Check out AT&T's FREE camera phonesMom in MySpace hoax pleads not guilty
A Missouri woman accused of contributing to a teenager's suicide by creating a fake MySpace account to taunt the girl pleaded not guilty in federal court Monday, according to Reuters and other media sources.
After she was implicated in the hoax aimed at harassing a teenage neighbor, Lori Drew of the St. Louis area was charged with conspiracy and accessing protected computers without authorization to get information used to inflict emotional distress.
The case captured the attention of the blogosphere and the world.
The story first broke in Drew's hometown paper, the St. Charles Journal, a year after the October 2006 death of 13-year-old Megan Meier.
It was a twisted tale of an adolescent girl who was tricked into believing a boy she met on MySpace was her boyfriend and was then crushed when he turned on her. The article said that one night comments by "Josh Evans" became increasingly cruel, and his statement to Meier that "the world would be a better place" without her may have led to her suicide that evening.
Prosecutors say Drew was behind the fictional MySpace account, which she created to find out what Meier was saying about her daughter. The girls had experienced a recent falling-out. Drew was a family friend of the Meiers' and was aware of the teenager's battle with depression, according to reports.
When the story hit national airwaves, angry bloggers got involved, outing Drew's name, address, and phone number on the Internet. While the online community fought their battle against Drew, Missouri prosecutors discovered there was no state law that applied to the case.
Now, state and federal legislatures are working to make so-called cyberbullying a crime. Although state laws didn't apply, Drew was indicted by a federal grand jury in May, months after MySpace and other witnesses were subpoenaed.
Drew will stand trial on July 26, and if convicted, could face up to 20 years in prison.
Even if it wasn't illegal, it was definitely immoral. Death penalty, anyone?
Agree .... The problem will be "I think" will be placing either her or her daughter at the computer doing the deed... Another is the IP Address????? Someone had to create the false ID and information there with... This case will be a lengthly one that will bleed the tax payers and the only winners aft will be the lawyers.
I certainly hope to see justice prevail and that Mrs. Drew serves a sentence of at least 20 or more years... If she is not convicted and is acquitted of all charges? Then there is NO JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY and the last words that 13-year-old Megan Meier seen typed that quoted "the world would be a better place without........"? Before she took her life..... I dare not say as to my true feeling for Mrs. Drew or her daughter but to say " I hope that through out the rest of there lives that they can find peace within and that they find forgiveness with God. Weather it was one or the other - Or that they are covering for someone else?????
Children are precious and need the guidance from there parents and others. For they will be the next generation to take the reigns of this country. And if we as parents and as adults don't come to realize this ---- well ---- May God be with us.....
When a person is given power, he/she will be corrupted with said power. Look at Obama, he already felt that he is the president and has now been on the road to make presidential statements as if he is the president of the United States. In fact, he even mentioned about removing the threat in Iran and supplying Israel with $30B for defense. I guessed this is a signal to Iran, you better watch out, a war is about to come to YOU. Do you think this is what we need?!?
America is beginning to fall victim to the ignorants who want to restrict speech. First the CAN-SPAM which of course, conveniently states that political emails are exempt. Ridiculous!
Bring back the Constitutionalist Party!