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05.15.2008 4:28 pm

MySpace case: Should Drew have been indicted?

A federal grand jury in Los Angeles returned an indictment Thursday against Lori Drew of O’Fallon, Mo., in the MySpace case that ended in the suicide of Megan Meier.

Drew, 49, was named in a four-count indictment that charges one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing protected computers without authorization to obtain information to inflict emotional distress on Meier, who was referred to in the indictment only as M.T.M.

According to a news release from U.S. Attorney Thomas P. O’Brien, the indictment alleges that Drew and others registered as a member of MySpace under the name of Josh Evans, then began corresponding with Meier in what the girl believed was an online romance. After the “romance” ended, Meier hanged herself in her room.

“This adult woman allegedly used the Internet to target a young teenage girl, with horrendous ramifications,” O’Brien said.

Drew declined to comment, referring questions to her lawyer. She will be summoned to appear for arraignment in federal court in Los Angeles in June; she is expected to surrender to authorities in St. Louis. The conspiracy count carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison; each count of accessing protected computers also carries a maximum possible penalty of five years in prison.

Given that St. Charles County prosecutor Jack Banas refused to prosecute Drew, since “It’s not a violation of state law,” should Drew face prosecution and a possible 20-year prison sentence?

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133 comments

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Yes she should go to jail it would set a presidence for others not to do that.

— KM
4:51 pm May 15th, 2008

She should definitely face punishment for what she did. She was an adult, Megan was a child. What she did was horrible and she should get what she deserves. She at least still has her daughter. The Meier’s don’t.

— AH
4:58 pm May 15th, 2008

This was tragic but no. The comments of a make-believe boy could not and should not have been the main trigger. If anyone’s responsible it’s Megan’s parents for raising a daughter who was naive, boy crazy, ignorant, and emmotionally detached. Also, the attorneys in California are “trying to set a precedent” but are really looking for face time.

— karl
5:16 pm May 15th, 2008

I think that if they are going to push an indictment against Lori Drew then then need to file another one for Megan’s mom. She is an unfit parent. Megan had many problems before this incident. The one I feel sorry for is Megan. Megan had her issues and here you have an unfit parent signing her up for Myspace when she wasnt even old enough to join. Mom came through and signed her up. Wow, what a wonderful stupid woman. She drove Megan to her death and Lori Drew childishly did her thing. What totally baffles me is that Megan’s mother then went around to the schools and acted as though she had some great information to give to other kids. How about Megan’s mother admitting her incompetence as a parent. That would have been the right thing for her to do.

I dont feel one bit sorry for Megan’s parents or Lori Drew. Both are at fault. Ultimately though, Megan’s parent failed her and Megan paid the price.

— superdave
5:24 pm May 15th, 2008

Should Drew have been indicted? Absolutely.

Anyone who states otherwise is probably a flaming liberal with no soul.

— Joe
5:30 pm May 15th, 2008

Absolutely this woman should be prosecuted. While it is clear that there were other issues with the girl who killed herself, she was still a girl. Most adult women understand what it is like to be a teenage girl, emotionally. It is very hard, even if you are “popular”. This woman actively targeted this girl. She is a horrible, mean awful person. If it is true that other people were involved in the same situations, aiding and abetting so to speak, they should be prosecuted as well. Karl states that the girl was “…naive, boy crazy, ignorant and emotionally detached.” Now, I do not know the girl, and I am guessing that Karl does not either. But, Karl, do you have a young daughter? I will give him naive. Most young girls are (and should be). I will give him boy crazy. Most young girls are. Ignorant? Who knows, unless you put ignorant and naive in the same category. Emotionally detached? Maybe. We have no way of knowing, really. While I disagree with Karl’s picture of Megan, I do agree with him and superdave … her parents definitely are culpable here as well. They did not do enough to protect and educate their daughter. But, that still does not excuse an adult woman targeting a young girl so maliciously.

— pm636
5:33 pm May 15th, 2008

From a purely legal perspective, this is quite possibly the most absurd criminal indictment ever issued by a U.S. federal court.

A grand jury hears nothing more than the one-sided prosecutorial view of the case. No other evidence whatsoever. Hell, any idiot U.S. Attorney can get an indictment returned against a ham sandwich if they lightly whisper “dead child”. Of course, that doesn’t even take into account that this case apparently had to be “outsourced” to LaLa Land, where common sense was banished years ago.

PREDICTION: Charges dismissed before the ink is dry on the summons.

— PawPaw
5:44 pm May 15th, 2008

I don’t believe the case will survive, but this whole story is a typical situation of a mother stooping to a child’s level to get revenge for her “perfect” child.
This was an adult getting back at a young girl that resulted in a tragedy. While I think the case will be dropped, I hope Lori Drew has a very nervous flight to California.

— Tony G.
5:57 pm May 15th, 2008

Clearly this woman was a jerk for harassing a child, but it’s not illegal to be a jerk. What’s next- jail time for insulting someone?

— Dena
6:00 pm May 15th, 2008

Yes, absolutely she should have been indicted and she should spend time in jail. This is probably a test case for MySpace and although she probably sees herself as a scapegoat, perhaps others will think twice before they harass defenseless and sensitive teenagers.

— Sara M.
6:06 pm May 15th, 2008

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