure it is illegal to help someone commit suicide.
Correct. But there was no assisted suicide here.
If O J can get away with murder why cant she, although she didnt kill anyone...
The Drizzle: If O J can get away with murder why cant she, although she didnt kill anyone...
This reminds me of an infamous quote by Toodles:
"Music has always had a place in music."
The analogy to a case of manslaughter in car crash was simply unintended consequences. I also said that I would probably think differently if the victim were an adult or even if the defendant was a child.
People go to jail for killing people by complete accident all the time due to pure negligence, no malice. There is a clear case of malicious intent here. If you can incarcerate someone for forgetting to affix a safety latch somewhere shouldn't you incarcerate someone for purposely trying to inflict emotional harm on someone that inadvertently led to their death? My issue is with the malice.
Again, I don't know what the punishment should be but this woman clearly has some level of culpability in the death and should be punished. I guarantee she will lose the civil case which will likely follow.
G.G.: The Drizzle: If O J can get away with murder why cant she, although she didnt kill anyone... This reminds me of an infamous quote by Toodles: "Music has always had a place in music."
What you talkin' 'bout GG?
Isn't malicious intent typically used to describe some form of physical action? Breaking a bottle over a guy's head, that sort of thing.
I can understand the harrassment angle especially considering the adult/minor situation. But the charges for harrassment should theoretically be the same whether there's a resulting suicide or not. Where I might agree that this woman needs to be charged as some sort of complicit accessory to suicide is if she actually told the girl, "you're ugly. There's no reason you should go on living. Why don't you kill yourself?" Then I think you're looking at someone who needs to be held accoutable for murder. There should be laws that protect kids from adults posing as children to chat with them online for sure. No doubt. I just can't get past the murder tie-in.
I've got a daughter so I can sympathise with this family but I'm 99% sure that a daughter who was brought up in a warm, loving household isn't at risk the way this girl was. Regardless of how many weirdos talk to them on the internet.* IMO if you're going to look for responsible adults, the spotlight should probably be trained on her parents.
* My daughter is young now. Maybe my confidence will erode when she hits her teens.
I sort of hope the charges stick (conspiracy and accessing protected computers to obtain information to inflict emotional distress), just because the woman is clearly a scumbag, but I doubt they will.
She'll probably get a year, just to set an example.
http://www.fundraising.entertainment.com/esale2.cfm?CI=904720&SI=663995&LI=1
G.G.: Isn't malicious intent typically used to describe some form of physical action? Breaking a bottle over a guy's head, that sort of thing.
Not necessarily. Slander/libel is dependent on malicious intent.
G.G.: But the charges for harrassment should theoretically be the same whether there's a resulting suicide or not.
But the charges for harrassment should theoretically be the same whether there's a resulting suicide or not.
I don't think so. If you run a red light and kill someone your punishment should be more than a traffic ticket. Or a DWI resulting in death as opposed to getting pulled over and ticketed. I think the actual outcomes have a significant weight on the punishment.
Seriously, it's cases like this where we need to put an ASSHOLE LAW ont he books. A jury will find you guilty of being an asshole and then decide your sentence for being and asshole.
I really hop no one in DE kills themself, we would all be liable...