# Lori Drew Indicted on Federal Charges in Megan Meier Cyberbullying Suicide **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 15, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482 "2008-05-15T20:28:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/61 "2008-05-17T15:21:34Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] Who pays for her to fly to, and stay in, LA? [/QUOTE] Two options: 1. If she is in custody, the Federal Marshal Service transports her, and she’s put up in whatever detention facilities they use in LA. [http://www.usmarshals.gov/montage/index.html](http://www.usmarshals.gov/montage/index.html) 2. If she’s not, she’s got to get to trial herself. She’d have to provide for food and lodging, just as anyone else does when they are free on bail. > [@](#): > > Sounds plausible, I guess, but I cannot imagine what crime they would have agreed to commit and then didn’t, and I further can’t imagine how the prosecution plans to prove it. This whole thing stinks of revenge and not justice to me. As despicable as I find Lori Drew, I care more about the integrity of our legal system. I’m not cementing my opinion yet, but I’m very interested to see how this case plays out. Hint: There are two links to the “indictment” in this thread. The indictment spells out what the government thinks it can prove and cites the applicable laws that make that conduct illegal. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/62 "2008-05-17T16:02:03Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] I answered this question in [post 32](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=9808482&postcount=32) of this thread. [/QUOTE] What question? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/63 "2008-05-17T16:24:03Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] What question? [/QUOTE] What crime they conspired to commit. She is being prosecuted for breaking 18 USC § 1030. The conspiracy charge is because the prosecution believes she did so in conjunction with another individual. Getting tried for some lesser crime because the law doesn’t cover or you can’t be found guilty of the greater offense (not necessarily criminal) is a tried and true means of ‘justice’ - most famous in “lets throw the book at Capone for tax evasion and have him do hard time for what is a petty paper crime.” ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/64 "2008-05-17T16:58:36Z")
[QUOTE=Dangerosa] What crime they conspired to commit. [/QUOTE] I think you misread my post. I said, “I cannot imagine what crime they _agreed to commit_ and then _didn’t_ [commit].” ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/65 "2008-05-17T17:35:30Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] I think you misread my post. I said, “I cannot imagine what crime they _agreed to commit_ and then _didn’t_ [commit].” [/QUOTE] Doesn’t that constitute conspiracy? You don’t have to actually do the crime in order to conspire. I could be wrong ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/66 "2008-05-17T17:37:39Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] I think you misread my post. I said, “I cannot imagine what crime they _agreed to commit_ and then _didn’t_ [commit].” [/QUOTE] The jury could find that she and her employee agreed to create the site planning to harm Megan with it, but that the harm to Megan wasn’t actually their fault. Analogy: I agree with my co-worker to murder my boss so I will get his job. We buy a high-powered rifle to shoot him. At this point, we’re guilty of conspiracy. We shoot into his window, but miss him. Unbeknownst to us, he’s been suicidal for some time. He’s in the middle of recording a farewell video for his family, and after he finishes he shoots himself. We’re not guilty of causing his death. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/67 "2008-05-17T17:43:37Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] The jury could find that she and her employee agreed to create the site planning to harm Megan with it, but that the harm to Megan wasn’t actually their fault. Analogy: I agree with my co-worker to murder my boss so I will get his job. We buy a high-powered rifle to shoot him. At this point, we’re guilty of conspiracy. We shoot into his window, but miss him. Unbeknownst to us, he’s been suicidal for some time. He’s in the middle of recording a farewell video for his family, and after he finishes he shoots himself. We’re not guilty of causing his death. [/QUOTE] Ok, gotcha. In fact, if what someone said upthread was true about her threatnening suicide since the 3rd grade, this actually seems plausible. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/68 "2008-05-17T18:12:49Z")
Which is all the more reason why they shouldn’t have been fucking with her mind. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/69 "2008-05-17T18:15:26Z")
I’m not going to say anything that could be misintepreted as a moral defense of Lori Drew. I’m interested in the legal aspects of this case. ---
**Author:** ![5-HT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/f19dbf/32.png) [@5-HT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5-HT)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/70 "2008-05-17T20:39:03Z")
I think what this woman did is absolutely horrible and if I believed in hell I’m sure she would rot there. She is a disgusting excuse for a human being. that said, I’m very uncomfortable with the idea of what she did being a crime. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/71 "2008-05-17T20:53:18Z")
[QUOTE=5-HT] I think what this woman did is absolutely horrible and if I believed in hell I’m sure she would rot there. She is a disgusting excuse for a human being. that said, I’m very uncomfortable with the idea of what she did being a crime. [/QUOTE] Violating the terms of service on your agreement, causing tens of thousands of dollars in forensics losses to the company whose terms of service you violated? - that’s the crime she seems to be being prosecuted for. I’m fine with fraud being a crime - and when she misrepresented herself on her terms of service, she may have committed fraud. I think its lucky that in committing an act which proved her to be a disgusting excuse for a human being, but which may have been legal, she broke another law. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2008, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/72 "2008-05-18T13:20:02Z")
What a totally evil bitch that woman is. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/73 "2008-05-18T15:09:07Z")
Lori Drew is one heartless, immature, vindictive bitch. The pain she’s inflicted on both families is immeasurable. The sad truth of the matter is that I believe she’s a real live sociopath. So whatever justice we can mete out will fall short of what we want – which is for her to feel true remorse. What a sad case. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2008, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/74 "2008-05-18T15:51:49Z")
[QUOTE=Silver Fire] Of course, none of this negates the fact that Lori Drew is a bad person. I’m just shocked that nobody has said anything regarding the behavior of Megan’s parents (especially her mom). [/QUOTE] Agreed. Lori Drew is a pimple on the ass of the human race, but the fact that Megan’s parents couldn’t even be bothered to unplug the computer makes me :dubious: While I’m not saying it’s their fault, they are not blameless in this situation. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/75 "2008-11-17T22:28:01Z")
An update – Ms. Drew’s trial is set to begin this week. The judge has ruled that the jury can be told of Megan’s suicide. This is, to my eyes, a questionable decision, since she’s being tried for the violation of the terms of service, and the fact that a suicide resulted is not legally relevant… unless her defense does something to make it relevant, like argue “no harm done/minor violation.” ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [November 17, 2008, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/76 "2008-11-17T23:11:51Z")
What do you think the liklihood is that the judge believes that letting the testimony in so voters next time won’t think of him of that sunnofagun who let the bitch off on a ‘technicality’ ? See, while I believe that no judge really likes being overturned on appeal, they also like sitting on the bench. And I think it’d be much more likely that voters would be pissed off at the testimony not getting in (regardless of appeal decisions), and also that the talking heads like Nancy Grace would take time out in their busy days to rant and rail at a judge for disallowing it (I agree w/you on principle, though)\> ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/77 "2008-11-18T01:14:36Z")
> [@wring](#): > > What do you think the liklihood is that the judge believes that letting the testimony in so voters next time won’t think of him of that sunnofagun who let the bitch off on a ‘technicality’ ? Pretty small, since federal judges are not elected and their appointments are for life. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/78 "2008-11-18T01:30:55Z")
d-oh. good call. Then why the hell did he go for that decision? ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/79 "2008-11-18T01:31:00Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > The judge has ruled that the jury can be told of Megan’s suicide. This is, to my eyes, a questionable decision, since she’s being tried for the violation of the terms of service, and the fact that a suicide resulted is not legally relevant… unless her defense does something to make it relevant, like argue “no harm done/minor violation.” I think the judge is wrong. I also think the prosecutor should never have charged this as a crime. As reprehensible as Lori Drew is, I don’t think she should be criminally convicted. Sue the fuck out of her, yes. Criminal? No. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/80 "2008-11-18T01:43:14Z")
> [@Wee\_Bairn](#): > > (snip)Like if I send a phony e-mail from my boss telling my friend at work they are fired, and they immediately jump out the window, am I a criminal? If because you know that someone you hate has high blood pressure and cardiac arrythmia, you send them a package with a device to make a loud flash and bang on opening, and they have a heart attack and die, are you a criminal? What if you stood across the room, pointed a gun loaded with blanks at their head and pulled the trigger? How about you wedge their apartment door closed, set a fire in a trash can outside their door, and pull the fire alarm? If they fall and die while climbing down from a fifth floor ledge, are you liable? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482.md?page=5)