Probation Recommended for Mom in MySpace Cyberbullying Case
A sentence of one year of probation and a $5,000 fine are the penalties recommended in a presentence investigation report for the defendant in a landmark federal cyberbullying case, reports Wired magazine.
Acquitted last year of the most serious charges against her, Lori Drew was convicted in November of three misdemeanor counts of violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. She was found to have violated the terms of service of the MySpace social networking site in order to gather information about a teenage neighbor, Megan Meier.
The Missouri mom was publicly castigated after Meier committed suicide at age 13, allegedly prompted in part by a fake MySpace profile of a fictitious boy that Drew was accused of having a role in creating.
Attorney H. Dean Steward, who represents Drew, does not contest the probation recommendation. However, the suggested fine “is not in line with Ms. Drew’s finances,” he says in a responding filing (PDF) provided by Wired.
Additional coverage:
Associated Press: “Lawyer: Probation recommended in MySpace hoax case “
ABAJournal.com: “Jurors Clear Lori Drew of Felonies in Landmark Cyberbullying Trial”
ABAJournal.com: “Legal Theory Used in MySpace Suicide Criminalizes Website Lies”
