TheTrenchcoat Chronicles

Tag: MySpace

  • Day 1 of Lori Drew trial

    Lori Drew sent no Web messages to girl who later committed suicide, lawyer says:

    First, let me apologize for being a day behind the actual news. Unfortunately, that’s due to the demands my real life makes of me. Anyway, let’s get on to Lori Drew’s first real day in court yesterday.

    In his opening statement, Drew’s attorney claimed Drew’s innocence because she did not read MySpace’s TOS. He also claimed that Drew had little to no or connection to the plot to humiliate Megan Meier and placed the blame squarely on 18-year-old Ashley Grills. Grills admitted to sending the last message to Megan Meier that said the world would be better off without her. Grills has been given immunity for her testimony.

    The U.S. attorney, on the other hand, noted how flippant Drew had been in the wake of Megan Meier’s suicide.

    When asked by someone how she could show up at the girl’s wake, Drew said, “It’s not like I pulled the trigger,” O’Brien said.

    She told another woman that she didn’t feel “that bad” because of a prior suicide attempt, O’Brien said.

    Megan Meier’s mother, Tina Meier, testified and her testimony included details of Megan’s suicide.

    After the testimony was over Drew’s attorney called for a mistrial because of the details of Megan’s suicide saying that this is not a murder trial. The judge basically said you should have objected when you could have.

  • Lori Drew feels the sting

    Accused MySpace Mom Splashed With Juror Venom:

    This is a great blog post from L.A. Weekly about how much contempt the jury pool has for Lori Drew. I really can’t add anything except to go read this post.

  • Pleas offered in cheerleader beating

    Plea Deals Offered in Video Beating Case:

    Plea deals have been offered to all suspects remaining in the videotaped beating of Victoria Lindsay. The terms of the deal have not been made public and so far no one has accepted the plea.

    The remaining suspects are Kayla Hassall, Mercades Nichols, Brittini Hardcastle, April Cooper, and Brittany Mayes.

    If the cases go to trial they could be facing life in prison.

    You may want to also view this thread in which Mercades Nichols’ mom is an active participant.

  • Scott Shefelbine’s mom to be charged

    Tolland Sex Offender’s Mother Charged With Perjury:

    Who can forget our favorite MySpace predator Scott Shefelbine who was arrested over a dozen times even while on parole for assaulting underage girls? Or his father who was arrested for punching out a female reporter? Now Scott Shefelbine’s mother may now complete the Shefelbine family arrest trifecta.

    Prosecutors are charging 66-year-old Gail L. Shefelbine with nine counts of perjury.

    If you followed this site during the younger Shefelbine’s saga you’ll remember that Mrs. Shefelbine tried saying that her son’s violation of his house arrest was to attend church and as proof, she presented the classic standby of the church bulletin. Old school Catholics like myself will find that amusing.

    It turns out that Mrs. Shefelbine allegedly went around to different churches requesting old church bulletins.

    So if these accusations are true Mrs. Shefelbine basically covered for her son while he went out and diddled some underage girls.

    There’s also some issue of a possible fake beard that Shefelbine may have worn. I wonder if it was special effects type make up or if it was from a costume shop. Either thought is kind of disturbing.

  • Megan Meier’s suicide will be allowed in Drew trial

    Evidence of Megan Meier’s death will be permitted in Lori Drew’s cyber-bullying trial:

    On Friday after saying he probably wouldn’t allow it at trial U.S. District Judge George Wu ruled that prosecutors would be able to present Megan Meier’s suicide at Lori Drew’s fraud trial.

    I’m torn on this because it will lead to a conviction but it will also lead to an appeal and possibly an overturn of the conviction.

  • Suicide won’t be heard in Lori Drew trial

    Suicide evidence likely out of MySpace hoax trial:

    Yesterday the federal judge presiding over the trial of Lori Drew said that he was leaning towards excluding the suicide of Megan Meier as evidence.

    Personally, I don’t have any problem with this. I don’t want Lori Drew to have an excuse if she is sent to prison. I want it to be done by the books and iron clad.

  • Husband and wife MySpace rapists plead guilty

    Queens strippers guilty of using two underage girls in romps:

    I originally posted about Julio Rojas and Sophie Soto here. The pair have pleaded guilty to seducing teens through MySpace, getting them liquored up, having orgies with them, and making them strip in a Manhattan night club.

    Apparently, the New York DA’s office is into giving weak pleas because Rojas is only looking at 8 years and Soto is looking at 6.

    Thanks to Gothamist.

  • News on the Lori Drew trial

    There have been some more developments in the trial of Lori Drew.

    First, a judge deferred ruling on a motion to dismiss the charges. The trial is expected to take place on November 18th.

    In another development, Lori Drew waived her right to a jury trial, opting instead for the trial to be decided by a judge.

    I don’t blame her for that one. A jury would weigh heavily on Megan Meier’s suicide and not the letter of the law. However the prosecution needs to agree for the trial to go to a judge and of course, they didn’t.

  • Still no justice for Chanel Petro-Nixon

    Strangled teen left on Brooklyn curb with trash:

    I feel dirty linking to a Nancy Grace article, however, it at least it serves a purpose.

    It’s been over 2 years since the body of Chanel Petro-Nixon was found. She was a 16-year-old girl from Brooklyn whose strangled body was found in a garbage bag like so much trash.

    Her killer has still not been caught. Police are still asking for help…

    Police are asking anyone who finds Chanel’s cell phone or sneakers to call the anonymous tip line at 1-800-577-TIPS. The cell phone is a Silver Sanyo Sprint phone, model 8200. The shoes are size 6½, white Nike Air Jordan retro sneakers with green trim and the number 14 on them.

    A reward of $34,000 is being offered for any information leading to the arrest of the person or people responsible for Chanel’s death.

    I know the odds are slim that someone reading this site would have information into her death but it never hurts to try.

  • Ex-Fed joins Drew Defense

    Former Justice Dept. Prosecutor Joins Defense in MySpace Suicide Case:

    Former federal prosecutor Orin Kerr has joined the defense team for Lori Drew.

    Like the other tech geeks, he’s afraid that if Drew’s fraud charges aren’t thrown out that it will open up the floodgates for the government to prosecute every little TOS violation.

    For example, I give a fake name and address for just about every service I sign up for. Kerr feels that if Drew is prosecuted that it won’t be long before I’m prosecuted. I disagree. First off, even the government doesn’t have that kind of time and resources to prosecute every little TOS violation. Secondly, all the tech geeks are forgetting one thing, a 12-year-old girl died because of Drew’s sick childish games.

    This isn’t about a power grab by the government, this is about justice for Megan Meier. Besides, don’t all you Net Neutrality geeks want government involvement in the internet anyway?