Lori Drew indicted in deadly MySpace hoax
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) — A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted a Missouri woman for her alleged role in perpetrating a hoax on the online social network MySpace against a 13-year-old neighbor girl who then committed suicide.
Lori Drew of suburban St. Louis was charged with one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing protected computers without authorization to obtain information to inflict emotional distress on the girl.
Drew allegedly helped create a MySpace account on false premises to contact Megan Meier, who thought she was chatting with a 16-year-old boy named Josh Evans, who turned out not to exist.
Megan hanged herself at home in October 2006 after receiving cruel messages, including one stating the world would be better off without her.
Drew has denied creating the account or sending messages to Megan.
MySpace is based in Beverly Hills. The indictment noted that MySpace computer servers are located in Los Angeles County.
Due to juvenile privacy rules, the U.S. attorney’s office said, the indictment refers to the girl as M.T.M.
Each count in the indictment carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
Last month, an employee of Drew, 19-year-old Ashley Grills, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” she created the false MySpace profile but Drew wrote some of the messages to Megan.
Grills also claimed Drew suggested talking to Megan via the Internet to find out what Megan was saying about Drew’s daughter, who was a former friend of Megan’s.
Grills said she wrote the message to Megan about the world being a better place without her, which was supposed to end the online relationship with “Josh” because Grills felt the joke had gone too far.
“I was trying to get her angry so she would leave him alone and I could get rid of the whole MySpace,” Grills told the morning show.
Megan’s death was investigated by Missouri authorities, but no state charges were filed.
Looks like there will be some form of justice for Megan after all. This is the kind of case that really pisses me off because of two things.
- I find it disgusting to prey on vulnurable depressed people, especially children, this makes it worse. It’s just sick on so many levels.
- Lori needs to be punished because it needs to be shown that not only men are predators. How many news stories can I read on Fark.com about the latest hot teacher who had “innapropriate conduct” with a student. Had it been a man on a female student he would have been accused of beeing a vicious child raping monster. It needs to be clear that women can also be vicious and vindictive and completly batshit insane and that not just men are predators.
Damn this story pisses me off. Anyway. I’m just glad to see Megan might get some justice in the end.
Previously on the same story:
- Prosecutor won’t bring charges in Megan Meier’s Suicide
- No Justice yet for Megan Meier. Announcement Due next week.
- Lori Drew now Notorious with Wikipedia Page
- Lori Drew – Dave and Thomas Asshole Of The Year. Meet The Mother That Drove Megan Meier To Suicide
Predators come in all sizes, shapes and colors unfortunately.
Lori Drew was jealous and out of control and focused her rage on a child. This child was a cute little girl and obviously Ms. Drew had no idea little Megan had issues of her own. Now she does…but even Megan’s death hasn’t been enough to enlighten this empty woman. That’s what narcissism is all about and we have a country full of it.
For many years I wanted to “genderize” the abuse I had suffered through my life, David. I realized after 3/4 of my years have passed, that my mother had been as culpable and destructive in my development as my father – it was just different and more subtle. Our dysfunction is a two party system – male/female. So it’s a fairly useless endeavor to blame this one or that. We have a sick society period and gender is not the problem. We just need to FIX.
All the way around, the only thing a person can do in this case is shake their head. It’s unbelievable. And I have to say, for someone such as myself who never believed in such a thing as satan, I’m really beginning to wonder. I never would have thought so many human beings capable of such perverse and heartless actions as we are seeing these days.
OK, yes Megan may have been depressed — but lets face it the mental case is Lori Drew! This was a child of 13. Most 13 year old girls have issues pertaining to the looks, self esteem, boys etc., This was a grown woman that had a child of her own. She deserves to sit in prison for life or at least a mental institution. No let’s go further with this.. what do you think her own daughter is like? I would assume at least as bad as her mother and will need in-depth Therapy sessions.
This woman manipulated and tortured a 13 year old girl. 13 still is pretty impressionable. Thank god for California! I hope this b…h gets what she deserves. Let her go to prison and be someones girl toy! Once other women find out in prison what she has done.. her life will be miserable! This was no joke Ms. Drew..it was pure intent to distroy a childs life. Let’s not use words like joke… you know and everyone else knows this was no joke. Fess up b…h. Now it’s time to face the music. You and your whole family will be scrutinized for the rest of your lives. And deserve to be. You are a poor excuse of a parent.. you are deceptive, manipulative and heartless. And to have a subornidnate create the site for you to torment this child means you are very controlling at home and at work. To bring an employee in on this is unbelievable! Who would employee a person of this character? I hope they fired her! Who in thier right mind would work with such an unsavory character like her. Dont they do background checks in Missouri? Maybe a little psychological testing might have weeded her out. YOU THINK|? The parents of the this child are grieving the lose of their daughter. And all Drew can come up with is — it was a joke! And you were trying to make her mad. No one in their right mind would buy that line. Put her in jail and throw away the key. Hopefully she will be placed in a California prison… wouldn’t that be topping on the cake. LOL. California women would not take to kindly to her.. child abuse is very serious and to kill one is even worse. With the mental manipulation of Drew she killed this child. She should be up for murder! Burn B…h Burn! I am not from a small little community that will take sides because one person like the other better. If anyone in Missouri takes this side of this woman… they themselves are incredibly stupid and must approve of murder with intent.
Wow, that’s horrible. No words.
Yep, amen…I’m so delighted this is finally happening, it’s dragged on forever. I agree with you, I think Drew should have been indicted as a pedophile since she spent weeks discussing sex with a minor child.
If it had been a man, he’d already be in jail.
I totally agree with you Dave.
I’ve followed this story too, and it just disgussed me to see how some people take pleasure out of hurting another human being, vulnerable that is.
This could happen to anyone of us, or anyone we know, just think about it.
At least, there’s some justice, but still, Megan lost her life because of all this…
I dont understand why the website is taken into account for the suicide. If i buy a knife from a shop, and kill a person, whats the blame of the knife? or the shopkeeper who has sold it to me damn it ?
Ron – Crazy – Blogger
Myspace site should not be blamed for any misuse of their service.If anyone is misusing it’s service for their evil purpose it is his fault.
I agree with Crazy-Blogger.
teentweens-teentweensblog
It’s about time. Lori’s indictment is LONG overdue.
Bravo Dave and Cindi and others. Words just CAN NOT express the anger and rage I have for this bitch. I agree – send her to prison, make her someone’s bitch and maybe she’ll do the right thing and hang herself. Would the world really be upset?
This boils down to the old argument and fight of ‘Equal Sentencing’.
Domestic abuse is 50/50 per sexes. Child abuse is often from mothers 80% and biological fathers less than 5%.
The media and convictions would have you think otherwise.
Will she get what she deserves in the court system? Doubt it. People love to be the victim, and women play that card more often in court because a jury is more likely to buy it.
Justice isn’t the law, it’s the interpretation of the law. She could have broken no law and the Jury sentence her with some type of punishment and vice versa.
I guess we will see what happens, but I wouldn’t get my hopes up.
What a waste of time.
The victim is this story is Megan. But the perpetrator in her death is also MEGAN.
People, do you really believe that a girl who is almost 14yo not have any will of her own? Is a healthy 14 year old not able to take care of herself?
Megan’s death is 90% her own fault. 5% Lori Drew’s. And 5% Megan’s mother’s for letting a emotionally unstable kid on myspace.
Jack,
i can’t believe that you’re saying this. sure a 14 years old girl have her own will, but the fact that she’s young makes her impressionable and it’s not just girls, anyone who’s 14 is definitely impressionable. it comes with puberty. plus she’s not a healthy teenage girl, she has depression.
it’s like you’re saying that if someone pushed someone over a cliff, that murderer is innocent and it’s gravity that killed the victim.
Well kids i usppose someone has to be the devil so here it goes:
Count one: the parents knowingly let their daughter log on myspace when she was under age and not compliant with myspace agree to terms of service.
Count two: if this girl committed suicide over a online affair, chat what ever she has much deeper issuesw than just one boy named josh and her josh crush.
count three: This is being prosecuted and only prosecuted for two reasons: (1) the neighbor was stupid enough to admit she did anything (never talk to the cops if you are the hacker type or heckler as is this lady was. (2) She is only being prosecuted because of a piece of legislation Congress passed back in 06′ which was barried in the middle of the department of justice budget.
Just so you all know the federal legislation only carries a maximum penalty of two years. Two yearsd is very light for a federal penalty these penalties are usually five years fifteen years not two years. This means the sponsor did some heavy dealing to get this legislation in the department of justice budget.
Reality speaking; If the lady was not stupid enough to admit to anything there would be no case. This conduct can not be regulated. My state (Utah) tried to pass some legislation last year cause of thisd incident. I flat out told the representative you are stupid it cant be enforced and i showed him how easy it was when his house got called 24/7 until the next committee meeting and i asked representative you been getting alot of phone calls lately well guess what they are coming from iana techies in marina del ray you wont ever track them then explain how as he will never track this fine people he cant track me or anyone else who uses the first amendment. Easy fix get a grip on your kids or lose them.
6 months late, but hey.
“on May 17, 2008 at 4:40 ShellCode
Well kids i usppose someone has to be the devil so here it goes:
Count one: the parents knowingly let their daughter log on myspace when she was under age and not compliant with myspace agree to terms of service.”
Actually, MySpace doesn’t prohibit those under 18… And that’s nitpicking.
“Count two: if this girl committed suicide over a online affair, chat what ever she has much deeper issuesw than just one boy named josh and her josh crush.”
Yeah, that’s what the article said. Good catch. Maybe that’s why everyone said ‘hey, maybe you shouldn’t have been messing with the head of a girl who is being treated for depression’. Not sure how it applies, though. But basically, your argument is that if someone has an illness, then it’s nobody’s fault if they die of it. Good point… unless you inject sugar in a diabetic. Knowingly administering what they are weak to is killing them, and the law treats it as such. Internet law is now catching up.
“count three: This is being prosecuted and only prosecuted for two reasons: (1) the neighbor was stupid enough to admit she did anything (never talk to the cops if you are the hacker type or heckler as is this lady was. (2) She is only being prosecuted because of a piece of legislation Congress passed back in 06′ which was barried in the middle of the department of justice budget.”
Actually, she talked to her neighbors long before Megan died… That’s how the whole thing came out. She denied it when talking to the cops. Nevertheless, IP addresses can be traced. You are never truly anonymous online.
“Just so you all know the federal legislation only carries a maximum penalty of two years. Two yearsd is very light for a federal penalty these penalties are usually five years fifteen years not two years. This means the sponsor did some heavy dealing to get this legislation in the department of justice budget. ”
Not sure how the “dealing” is applicable, but each count carries a max of five years anyhow, if you’d read the papers so the point is moot.
“Reality speaking; If the lady was not stupid enough to admit to anything there would be no case. This conduct can not be regulated.”
Actually, it can, it is, and it should be. Adults harassing children in real life is illegal. Now, laws are catching up to technology. Hope you’re ready for it, but I don’t think you are.
“My state (Utah) tried to pass some legislation last year cause of thisd incident. I flat out told the representative you are stupid it cant be enforced and i showed him how easy it was when his house got called 24/7 until the next committee meeting and i asked representative you been getting alot of phone calls lately well guess what they are coming from iana techies in marina del ray you wont ever track them then explain how as he will never track this fine people he cant track me or anyone else who uses the first amendment.”
Whoa, slow down there. I guess ranting makes for typos and runons. Maybe it isn’t easy to catch cyberbullies… but you could rape his wife and get away with it just to show you shouldn’t have a law against rape. Straw man argument, there. It’s not unenforcable, but it will take some work.
Also, the first amendment guarantees free speech… but doesn’t protect you from the results of that speech. You scream ‘fire’ in a theater and people die from trampling each other to get out, you go to jail.
“Easy fix get a grip on your kids or lose them.”
That’s like saying that she was asking for it by wearing a miniskirt, or that you deserved to have your car stolen because you didn’t have an alarm on it. I have a better suggestion. How about this: keep laws current with technology so the things that are illegal in real life are illegal on the internet too. Yes, parents have a responsibility to protect their children… But other people have a responsibility to not find ways to prey on children… or they’ll go to jail.