November 22, 2008 12:57:29 CST
(Newser) – A Missouri woman has been indicted in the case of a teenage girl who killed herself after receiving cruel messages on MySpace, the AP reports. The woman, Lori Drew, is charged with pretending to be a teenage boy on the site and having a helper taunt the 13-year-old victim. Drew faces up to 20 years in prison on counts of conspiracy and accessing protected computers.
Source Associated Press
Nov 20, 08 3:28 CST A mother tearfully recalled in a Los Angeles court yesterday how her 13-year-old daughter hanged herself shortly after receiving a hateful online message from a neighbor woman posing as a teenage boy, AP reports. Lori Drew allegedly created a MySpace persona named Josh to first woo then harass Megan Meier, prosecutors argued as the nation's first-ever cyber bullying case got underway. More »
May 16, 08 2:43 PM CDT A criminal indictment over MySpace bullying that led to a Missouri teen's suicide sets an unusual and perhaps dangerous legal precedent, experts say. Because her activities violated the site’s terms of use, Lori Drew faces charges of computer fraud and abuse related to the death of Megan Meier, Wired reports—and the charges involve a contract that few users even bother to read. More »
Nov 17, 07 4:00 PM CST Police fear a "mob mentality" is brewing in a St. Louis suburb after a 13-year-old girl killed herself, and the hoaxers who allegedly prodded her have gone free. Two adults—parents of the girl's friend—badgered Megan Meier online until she hanged herself in her closet last October. Cops say they've been getting angry calls since the story broke last week, but insist that no law can corral the cyber-bullies. More »
MySpace • suicide • fraud • Missouri • federal indictment • indictment • Internet hoax • Megan Meier • Lori Drew