Lori Drew indicted

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In case you haven’t heard by now Lori Drew has been federally indicted in the suicide death of Megan Meier. For those of you that have been living under the proverbial rock for the past year Drew created a fake MySpace of a teenage boy in order to humiliate the 16-year-old Meier. Drew had someone create the fake profile of a ‘Josh Evans’ in which the non-existent Evans took a liking to Megan. When Evans revealed himself to be a fake and told Megan that the world would be better off without her Megan Meier committed suicide. It was later revealed that the whole plot was masterminded by the 49-year-old Lori Drew whose daughter Megan Meier was allegedly feuding with.

Originally Missouri prosecutors had said that no charges could be filed against Drew. However federal prosecutors in California, where MySpace is headquartered, handed down an indictment against Drew on charges of fraud and conspiracy.

When Drew is arraigned in June she will be transported from Missouri to L.A.

Drew is looking at 20 years behind bars.

Thanks to Angie, Bay, and Gage for the tips.

Comments

34 responses to “Lori Drew indicted”

May 16, 2008

George

Thank you national media for your focus on the girl who committed suicide and happened to be a myspace member. This clearly must&rsquove been the first time a young girl has committed suicide. Or the first time they&rsquove been members of myspace. I will admit that when I first hear this story, I longed to know who the person was that cause this poor girl&rsquos torment. It&rsquos so easy to put it on one spot, to find someone to blame and wash the hands of anyone who may have touched her along the way. God forbid that someone else abused her. Let&rsquos not get into that. Let&rsquos not think about unattainable goals we as society put on our children, yes our little girls and boys. Let&rsquos find the most explicitly culpable. The subtleties are something only intelligence cares to find, and as we all know, intelligence is as marketable as a sex symbols acting out our frustrated desires. Throw some chili cheese or STDs on it and we&rsquoll feel at home. If you can&rsquot live up to these Budweiser girls we raise our boys to long for, then take a our second amendment and throw it through your existence.

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May 16, 2008

Bobby

I sympathize for the mother who’s having to endure this bullshit trial.

Lori Drew, that is. It’s a damn shame some emotionally retarded sixteen-year-old had to rain on her parade by up and killing herself over a Myspace relationship, fake or otherwise.

If that’s all it took to do her in, either there were larger issues at hand, or her parents probably failed at their job.

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May 16, 2008

Bobby

To be fair-

I was an asshole in my first post.

It’s a damn shame Meier’s killed herself in the first place. However, trying to pin this on Lori Drew is insane. While I don’t doubt Drew was involved in Meier’s death, the fact that it happened in the first place (over a Myspace relationship) speaks more to the real nature of the issue.

If this was all it took to meet Meier’s breaking point, something was wrong, and there’s no sense demonizing some woman who’s apparently the proverbial straw. People should be more interested why Meier’s was so quick to opt out of life.

I’m not suggesting conspiracy. I’m not suggesting her parents beat her. Rather, I’m more suggesting instability–emotionally, chemically, whatever.

Well, all of that, and-

I feel uncomfortable condemning a woman who’s crime was pretending to be someone else over the internet (zomg!) and breaking someone’s heart (even more zomg!).

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May 16, 2008

bootyj

OK,my hubby and I got in a heated debate over this topic last night. His point is the same as Bobby above, my point is that a grown adult women who should have known better and should have been setting a better example for her own child caused an emotional fragile child to kill herself and for that she should be punished. If her daughter (another 13 year old) had acted alone and did the same thing, I would say no that person should not be charged, but this is grown adult who obviously knows the difference between right and wrong and to intentionally fuck with another childs head like that and encouraging her own daughter to do the same, that is just wrong.

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May 16, 2008

Tony

Are you serious, kids get tormented in schools on a daily. This was done over “MySpace”, and if the comments were so bad, why didn’t the girl just ignore them. Sounds like bad parenting to me because if your child is unable to come to you when he/she is at the brink, then there is already an underlying issue… like the first poster said. She should not recieve jail time, i’m pretty sure she is remorseful and will have to live the rest of her life because she had an influence (not caused). But even better, the parents of the girl need to be indicted, for being shitty parents raising an emotinally disturbed child. You are going to ruin someones life over “words” used in a communal website. I wonder when people are going to start sueing for insults used in chat rooms. Bull shit!!!!

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May 16, 2008

Julia

While I do believe Lori Drew should be charged with something, for what she did was horrible, I also believe the child’s mother is just as much at fault. Yes, she lost a child and that is a terrible thing, but she also knew how unstable her daugher was. Why would she allow an unstable immature 13 year old on an website for people much older! She allowed an unstable 13 year old to have close contact with a 16 year old boy. And let it continue without much supervision. She is just as much to blame as Lori Drew.

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May 16, 2008

Peggy

My brother who was 36 years old killed himself. It was because of someone one he loved and trusted had treated him in a very hateful way. He was a kind hearted person, who thought of others first. Suicide is anger turned inward.

He wanted the pain the other person was sending his way to stop. He should have walked away. I am sure that if he had a few more seconds to think about it, he would have.

Things we do to others can hurt them deeply. It is wrong for Mrs. Drew to hurt another child. There was nothing for her to gain. She wanted to hurt someone and she did.

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May 16, 2008

Doug

This woman, Lori Drew, created this account with the express purpose of deceiving a minor child. Then, after posing as a loving confidant, told this impressionable girl that the world would be better off without her. Yes, a well-adjusted person would probably shrug this off.

Consider this. Let’s say that I punch some guy in the head. The medical examiner determines that my blow didn’t kill the person directly. Instead, this person had an existing medical condidion such as an aneurysm. My blow caused this to rupture leading to his death. Did I kill the person? Am I guilty of anything?

This woman belongs is prison. Perhaps 20 years may be extreme, but she definitely belongs in prison.

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May 16, 2008

Greg

This child had some self esteam issues that were not nurtured by her parents. Yes, what Drew did was emoral and childish but, If you are a parent and you don’t give your child the proper social tools to endure life at its worst then you shouldn’t point your finger at another socially unstable person for something that was going to happen any way for your poor parenting. Drew is not that childs parent and it is not her responsiblity to safe guard or build that poor child’s self esteem. America there is a social problem its not Drew, its not myspace its the our inability to except responcibilty for our own actions or inaction. We want to blame the school system, the government , other parents god forbid we blame our selves because then we will have to go through the hard work of fixing the problem. Life is hard and it can be unforgiving it is your job as a parent to build up your childs defences so they can survive. Not the government, not the school system, not they nutty lady next door.

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May 16, 2008

Mike

Can you imagine if they let this woman (Lori Drew) walk, scott-free? Wow! Imagine all the copy-cat cases that will emerge. Imagine the epidemic of suicides. What message will the courts be sending to the public? That this is ‘okay’ for an adult mind to manipulate a young, vulnerable mind? This woman is toast.

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May 16, 2008

Bella

Drew was aware of Megan’s emotional health. She was aware she took medication for depression. If she should not be held responsible for this young girls death, I’d have to ask what her intentions were. If her intentions were what she states as “finding out what Megan was saying about my daughter” then why say hurtful things?

The Internet has been anarchy for much too long. Cyberbullies/Harassers are just as criminal as hackers and predators. People in the Internet Communities not only need, but deserve protection against Internet abusers. You&rsquore still utilizing a tool in a REAL world that has laws!
When someone deliberately conspires to emotionally damage another, REGUARDLESS if they already have existing issues (if you are aware or not) they should be held criminally responsible.

You become a “publisher” when you. Writing takes much more thought and time than spoken words. You have the ability to take your time, and can edit at anytime before you hit “submit”.
You as a publisher chose where, when, and how to submit you&rsquore writing. If after all that and you chose to publish such hateful things, your intentions are pretty clear!
If you chose to use the Internet to deliberately conspire to hurt someone you should be held criminally responsible. Drew knew what she was doing. She not premeditated this, she admitted to using this
website to “lure” this young girl in. If you ask me she should be charged for more severe crimes!

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May 16, 2008

BelchSpeak

Trench, I don’t think they can make this charge stick. Its reserved for hackers. What Drew did was indeed fraudulent, but there was no hacking involved unless someone was using a stolen password.

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May 16, 2008

Tom

Megan did have self esteem issues. She suffered from depression also.
So any child who commits suicide is the result of bad parenting? Come one people! Psychosocial problems and stresses,breakup of a relationship, school difficulties or failure, legal difficulties, social isolation, and physical ailments… these precipitating factors often are cited by youths as reasons for attempting suicide.
Long-term high levels of community violence may contribute to emotional and conduct problems and add to the risk of suicide for exposed youth.
Educate yourself on adolescent suicide before you made such shallow claims!

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May 16, 2008

Superstar

Nori Drew should be punished for Meier&rsquos death. Drew had a young minded teenager completely fooled in a false romance for 4 weeks, what kind of woman or person would do this to a child. I can understand this kind of behavior from another child, but from a grown woman? Meier had to be depressed for a long time, because it doesn&rsquot take one day for someone to just want to kill themselves. Drew triggered Meier emotionally to a point where she taught she had someone and to find out it was all a lie. People should not play with other people&rsquos feelings because noone will understand what Meier was feeling. She was a teenager who just didn&rsquot know better and at that age we all rebel but she needed help. I blame everyone including herself for what has happened, but Drew should not get away with out been dealt with, she did her part for Meier to take her life. How she should be punished is not up to me but she deserves to be put in distress for her actions.

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May 16, 2008

Greg

Ok people your are missing the under lying issue. I can sum it all up in one phrase , its the same phrase that would have stoped the shootings at the schools, its the same phrase that would solve the problem with childhood obesity. Its called “parental involvement”. Putting a kid on drugs is not the answer all you are doing now is medicating a social issue. Yeah, when you are druged up life is easier because you don’t have to face it. The people that say hang Drew are the same people who say I am fat because Mc Donalds made me fat. No you are fat because you have no self control, because your parents did not see the importants of teaching it to you. I am tired of sociciaty telling people its ok to neglete your children. I don’t side with people that side with parents that teach their children its ok to be a victum. Its not ok to be a preditor but at the same time if we teach our chidren to be victums someone or something will fill the preditor nich. We need to be more proactive when raising our children. Check their e-mails, know who their friends are if they don’t like it simply tell them as long as they are your child you will love them. And they live in your house and when they get their own house they can have all the privacy they want. Be a parent. Its these same people that are afraid of being parents that blame Gran theft Auto for their kid going out on a murder sprey, when they are the one who bought the game in the first place. It is a tragic thing that happened. But this is also a wake up call for parents. more parental involvement less law suites. That lady Drew needs to got to an institution because prison is no place for someone who is mentally unstable.

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May 16, 2008

Superstar

i agree with Greg

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May 16, 2008

Bella

BelchSpeak,
They charged Drew under these crimes because she intended to violate Myspaces TOS when she signed up, hence she exceeded her authorized access and use of the website intentionally!
She made the fake profile, which she solely made and used, for the purpose to contact Megan to obtain information (which she already admitted to). I bet they have proof she agreed to the TOS and they can easily prove she intentionally violated by signing up as a 16-year-old boy named Josh. That is legally defined as fraud to obtain information (which again Mrs. Drew has admitted to in a police report two years ago after Megan committed suicide)

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May 16, 2008

BelchSpeak

Bella,
I’m not defending Drew in any way, but I’m telling you that she will not be convicted under this law. This specific law was intended to prosecute hackers and those that illegally gain entry to a computer system. Violating the TOS is a civil issue between the parties, in which, this case, its between MySpace and Drew. This is not a federal crime under this law.

they can still prove conspiracy and fraud, and there are tons of interstate commerce laws they can use to prosecute her on those grounds. But Title 18 sec 1030 is not the law to do that under.

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May 16, 2008

Melissa

There may be an issue with inticing a minor. Actually I know there is an issue of inticing a minor.

How is this different than when the person flirting with her isnt some scaggy guy trying to get his rocks off on a kid? Last time I checked THAT is illegal.

I agree the TOS is probably not going to go over.

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May 16, 2008

nancy

I agree with belchspeak. It’s a tragedy that a girl hung herself and it’s disgusting to think that an adult would talk this way to a child. I personally have a myspace account where I have pictures of myself in jr. high – 25 years ago! I monitor the profiles of students of a private school and send the inappropriate postings/pictures to the principal, especially those that were taken on school property. This has resulted in discipline but also training for the students. I have been threatened with lawsuits from lawyer parents whose kids have been found out- but, it’s kind of hard to sue for slander when it’s their children’s own words and pictures that are getting them into trouble. BTW I do not say anywhere on my page that I am a teen, I even put my real age down and my real name- the kids are just too naive and friend me anyway.

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May 16, 2008

Chuck D.

Greg, as John Stossel would say, “Give me a break!”

First of all, medication had nothing to do w/Megan’s suicide, nor is that bitch Lori mentally unstable, since she knew exactly what she was doing when she pushed this vulnerable young girl over the edge, and her lack of remorse for this act speaks volumes.

Second, no one was teaching Megan to be a victim…in fact, her parents were working to get her help and did their best to supervise her actions online. How were they to know that “Josh Evans” was really their PoS neighbor playing mind games w/their daughter?

Trying to equate this tragedy w/frivolous lawsuits and people who won’t take responsibility for physical conditions is apples vs. oranges…let’s recap:

– Lori was known for involving herself in conflicts her daughter was having w/friends
– Lori arranged the MS account setup
– Lori got an emotionally fragile young girl’s hopes up, then dashed them to pieces in the worst possible way

There’s only one person to blame this tragedy on, and it’s neither Megan nor her parents.

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May 16, 2008

Chuck D.

And don’t forget that Megan’s parents tried to assure her everything would be OK after what happened w/”Josh”, but she was too far gone to hear it (as would be expected in a situation like that)…I’d hardly fault Ron and Tina Meier for bad parenting, seems like they did everything possible to help their daughter, only to have it be for naught b/c of an evil neighbor who couldn’t have a mature discussion w/them about the friction beteween their daughters, like any responsible adult would do.

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May 16, 2008

Bella

BelchSpeak,
I understood what you were saying. I’m curious though as to what you feel their creative measures may be to charge on Title 18 sec 1030? Myspace is claimed in the suit to be a victim also. Title 18 sec 1030 has also been used in illegal file sharing although none actually accessed protected computers. They used computer servers and services to download files.
In my view the reason they chose to charge on Title 18 sec 1030 is because she gained access to a server that had implemented measures to protect members and the agreement was limited to use their servers based on that agreement. Basically she intentionally bypassed that protection and gain information and harmed Megan in that way. The system was protected but she frauded it to gain the information she wanted. For all we know Megan could have had her account set up to refuse contact from anyone over 18. And the “Josh” account was fashioned so Megan could be friended by “Josh.” If this is the case Title 18 sec 1030 is the proper charge.

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May 16, 2008

Bella

cont…..

Myspace’s TOS required Drew to provide accurate registration information, not to harass or harm other people, and not to promote conduct that was abusive. Did she comply with these terms, is she was criminally trespassing onto MySpace’s computer when she was logging into her account? she did this in with others to obtain information and to further other tortious conduct which may be ……
Intentional infliction of emotional distress violating the felony provisions of 18 U.S.C. 1030(a)(2).

I guess we’ll need a preliminary hearing to test the adequacy of the evidence.

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May 16, 2008

Shar

I agree with Tom all the way and Bobby your an idiot. How dare you blame her parents. They seem good if you have problems the world seems a bad place to be.

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May 16, 2008

BelchSpeak

Bella, If the TOS required Drew to chug a pint of nestle strawberry quik, it would amount to the same thing. Its a civil issue between the parties. The federal law is designed to prosecute hackers.

Nothing in that federal law applies to Drew and its frankly a stretch to try to make it fit. No federal judge will read that statute and convict her.

There is plenty of evidence collected, however, for the Meiers family to pursue severe civil penalties aganist the Drews.

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May 16, 2008

BelchSpeak

Title 18 section 1030 must deal with:
* banking computers
* government computers
* computers tied to banking or government computers

and even then, the perpetrator must:
* gain ungranted access to the system
* once granted to system, exceed granted access
* gain information she was not allowed to have

The law simply doesn’t fit.

You know, I blame the cowardice of the Missouri prosecutors for failing to indict Drew on harrassment charges, which was clearly their purview.

But now, security professionals like myself must ask the court to not prosecute Drew under this statute because it would be ultimately bad for society. Imagine being prosecuted for entering the wrong email address on a website or for lying about your age. Successful prosecution would set a very bad precedent.

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May 18, 2008

Anonymous

Are you people nuts? If I call you an idiot and you go ad step in front of a train is that my fault? No it’s YOURS! Just because some people have low self-esteem doesn’t mean that they are exempt from their own actions. I’m not saying what Lori Drew did was right nor am I saying what happened to the child is not a tragedy but this is no one&rsquos fault. If the child&rsquos parents had been monitoring the child&rsquos internet activities more closely perhaps this tragedy might have been averted. By bringing vague bogus charges against Lori Drew officials are crossing a very dangerous line which once crossed cannot be undone.

Imagine if food critics could be sued because they don’t like a particular Chef’s recipe? What if a pop star off&rsquoed himself after being told he blew royally by Simon Cowell? Now imagine if a 13 year old girl committed suicide after being told by a supposed older boy she was worthless? There is nothing wrong with any of these scenarios and the only reason anyone is making a huff is because the boy turned out not to be a boy at all! A crime should not be created just for the sake of purposely trying to convict the ones &ldquosupposedly&rdquo responsible. Remember the old motherly adage about jumping off a bridge if someone told you to do so or if everyone else was going to? Don&rsquot piss on me and tell me it&rsquos raining and don&rsquot blame someone for another&rsquos stupidity.

Anonymous

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May 19, 2008

Chuck D.

Anonymous,

No, the reason everyone’s making a huff is b/c this bitch knew Megan was emotionally vulnerable, yet manipulated her by getting the poor girl’s hopes up and then bringing them down in an instant.

And don’t try to blame this on an alleged lack of parental supervision, both Tina and Ron gave Megan the OK to add “Josh” to her Myspace friends, and even tried to assure her that everything would be alright after she got the message that ultimately pushed her over the edge.

Oh, and none of the Meiers had any reason to suspect that “Josh” was really their evil neighbor, so how can they be faulted for alleged stupidity? Maybe you need to take another look @ the facts…

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May 19, 2008

Chuck D.

One more thing: There’s a big difference between playing w/an emotionally fragile teen’s emotions and overreacting to being eliminated from a reality TV show.

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May 22, 2008

Bella

Anonymous
Lori Drew is not being charged with Megan&rsquos death or suicide. She is being charged with a Computer Crime. It seems this is the major argument of those who feel the Government should not step in. Although there ARE laws in aiding suicide, which I feel Lori Drew did, they have not charged her with a Homicide.
The principle here is that the victim&rsquos death was foreseeable and proximate result of Lori&rsquos illegal acts.
The facts are in the United States a person may be held criminally responsible for aiding another to commit suicide whether it was successful or attempted. If the person committed suicide as a result of being severely injured, the answer is much clearer.
I&rsquod like to bring another legal argument to light. Many people have been charged, tried, and convicted based on circumstantial evidence. If the evidence is sufficient and meets the elements of intent, and a judge or jury can find the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt based on circumstantial evidence.

Most people&rsquos intentions for fictitiously using false names and such on the net are not to harass and harm anyone. Usually it&rsquos a privacy, safety, and anonymity issue, which are our rights and not a crime. I think the question here really is: Do we as a free society have an interest in not only promoting but protecting those who anonymously use the Internet to commit frauds to harass, and harm others? Especially children?
Some look at this as dangerous water to tread, based on the fact this case surrounds a TOS agreement breech and many people break TOS agreements everyday. That being true, the criminal charges that are taking are strictly dependent upon the users intentions. Is the Government going to indite a person for lets say
Entering the wrong email address, or lying about your age. If your intentions where to access a system, server, or program to harass or harm someone then YES and that is the message I believe they are trying to
Put across here.
Belchspeak,
18 U.S.C. 1030 states: Whoever, (2) intentionally accesses a computer without authorization or exceeds authorized access, and thereby obtains&mdash information from any protected computer if the conduct involved an interstate or foreign communication – knowingly and with intent to defraud, accesses a protected computer without authorization, or exceeds authorized access&hellip&hellip..

Any other codes in the Interstate communication laws deal with extorting money and threats.
18 1030 is specific on involving Interstate Computer Communications, access &amp authorization.
18 1030 was not written just for hacking, it actually deals with any access to any computer which is not authorized. They are NOT charging Drew with violating her TOS agreement (you are right, they can not that is a civil matter). What they ARE charging Drew with is intentionally accessing a protected server (an interstate communication), By knowingly defrauding the protection (TOS agreement and possibly Megan&rsquos private account) to gain access to information (which she had admitted to), which exceeded her authorization through a fraud. Will a Federal Judge convict her? I don&rsquot know.
But I do agree with you on the Missouri authorities 100%.

Most people&rsquos intentions for fictitiously using false names and such on the net are not to harass and harm anyone. Usually it&rsquos a privacy, safety, and anonymity issue, which are our rights and not a crime. I think the question here really is: Do we as a free society have an interest in not only promoting but protecting those who anonymously use the Internet to commit frauds to harass, and harm others? Especially&hellip. children?
Some look at this as dangerous water to tread, including you. based on the fact this case surrounds a TOS agreement breech and many people break TOS agreements everyday. That being true, the criminal charges that are taking here are strictly dependent upon the users intentions. Is the Government going to indite a person for lets say &ldquoentering the wrong email address, or lying about your age&rdquo. If your intentions where to access a system, server, or program to harass or harm someone then I guess the answer is YES and that is the message I believe they are trying to put across here.

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May 22, 2008

Bella

sorry for the double paragraphs there. Copy paste issue….

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May 22, 2008

Peggy

I have had Myspace used by my daughter-in-law just this week to send me hate messages. She made up a Myspace page and sent the messages then denied them. Athough I knew immediately where they came from, and that my daughter-in-law is not stable, I still hurt. She tried to scare me, and when she was caught, she tried to make out she was the victum.

This needs to stop. If Mrs. Drew gets away with this, how would that discourage others from this.

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November 17, 2008

GregS

Peggy, if you want to stop bullying do something about it in the real world and stop worrying about what goes on in Myspace.

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