Fed Judge Dismisses MySpace Conviction of Missouri Mom in Teen Suicide Case

allan — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:31:32 +0000

The judge decided the conviction could not stand. Yes, what she did was profoundly stupid and inexcusable, but criminal? The Justice Department thought so. But apparently the judge did not. The law for the Internet remains unclear after all this time.

By Alexendra Zavis

Los Angles Times

LOS ANGELES – A federal judge tentatively decided today to dismiss the case against a Missouri woman who had been convicted of computer fraud stemming from an Internet hoax that prompted a teenage girl to commit suicide.

Lori Drew of Dardenne Prairie, Mo., was convicted in November of three misdemeanor counts of illegally accessing a protected computer.

The decision by U.S. District Judge George H. Wu will not become final until his written ruling is filed, probably next week. Wu said he was concerned that if Drew was found guilty of violating the terms of service in using MySpace, anyone who violated the terms could be convicted of a crime.

Drew 50, was to be sentenced in May but Wu had delayed the sentencing until today, saying he wanted to consider the defense motion to dismiss the entire case.

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Judge Delays Sentencing in MySpace Suicide Case: Says Fed Prosecutors May Have Gone Too Far

allan — Tue, 19 May 2009 04:14:35 +0000

This latest glitch only clouds the boundaries in the area of Internet law. Should we look at this as a setback for prosecutors or an opportunity for a judge to provide clarity for prosecutors in the future?

By Victoria Kim
Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES — When federal prosecutors in Los Angeles indicted a Missouri mother last year for committing an Internet hoax that apparently led to the suicide of a 13-year-old girl, they touted the novel legal approach that allowed them to file the case halfway across the country. On Monday, a U.S. district judge indicated they may have gone too far.

“Using this particular statute in this particular situation is so weird,” Judge George H. Wu said, calling some of the prosecution’s argument “troublesome.”

Wu’s comments came Monday afternoon at a hearing where Lori Drew, 50, was to have been sentenced. Wu delayed the sentencing until July, saying he wanted to consider a defense motion to dismiss the entire case.

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Fed Judge Dismisses MySpace Conviction of Missouri Mom in Teen Suicide Case

Judge Delays Sentencing in MySpace Suicide Case: Says Fed Prosecutors May Have Gone Too Far