Grieving Mom Testifies in Cyber Suicide Case

The mother of Megan Meier, who hung herself after interacting online with someone she thought was a 16-year-old boy, testified Wednesday in the trial of Lori Drew, who is accused of pretending to be that teenage boy on MySpace.com. Tina Meier told jurors how the Internet relationship with "Josh Evans" affected her 13-year-old daughter.

Lori Drew is facing federal charges of violating the Computer Use and Fraud Act.

In opening statements, U.S. Attorney Thomas O'Brien told jurors that Drew created the false MySpace account for Josh Evans in order to find out if Megan was spreading rumors about her 13-year-old daughter, Sarah Drew. O'Brien said she created the false identity and "fully intended to hurt and prey on Megan's psyche."

But the defense reminded jurors that Drew was not being charged with Megan's suicide.

"This is not a homicide case," defense attorney Dean Steward said in his opening statement. He said his client was not guilty of violating the Computer Use and Fraud Act, usually used to prosecute hackers. Drew, 49, is charged one count of conspiracy and three counts of accessing computers without authorization.

Treated for Depression

During an exchange between Megan and the person she believed was John Evans, he told her that the world would be a better place without her. Jurors learned that Megan replied, "You are the kind of boy a girl would kill herself over."

When Megan told her mother of the exchange, she told her that she wasn't supposed to be online, because she was being treated for attention deficit disorder and depression.

"The last words she said to me were 'You are supposed to be my mom, you are supposed to be on my side,'" a sobbing Tina Meier told jurors. She later found Megan hanging by a belt in her closet. She died the next day.

Tina Meier was allowed to testify after the judge ruled that prosecutors could present evidence about her daughter's suicide during the trial, although Drew has not been charged with her death.

See Also:
Grieving Mom Testifies in Internet Suicide Trial

Earlier Articles:
Woman Charged in MySpace Suicide Case
Woman Pleads Not Guilty in MySpace Suicide Case

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