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MySpace Suicide Mother Pleads Not Guilty »

Posted by: Dakota 2 months, 2 weeks ago

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Lori Drew, 49, pleaded not guilty in federal court today to charges in a MySpace hoax allegedly linked to a 13-year-old girl's suicide.

Read Full Story at latimes.com

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Comments So Far: 42

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tkyrchncs2 months, 2 weeks ago

What a tragedy for everyone. However I cannot believe that prosecuting this woman under statutes intended to protect private, confidential information is in the interest of internet users or the nation as a whole. I also believe it to be a fruitless endeavor to blame anyone's suicide on others, especially a young teen. As well to blame the girl's parents, who failed to provide her with enough self-confidence to withstand a very cruel joke, and who allowed her unsupervised access to a form of communication she clearly was not ready for.
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  PsychoHosebeast2 months, 2 weeks ago
  
  So, when someone says "you should kill yourself," and the person does, you figure there's no one to blame but the victim? I wonder if you'd feel the same if it happened to your kid.
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  tkyrchncs2 months, 2 weeks ago
  
  I would expect any child in my family to laugh in the face of anyone who made such a suggestion, and then perhaps suggest that the person should do himself in, if he has such trouble with him (the child).
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    tkyrchncs2 months, 2 weeks ago
    
    I would expect any child in my family to laugh in the face of anyone who made such a suggestion, and then perhaps suggest that the person should do himself in, if he has such trouble with him (the child). We're old pioneer stock, and not so fragile.
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      tkyrchncs2 months, 2 weeks ago
      
      Apologies for the double post.
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      obiefrommuskogee2 months, 2 weeks ago
      
      I can't believe you are chest beating over the death of a little girl. Pathetic!
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        tkyrchncs2 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        You misconstrue. I was asked about my family, and gave an honest answer. Some children are fragile, and some adults are stupid, so given that, where were this child's PARENTS? This IS a tragedy for them all. I'm sure this woman did not intend for a little girl to die as a result of her actions, and I think she is being prosecuted under an inappropriate law to the occurrence, just because of people's outrage.
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    tkyrchncs2 months, 2 weeks ago
    
    The two actions are not similar. Speech is just that: noise and air. It is not "causal" in any real sense of others' behavior. The behavior is governed by reaction to speech, perhaps, but not by speech. Suicide is a drastic and final act. No do-overs, no apologies, no regrets. Killing a flea with a bazooka, in most cases.
    I suppose, though, that this might be expected when the careless and cruel are mixed with the foolish and fragile.
    
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      jordan112 months, 2 weeks ago
      
      suppose, though, that this might be expected when the careless and cruel are mixed with the foolish and fragile.>>>>
      Children are fragile, some more than others, and none escape it. That's why when an 'adult' prey's on that fragility, the burden of blame is theirs, and not the child's for being what children are.
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        tkyrchncs2 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        Children are actually pretty sturdy, otherwise there wouldn't be many adults. I am in complete agreement that this woman's behavior was stupid and cruel, but NOT that her stupidity and cruelty CAUSED this child's death. She died by her own hand.
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        jordan112 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        Having worked with children who were preyed on by adults for both mental and physical abuse, I'm going to have to tell you that you don't know what you're talking about. Hopefully, the court will have a better grasp on this than you do.
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        koranagirl2 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        The better question is, if this woman is found liable for being cruel to a child, does that open up the door for parents and teachers to be prosecuted because they try to "toughen up children" by giving them bad grades, telling them they are lazy, unmotivated, undisciplined, etc.
        Where is the line drawn?
        While I'm sure no one likes this woman, what happens when the child truly is unlikeable and cruel? What if the child is an abuser of other children or animals? Will truth be a defense to these crimes of being cruel to children?
        It seems to me that the child cruelty and child endangerment statutes are more suitable than the computer hacker statutes.
        Judges should be deciding whether or not an alleged criminal was cruel or endangered a child, not whether an adult hacked another computer to deliver cruel messages.
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        jordan112 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        The better question is, if this woman is found liable for being cruel to a child, does that open up the door for parents and teachers to be prosecuted because they try to "toughen up children" by giving them bad grades, telling them they are lazy, unmotivated, undisciplined, etc.>>>
        That isn't a "better question." It's a disingenuous one.
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        tkyrchncs2 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        Jordan, we are not talking about an infant here. 13 isn't adult of course, but more than half way there. Old enough to marry in many places, old enough to satisfy quorum in Synagogue, old enough to know right from wrong, and to understand what death is. Old enough to understand that emotional hurts are not fatal unless SHE chooses to make them so. Old enough to know where the "off" switch is on a computer and a phone. Plenty old enough to tell her peers to get f@@@ed instead of f@@@ing herself over. You cannot blame HER choices on anyone else, Jordan. Or if you can blame this woman for this fragile child's death, as I have said before, are her parents not equally guilty for her being this way, and for her being in threatening circumstances in THEIR home when she is this way?
        And still none of this explains allowing outraged prosecutors to use inappropriate statutes to charge this woman.
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        jordan112 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        tkyrchncs: It's useless to to try and dissuade me. 13 year old girls are vulnerable to being ostracized or bullied. That you can't understand that doesn't make it any less true.
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        jordan112 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        And still none of this explains allowing outraged prosecutors to use inappropriate statutes to charge this woman.>>>
        If the statutes are 'inappropriate', she'll get off. But the good news is, what she's done will be out there for her community, friends, and family to see. Her punishment will be to be ostracized. Ironic, don't you think? Meanwhile, I'll place my concern with her victim. It's well past time that we address the power of words, & it's well past time that people who hide behind the second amendment to act like jerks accept consequences for their actions.
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        tkyrchncs2 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        Words have only the power YOU GIVE THEM, jordan. Nothing I say can make whit of difference to you if you don't let it. And THAT is the truth, PHFLLLT
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        Monkey_Scout2 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        If 13 year olds are so strong against words, the rate of bulimia and anorexia wouldn't be so high. You give 13 year olds WAY to much credit. 13 year olds are still very sensitive to bulling and tormenting. Most kids can't handle it.
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        tkyrchncs2 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        My 14 yr old niece frailed the tar out of a 16 yr old football player in front of two faculty members at school, breaking his nose, for touching her inappropriately. When told by the principal with her parents that she would be suspended for 3 days for fighting, she said "Do your worst, I'm not sorry and in the same circumstances I'll do the same thing all over again." She weighs 110 and stands 5'5".
        Children differ, but ALL can be taught that words are actually harmless, except for false witness.
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    foksipayne2 months, 2 weeks ago
    
    I agree that the charges will probably not hold, but this woman was of an age that she should have known better not to tease a child. Show that this woman is obviously not mature enough to instill good morals on he own young.
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Justice4All2 months, 2 weeks ago

This woman was very sick. For an adult to play such a sick joke on an already troubled teen goes beyond childish behavior. I'm not sure what she should be charged with. There's probably no law against being stupid and hateful.
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  PsychoHosebeast2 months, 2 weeks ago
  
  I'd suggest sterilization, because no kid deserves her for a mother.
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    Justice4All2 months, 2 weeks ago
    
    She's 49. Not likely to have more children. But I wouldn't want her for a neighbor either.
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      tkyrchncs2 months, 2 weeks ago
      
      She already has a daughter, I believe.
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        foksipayne2 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        Yes,the article said that her daughter was a friend of the girl.
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        obiefrommuskogee2 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        Unfortunately, there are no laws against cruelty.
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        StillUnashamed2 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        On the contrary! There are laws against adults being cruel to children. That's called child abuse.
        I agree that the law being used to prosecute this lady is flimsy and probably will not hold up. She should be charged with child abuse or child endangerment. Had she verbally abused the girl face-to-face with the same results, would she be off the hook because of free speech? I think not.
        If the charges are true (which she has denied) surely there is some way she can be held responsible.
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        jordan112 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        Perhaps a civil case will shut her up.
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        koranagirl2 months, 2 weeks ago
        
        Free speech does not include threatening someone.
        With adults you have to threaten immediate harm to person or property coupled with the apparent capability (ie, assault).
        With children, assault can be per se.
        I don't think saying "the world would be better off without you" constitutes assault.
        Child endangerment is better because you can look at the totality of the circumstances.
        But I'm still very concerned that if we prosecute people for merely saying stuff and then a teen commits suicide, is that going too far? Will prosecutors have to look at what every adult said and did after a teen suicide to figure out if anyone could be prosecuted to aide and abet the suicide?
        Probably more questions than answers.
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  koranagirl2 months, 2 weeks ago
  
  I would think child endangerment or cruelty would be more appropriate.
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fotoman11334062 months, 2 weeks ago

Guys,
This "lady"(I use that term with a GREAT deal of dread and caution) can't be serious...
Or, is she just plain STUPID?!

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TweekerchickQC2 months, 2 weeks ago

Im a big fan of personal responsibility. And although she cant be held responsible for what someone else does, she's 49 flipping years old.
Seriously. A 49 year old woman picking on a 13 year old girl? 13 year old girls are just shy of insane as it is. She ought to be ashamed of herself.
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  jordan112 months, 2 weeks ago
  
  13 year old girls are just shy of insane as it is.>>>>
  An interesting way to put it, but not far from the truth. 13 year olds are dramatic, vulnerable, & very impressionable.
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    ciera-marie2 months, 2 weeks ago
    
    Well said Jordan. You're right, it's 13 yr olds period.
    
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mackiemesser2 months, 2 weeks ago

She denied creating the phony account and sending messages to the girl. Have her say this in court under oath then nail her for perjury then throw the book at her. She's a despicable, perverted person.
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  Monkey_Scout2 months, 2 weeks ago
  
  Well she didn't, a 19 year old did and the 49 year old just logged on to mess with the 13 year old too. The 49 year old simply got to protective of her daughter because she heard that the 13 year old was spreading rumors. Jesus, when rumors were spread about me, I didn't cry. I went straight to the source and bitched them out. But really, a 19 and 49 year old know EXACTLY which buttons to push to make a 13 year old that upset. They knew she was depressed and they knew she would take their BS seriously. They knew something bad would happen, but they kept messing with the 13 year old.
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Mutainia2 months, 2 weeks ago

Teenagers aren't stable. Your typical 13 year old is a borderline psychotic (a miracle that there aren't more school shootings at age 13, if you ask me) and, for this adult to fool with an unstable mind is definitely child abuse. At 49, you'd think she'd KNOW this sort of thing. I guess the power of hiding behind a mask she thought impenatrable, was too alluring. May God keep us from falling into such a power-play of destruction ourselves.
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jumpmaster2 months, 2 weeks ago

They should also punish the 13 year old's parents for being so disconnected from their daughter as to allow this to get this far along.
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nightschase2 months, 2 weeks ago

If anything, this would easily be considered manslaughter, since there is case precedence that says suggesting murder to the murderer before the crime is committed is considered to being an accomplice to the crime.
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Lotz2222 months, 2 weeks ago

I doubt she will be found guilty of any of those charges but if the family sues her she will definitely lose
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Idamilli2 months, 2 weeks ago

That was a horribly cruel thing for a grown woman to do a child; however, I believe the child must have had a serious problem to begin with - meaning she took her life over an internet insult/suggestion? I'm not absolving the grownup of her vicious suggestion, but most people, even very young people, certainly would not kill themselves over an internet incident. Personally, I think BOTH parties must have had significant mental problems, and my heart goes out to the young girl's family and loved ones, but this still does not make the "prankster", however wrong, a murderer.
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koranagirl2 months, 2 weeks ago

I have to agree. If someone is insulted before they commit (or attempt to commit) suicide, does this create any legal liabilities, either civil or criminal?
Is this what we want?
What if you are insulted and you want to sue the offender, so you "attempt" to commit suicide and then sue the person later, saying they either suggested you kill yourself or they insulted you to the point of despondence and so you attempted suicide?
What if the girl survived her suicide attempt? Would that change the minds of any of you?
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