# 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:** 8\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/101 "2008-11-18T18:35:04Z")
> [@ajb867](#): > > Only one person has pointed out so far about the monetary cost of her defense. The charges are a stretch and if convicted will bring up issues that have already been pointed out. This woman **deserves** to go broke and live in a life of poverty. Not doing anything because “well there is no previous law to charge her with” is unacceptable. I think it’s completely acceptable not to bring charges against a person who does something bad that’s not exactly a crime. Even if it’s really, really bad. ---
**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, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/102 "2008-11-18T18:50:34Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > What about the rule that: > > [http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=il&vol=1960697&invol=2](http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/scripts/getcase.pl?court=il&vol=1960697&invol=2) > > _and see_, _Old Chief v. United States_, 519 U.S. 172 (1997): > > I don’t disagree that the decision is questionable, but in this case I can’t see why the defendant would need to dispute emotional distress in order to make it relevant. Yes, the prosecution is absolutely free to prove “every element of the charged offense and every relevant fact.” What are the elements of 18 USC § 1030(a)(2)(C)? [ul] [li]intentionally accessing a computer[/li][li]without or exceeding authorization[/li][li]and obtaining information[/li][li]from a protected computer[/li][li]in interstate commerce[/li][li]in furtherance of a crime or tortious act[/li][/ul] The tort in question is intentional infliction of emotional distress. This part isn’t exactly my area, but what I remember of torts class long ago is: [ul] [li]Iintentional or reckless action, which is[/li][li]Objectively extreme and outrageous, and which[/li][li]is intended to cause severe emotional distress.[/li][/ul] How is her suicide relevant to any of that? And even assuming that it has some slight evidentiary value, how is it that value not vastly outweighed by the inflammatory effect of the fact? ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/103 "2008-11-18T19:01:32Z")
Tort liability hinges on damages and proxation (cause in fact/proximate cause). Hence the \*elements \*of the tort are: > [@](#): > > (1) defendant’s outrageous conduct, > (2) an intention to cause or reckless disregard of the probability of causing emotional distress, > (3) severe emotional suffering, and > (4) actual and proximate causation of the emotional distress. [http://www.quojure.com/samples/archives/emotionaldistress.htm](http://www.quojure.com/samples/archives/emotionaldistress.htm) [News Articles - FindArticles](http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa4023/is_200607/ai_n16731445/pg_23) I think this begs the question though–the crime requires that the access be “in furtherance of a crime or tortious act.” Is that the same thing as acting in a fashion that would result in liability for a tort? If so, then the prosecution has a decent argument. If it’s not, the term could be construed more broadly to include intentional acts that would be torts if they caused harm (just as the criminal acts described most likely include inchoate offenses). Maybe they addressed that in their papers, I don’t remember. This, of course, puts defense counsel in the awkward position of arguing that the criminal statute is actually broader than the prosecution suggests–just to keep evidence out. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2008, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/104 "2008-11-18T19:08:42Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > And even assuming that it has some slight evidentiary value, how is it that value not vastly outweighed by the inflammatory effect of the fact? Oh, I agree with you there. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/105 "2008-11-26T21:40:46Z")
Guilty on misdemeanor charges; mistrial on conspiracy charge: [Guilty verdicts in case of MySpace user's suicide - CNN.com](http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/11/26/internet.suicide/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/106 "2008-11-26T23:33:04Z")
> [@Gfactor](#): > > Guilty on misdemeanor charges; mistrial on conspiracy charge: [Guilty verdicts in case of MySpace user's suicide - CNN.com](http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/11/26/internet.suicide/index.html) What a creepy looking woman. That photo where she’s STARING right at the camera – ugh, chills. And her daughter Sarah’s a [fat fucking cow](http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20081126/capt.8788cbc10acf4b409d7281e4de3518eb.internet_suicide_la101.jpg?x=400&y=272&q=85&sig=vaF1xS4P68P9TVf2tx2LxQ--), too. No wonder they both had to lie on the Internet – no man will ever fuck that homely, lipid-ridden demon spawn child. She makes Kelly Osbourne look like Madonna. At least Ms. Drew was found guilty of _something_…it’s small comfort, but at least it’s something. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2008, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/107 "2008-11-26T23:38:30Z")
I don’t care so much about any charges being filed. This incident is going to follow Mrs. Drew around forever and that’s enough for me. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2008, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482/108 "2008-11-27T00:34:08Z")
> [@Cisco](#): > > 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. Yeah, but letting evil scumbags get off with things practically scot-free, yeah, that does a LOT for respect for the legal system. Right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lori-drew-indicted-on-federal-charges-in-megan-meier-cyberbullying-suicide/449482.md?page=5)