Woman Instigator In MySpace Suicide Indicted

Seil · 05-16-2008, 03:10 PM

Link

So how do we defend against things like this now? What laws are going to be put into place?

Quote:

"We are in uncharted waters here," University of Southern California law professor and former federal prosecutor Rebecca Lonergan told Reuters. "This case is unprecedented and it's also a very aggressive charging decision."

I mean, now that this is known about, we should have a system in place for this sorta thing... but it reminds me of RaiRO - you need certain things (chatlog/screenshot) in order to report someone. (>>)

shiney · 05-16-2008, 03:15 PM

Yeah they have that kind of, as far as I understand, in the form of IP evidence, eyewitness accounts, character witnesses, etc etc. I don't think they would be able to successfully indict someone in front of a grand jury (if that is what happened here) without considerable evidence to promote a reasonable proof of guilt.

How to defend against things like this? I guess don't provoke [clinically depressed] people because of some perceived slight against your offspring. Don't be a jackass, I don't know. If you were minding yoru own business and weren't purposefully leading someone on to have it end in a snare trap there's really nothing to worry about. A better question is, how do we prove malicious intent?

Edit: upon re-reading the article, she was indicted for a charge commonly used for hacking? I have no idea how they will make this stick really. As far as the comments on that site regarding how it's the girl's fault and people hold no responsibility for the actions (committing suicide) of others, that's completely bogus. Youths are extremely impressionable and to bring someone so close and gain their innermost confidence in a situation where they have few if any people to turn to, and then brutally and suddenly cut it off without prior notice, certainly holds a great deal of responsibility in the outcome.

Fifthfiend · 05-16-2008, 04:05 PM

I disapprove of this lady and am glad to hear that she will be called to account before the law.

Mr.Bookworm · 05-16-2008, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fifthfiend

I disapprove of this lady and am glad to hear that she will be called to account before the law.

I am in full agreement with this statement, but however, as shiney said, I wish they had actually chosen a charge that made sense. Probably something involving the word "malicious". I mean, hacking charges? What the hell, court system?

I also kinda wish that people would stop being mean jackasses, but that's not likely to happen.

Quote:

So how do we defend against things like this now? What laws are going to be put into place?

Well, I don't think this really pertains to the Internet so much as it relates to a woman being deliberately cruel to a girl she personally knew, and who clearly had emotional/mental issues, with the consequence of the girl committing suicide.

That's just my two cents, though.

TDK · 05-16-2008, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Article

Drew, who faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if she is convicted on all of the charges, was expected to surrender to authorities in Missouri.

Does anyone else think she should be put away for longer? It doesn't seem like enough. Driving someone to suicide is, in my opinion, a form of murder. Granted she may not have meant to specifically make her kill herself (Although she was quoted as saying, in the guise of the boy, "The world would be better off without you,"), but that's still, like, manslaughter or something.

Lady Cygnet · 05-17-2008, 02:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDK

Does anyone else think she should be put away for longer? It doesn't seem like enough. Driving someone to suicide is, in my opinion, a form of murder. Granted she may not have meant to specifically make her kill herself (Although she was quoted as saying, in the guise of the boy, "The world would be better off without you,"), but that's still, like, manslaughter or something.

I'll be glad if they can get her put away for any period of time at all. Twenty years would be lovely, and it would be more than most people typically receive for a manslaughter charge anyway, if memory serves.

Were it my daughter that was dead, there would not be a trial--Ms. Drew would get the Titus Andronicus treatment from me.

Cruel? Maybe...but not any crueler than what she did to drive that girl to suicide.

Justice Team · 05-24-2008, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seil

Link

So how do we defend against things like this now? What laws are going to be put into place?

I mean, now that this is known about, we should have a system in place for this sorta thing... but it reminds me of RaiRO - you need certain things (chatlog/screenshot) in order to report someone. (>>)

Well if the parents had taken a more direct watch on the kid's internet activities, this kind of BS could have been avoided, and who lets a 13 year old girl get love letters from someone saying they're 16??
The link didn't even say how the woman was affected to learn she'd caused a suicide, I bet the bitch didn't even fucking CARE that she'd ruined several lives and basically commited at least second degree murder!
This is a case also where MySpace is to blame, they're a popular and powerful internet site, they could EASILY have traced that woman's IP address and learned that nobody even coming close to that description lives there and banned her, but they didn't.
*sighs* I don't get what's wrong with people like that, don't they ever think that they might cause something to horrible by using words like "the world would be better off without you"?!?! ESPECIALLY if they'd done a really good job wooing their target, which seems to be the case.

See, this is why, if I ever have kids, I'm gonna keep a close eye on their internet use. (a VGA splitter so I'm watching on a second monitor would help so they don't feel their privacy is being violated even if it is)

To anybody checking this topic who is a parent and concerned about stuff like this, DO SOMETHING YOU IDIOT, IT'S YOUR KIDS, IT'S THE FUCKING INTERNET, IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO THEM IT IS BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T KEEP A CLOSE ENOUGH EYE ON THEM AND WEREN'T STRICT ENOUGH WITH THEIR ALLOTED USE OF IT! DO SOMETHING BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!

That's the solution I feel would be best to defend against assholes like that. Screw making new laws, make new household laws regarding the internet with your kids.

Funka Genocide · 06-05-2008, 03:03 PM

This is a terrible crime in the human sense, but I'm not sure about the legalities involved.

Morally, this is one of the worst instances of inhuman behavior I have ever heard of.

Legally, I think the only reason this case might have legs at all is because the victim was a minor.

It should stand to reason that the cause of death was suicide, by definiton self inflicted death. Convincing someone to kill themselves is not the same as killing them, and I believe it's important to maintain those boundaries.

I'm torn personally, but I feel it would be best to not treat this as a crime of murder or even manslaughter. I think that's stretching the boundaries too much.

Maybe this is a slippery slope fallacy, but with a ruling of manslaughter in this case who's to say a man couldn't be charged for the suicide death of his ex-girlfriend which directly resulted from their break up?

I may be incorrect in assuming they are considering prosecuting for manslaughter however.

Odjn · 06-05-2008, 04:46 PM

I'd prosecute on child abuse but I'm hardly a lawyer.

MicahIronheart · 06-05-2008, 05:47 PM

Conspiracy to commit manslaughter. imo that should be what everyone involved in creating "Josh" should be charged.

They may not have killed her directly, but playing with a teenage girl's emotions is about as forced as one can get indirectly.

Quote:

This is a case also where MySpace is to blame, they're a popular and powerful internet site, they could EASILY have traced that woman's IP address and learned that nobody even coming close to that description lives there and banned her, but they didn't.

Considering how many people signup for myspace everyday, and the complete inability for Myspace to legally found out the ages of people residing at the address the IP is bound to, I don't see how they could have possibly been to blame.

It's a medium of communication.

I agree that parents need to get more involved, but you can't control every little thing your child does if they ever are to grow and evolve their own social interactions.

We can point the fingers at the parents, myspace, etc...

Only one real person can be blamed. The next door neighbor's mom that led the poor girl on an emotional spiral.

The ones who helped her create "Josh" are culpable as accomplices.

05-16-2008, 03:15 PM	#2
shiney Derrrrrrrrrrrrrp. Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: The land of fartz and buttz Posts: 8,266	Yeah they have that kind of, as far as I understand, in the form of IP evidence, eyewitness accounts, character witnesses, etc etc. I don't think they would be able to successfully indict someone in front of a grand jury (if that is what happened here) without considerable evidence to promote a reasonable proof of guilt. How to defend against things like this? I guess don't provoke [clinically depressed] people because of some perceived slight against your offspring. Don't be a jackass, I don't know. If you were minding yoru own business and weren't purposefully leading someone on to have it end in a snare trap there's really nothing to worry about. A better question is, how do we prove malicious intent? Edit: upon re-reading the article, she was indicted for a charge commonly used for hacking? I have no idea how they will make this stick really. As far as the comments on that site regarding how it's the girl's fault and people hold no responsibility for the actions (committing suicide) of others, that's completely bogus. Youths are extremely impressionable and to bring someone so close and gain their innermost confidence in a situation where they have few if any people to turn to, and then brutally and suddenly cut it off without prior notice, certainly holds a great deal of responsibility in the outcome. __________________ boop Last edited by shiney; 05-16-2008 at 03:20 PM.

05-16-2008, 04:05 PM	#3
Fifthfiend for all seasons Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 19,409	I disapprove of this lady and am glad to hear that she will be called to account before the law. __________________ check out my buttspresso

06-05-2008, 03:03 PM	#8
Funka Genocide Sent to the cornfield Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Las Vegas Posts: 4,566	This is a terrible crime in the human sense, but I'm not sure about the legalities involved. Morally, this is one of the worst instances of inhuman behavior I have ever heard of. Legally, I think the only reason this case might have legs at all is because the victim was a minor. It should stand to reason that the cause of death was suicide, by definiton self inflicted death. Convincing someone to kill themselves is not the same as killing them, and I believe it's important to maintain those boundaries. I'm torn personally, but I feel it would be best to not treat this as a crime of murder or even manslaughter. I think that's stretching the boundaries too much. Maybe this is a slippery slope fallacy, but with a ruling of manslaughter in this case who's to say a man couldn't be charged for the suicide death of his ex-girlfriend which directly resulted from their break up? I may be incorrect in assuming they are considering prosecuting for manslaughter however.