What is Digg?274 Comments
- Burrito, on 05/16/2008, -23/+121Good. Whether or not she sent the emails, she created the account and was aware of what was going on. She is supposed to be the adult and teach her own child right from wrong. The only lesson left for her child is "don't be like Mommy."
- bossm4n, on 05/16/2008, -10/+57This is not simply about creating a fake profile, but intentionally inflicting harm to someone as a result of that action.
- wild, on 05/16/2008, -9/+51Its a con. And cons are illegal, especially considering harmful intent.
Whether they are online or in real life, its a crime. They ***** up this little girl emotionally, and knowingly. An adult, with a child the same age, did this on purpose. I think the punishment fits. - buffyangel108, on 05/16/2008, -3/+44Myspace: A Place For Fiends
- MarkOfTheDead, on 05/16/2008, -4/+44So here's another question.
If that grown woman was posing as a 16 year old boy and was mentioning to Megan Meier to "touch the snake of evans", the 16 year old boy she was posing as, Wouldn't that qualify her for a Chris hanson-esque sting charge of sexual misconduct involving a minor?
I'm surprised they didn't go for that angle, as Something like that could have the woman locked up for the rest of her life being bullied not unlike what she put this poor child through. - SaladCactusKing, on 05/16/2008, -34/+71This could potentially create a chilling effect that essentially would turn making a fake profile a crime. That's a really bad idea just because of one awful woman. Do we really want the government getting involved with the internet MORE?
- sb66, on 05/16/2008, -25/+49Awesome. Stupid bitch contributed to that kids death....time to pay the price.
- inactive, on 05/16/2008, -7/+29ANOTHER historic decision today. Geez.
- Ph0biA, on 05/16/2008, -6/+27It seems like a hard case. On one hand you want to just kill this woman for being so naive and taking over someones weakness and hurting her and eventually leading to her death; but on the other hand, if shes charged, you open the door to an end to internet privacy as well as freedom of speech. I wish the law wouldn't work that way just once so this woman could go to jail; but it's a tough case.
- doctorfungi, on 05/16/2008, -15/+34Justice delivers a swift kick to the throat.
Let's hope this comes as a well-deserved moment of happiness for the parents of the poor girl. - inactive, on 05/16/2008, -4/+22From all accounts, it's not like this woman randomly did what she did, as a lark, to a random stranger. Instead these are multiple acts over time...and she had a specific target for her intentions...she specifically preyed on a vulnerable person who she knew how to hurt.
This woman, this mother, specifically set out to hurt a child, and in that plan made a specific suggestion....kill yourself. If that isn't reprehensible and worthy of punishment, what is? Smoking doobies? What is worthy of punishment to you?
Think about it, privacy issues aside...since there is nothing private about death, what do you want to happen to those who willfully, cruelly, and with effect harm your children...from near or afar? And in not some vague way, but in this specific way...repeated deception, repeated lies, lies with malice.
Would better parenting have helped, of course...but that's for you to confront with your children...since there are numerous people who think harming you is sport. Turn the tables on those bastards, let the system grind them down. - DaDrake, on 05/16/2008, -9/+27"This is not simply about creating a fake profile, but intentionally inflicting harm to someone as a result of that action."
No that is the reason behind the charges... but has NOTHING to do with the legal argument. The mother is being charged for 1) creating a profile under a false name (which circuit courts have already rules is legal without a signature or SSN) and 2) using a picture without permission (despite the picture already being in public domain... again another issue). Furthermore, you have the issue of charging the person based on where the server was and not where the crime originated... which several circuit courts (4th and 7th) have ruled isn't allowed (just think about it... you could charge someone in EVERY SINGLE jurisdiction with the internet).
There is no legal way the DA can win this case. Any verdict would be based on emotional arguments and quickly thrown out during the appeals process. It is all about making a public display to force legislators to update child-protection laws and possibly for reelection purposes. The fact is, what so many people are disgusted about wasn't illegal. - wizzroom, on 05/16/2008, -2/+18Myspace: A Place Where the Worst in Human Nature Comes Out
- IphtashuFitz, on 05/16/2008, -8/+23Parents are legally responsible for the actions of their minor children, whether they're willing to take personal responsibility or not. Not only did this woman allegedly know what her daughter was doing to bully the other girl but she aided in that bullying. Since she's legally responsible she's the one the law is going after. Easy enough.
- swhite26, on 05/16/2008, -10/+24The girl killed herself due to extreme peer pressures and bullying. Sure she might of had some emotional issues, but this death was brought on by dumb ass teenage girls mistreating others. Text messaging is next in line for this same scenario. It about time in America that the parents are held responsible for their delinquent children. Such a loss for the parent who lost her daughter. Remember, it is easier to mend boys than to mend men. Train the kids moral ethics when they are young. Wake up Digger's show some respect.
- oldhick, on 05/16/2008, -3/+16I'm all for a strawman in a nice discussion if its relevant, but that one isn't. They intentionally created a fals profile for the sole purpose of terrorizing a child. Once she fell in love they had the love of her life tell her the world would be a better place without her. The obvious goal of that statement is to encourage suicide. Look, I hate big government, I hate most of the laws we have today. But this bitch has it coming. Its a tough call for me. Old fashion justice would make me much happier.
- kingmanic, on 05/16/2008, -0/+12I think the part why everyone is so against this woman is she was very callous about it afterwards. Denying any responsibility and even leveling harassment charges at the dead girls parents. Apparently she thought it was a good thing her actions lead to the girls death. The world hates smug *****, the world hates child killers (even indirect child killers). Combine the two and you have the perfect storm for bad PR.
There are many angles on this that might be used which wouldn't dissolve our rights to privacy and there are mechanisms for the courts to declare it does not apply to some situations. Thus even if she is found guilty and the appeals fail all the way to the supreme court it can be a very narrow scope (only applies to cyber stalking leading to the death of a minor for instance.) - inactive, on 05/16/2008, -5/+16There had better be jail time involved when this is over.
- oldhick, on 05/16/2008, -12/+23Lets hope they can convict her on something. Most of the commentary from lawyers that I've read seems to indicate this law they're using doesn't really fit the crime. I hope they can find a way to make it stick and I hope our law makers can draft some legislation if not to protect folks in the future from this sort of despicable behavior.
- moxley, on 05/16/2008, -6/+16I totally agree.
The case should not even proceed - it is a travesty and anybody involved with bringing it should be disbarred.
With all of that said, I understand why people want to see this woman pay - what she did was inmature and cruel - but she is not responsible for the death of that girl.
If you are mean to someone and they then go commit suicide or kill themself, you are not to blame criminally, or even otherwise really. Suicide is a decision made by a suicidal individual, not an act that follows an online (or real world) bullying session. - chiefbandit2200, on 05/16/2008, -2/+12Yeah, but "being mean on myspace" isn't exactly against the law, so these charges are still crap...
- inactive, on 05/16/2008, -2/+11Stupid people should not be allowed on the internet.
- inactive, on 05/16/2008, -1/+10Wasn't this depraved indifference to human life?
- diggstown, on 05/16/2008, -4/+13Exactly what crime did her daughter commit? Last I checked, "bullying" isn't a crime.
- PopcornDave, on 05/16/2008, -0/+9And with such a caring attitude what makes you think that the little emo darling wouldn't just off your sorry ass before theirs?
- HenvY, on 05/16/2008, -12/+20What we want is the government intervening when a psycho ***** contribute to the death of a vulnerable 13 year old girl, and that happened. Good. :)
- TheMachine1, on 05/16/2008, -1/+9I think all the technology/Internet aspect of this is irrelevant. It could have been done
150 years ago in a mail order bride scam all with snailmail. - Zoshchenko, on 05/16/2008, -0/+7I've seen Megan Meier's mother interviewed several times now. She is powerful and determined to avenge her daughter's torment. Good for her! If I was that sorry excuse for a human being Lori Drew, I'd hope I got 20 years for what I did. Because it's obvious Tina Meier is never going to back down and will do everything she can to make sure Drew doesn't spend one day at peace the rest of her life. She should actually FEAR for her life, because Meier is now cold and hard. I know I would be if it had happened to my family. I hope she literally nails Drew to the wall.
- unfilterthought, on 05/16/2008, -2/+9Going out of your way to intentionally hurt someone's feelings and suggest that they kill themselves is harrassment isn't it? Humiliation, bullying, psychological tactics. If someone you met told you to kill yourself...Do you feel the law should protect you against such people? There is a line between personal arguments and issues and a criminal issue and one that concerns the community and the greater good at large. This issue crossed that line a long time ago.
- kingmanic, on 05/16/2008, -2/+9The lady show no remorse, no regret, no sorrow, and carried on with a smug sense of achievement for killing megan. I think a long jail term wouldn't be too unjust. Megan had depression, a condition the women knew. Megan was emotionally and psychologically fragile. the woman knew this and seem to be satisfied with the resolution. She never even issued an apology. Thus a little jail time would be appropriate. A lot of jail time wouldn't be too unjust.
- kirralin23, on 05/16/2008, -1/+8I don't think this woman was naive at all. I think she got exactly what she set out to get, this girls death.
- WriterSD, on 05/16/2008, -21/+28It's about time. Long overdue.
- smotpoker1, on 05/16/2008, -0/+7They need to drop the trumped up charges and charge her as contributing to cause death of a minor 2nd degree manslaughter and give that witch at least 10 years and fines up to 100,000 dollars.She needs to be punished or let the mob justice get her.As far as not using her true name on the net, duh! We all do that so you can't just make a law nobody will obey.
- gn0stik, on 05/16/2008, -6/+13First of all, emos are posers compared to this girl.
She DID have real emotional issues, as well as a learning disablity, and they had been in therapy for years.
Second the mother in said case, knew in advance about her issues and still chose to ***** with her head.
Third, they are not being charged with trolling. If you read the article, they are being charged with a crime. A real crime which they committed.. Oh, by the way, they also broke myspace TOC.
What's *****, is this girl saying that she was just trying to make her mad so that she would leave "Josh" alone. You don't tell emotionally unstable people to basically kill themselves, in order to make them mad. She coulda just removed her as a friend, marked as private, and then deleted after a few days.
In my state, they would be going down for murder or manslaughter.. Using psychology as a weapon, can be just as effective as a knife. - jetblackz4, on 05/16/2008, -2/+9I think this is a case of the straw that broke the camels back.
It is sad that she can not one day look back and realize how stupid this whole situation was. - yohnstoppable, on 05/16/2008, -1/+7I can agree that she deserves what is coming to her. However, this sets a dangerous precedence for "cyber bullying". What if I flamed some idiot on digg every time I came across him, then he killed himself? Would I be liable?
Reactionary stuff like this without precedence is scary to me. Look at what happened with workplace sexual harassment. It started out just, with true douchebags getting what they deserved for harassing female workers. Then it became million dollar lawsuits and lives ruined over telling someone they look "nice". I hope the same type of crap doesn't happen with cyber bullying, but I'm not holding my breath - inactive, on 05/16/2008, -11/+17Magnificent.
This woman should bear the full brunt of everyone's outrage about this crime. I hope she spends years in prison, and that when she gets out she has to change her name and get cosmetic surgery just to avoid the crowds of people and the beatings they want to give her. - totorototoro, on 05/16/2008, -0/+6Am worried about the broad precedent this might set..but damn that is one ***** up, evil woman. Seriously.
- RealmDown, on 05/16/2008, -7/+13suzywang3000 is a common tramp of a troll. Do not feed her; she bites, and is rabid.
- chiefbandit2200, on 05/16/2008, -2/+7I have to agree with you too. The woman is a bitch and making a fake myspace just to ***** with somebody is morally wrong, but i don't think it is criminal.
- IphtashuFitz, on 05/16/2008, -2/+7I beg to differ. Parents are legally responsible for the actions of their children. This woman allegedly not only allowed but helped her daughter do all this. She could have told her daughter not to bully the other girl, and if her daughter did continue to do so then she should have punished her daughter, met with the other girl to try to work things out, etc. But she did the exact opposite and allegedly condoned and even assisted in the bullying. She's just as much to blame for the other girls death as her daughter.
- kingmanic, on 05/16/2008, -0/+5'using a picture without permission (despite the picture already being in public domain... again another issue)'
Pictures you find on the internet are not necessarily in the public domain unless the creator has stated they are or is not trumped by some sort of Eula or agreement which says so. This one tidbit cast a shadow of doubt on your legal expertise.
The copyright of any particular picture remains with the creator unless trumped by some other contract, agreement, license or an explicit consignment of it to the public domain. - robotderek42, on 05/16/2008, -9/+14Get…off…Myspace…
Cyber-bully problem solved. NEXT! - inactive, on 05/16/2008, -0/+5The lead in is inaccurate-it was a federal grand jury that indicted her
- JoeVet, on 05/16/2008, -0/+5Personally I'd like to see a civil case against the neighbor for intentional infliction of emotional harm leading to a death. The jury award would be astronomical. Let her be vilified and dirt poor for the rest of her life.
- thebigbradwolf, on 05/16/2008, -1/+6No, not for life, but the malicious woman KNEW Megan was suicidal and had even administered antidepressants to her. So, manslaughter or negligent homicide may be a more fitting charge...It just seems like willful disregard for human life.
- dddavid, on 05/16/2008, -5/+9yes, but she was a very young and naive girl who was purposefully targeted for tormenting BY A GROWN WOMAN, if this had been a prank by a juvenile it would have been tragic, but a prank by an adult on a child that results in their death is criminal.
- chiefbandit2200, on 05/16/2008, -0/+4And if this case drives her daughter to suicide, should the people who are bringing the charges up be tried for murder?
- chiefbandit2200, on 05/16/2008, -2/+6If they shoot themselves it is.
- FredFredrickson, on 05/16/2008, -1/+5I hope they throw the book at this woman. The way in which he treated the victim and her family, before and after the suicide, was absolutely reprehensible.
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