p2pnet news view | P2P:- US district judge George Wu, who was to have sentenced Lori Drew (bottom right) on counts of accessing computers without authorization, says he wants to review the testimony of two prosecution witnesses.

Drew is said to have  created a phony MySpace user who drove 13-year-old Megan Meier (top left) to suicide, inspired an episode in Law & Order TV, and eventually led her mother, Tina (centre) to launch a foundation to “educate and encourage positive changes to prevent bullying and cyberbullying”.

Drew, the mother of one of Megan’s former friends, told police how she and others, “had made up the love interest, a 16-year-old Josh Evans” obstensibly to see what Megan,  “might be saying about Drews’ daughter, Sarah (bottom centre) ,” p2pnet posted shortly after news of the tragedy first broke.

Now, “Wu squared off with Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Krause for more than an hour” over a defense motion to dismiss Drew’s earlier conviction, says the Associated Press, going on:

“The judge wondered whether Drew should have been indicted under the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, which in the past has been used in hacking and trademark theft cases. ‘Using this particular statute is so weird,’ Wu said.

“He also was concerned that sentencing Drew for violating a Web site’s service terms might set a dangerous precedent. He said millions of people either don’t read service terms, as happened in Drew’s case, or give false information.”

Defense lawyer Dean Steward says charges should have never been brought against his Drew, “and prosecutors are adamant about making Drew a public symbol of cyberbullying,” says AP, going on »»»

“The government continues to put a square peg in a round hole,” Steward told the judge.

He also objected to having Megan’s parents speak in court, saying MySpace, not the teen’s family, is the victim in this case.

However, both Ron and Tina Meier spoke on Monday.

Ron Meier, his voice trembling, said he’s lived in seclusion since his daughter’s death and believes Megan was bullied by Drew.

“It just sickens me that it was an adult who was playing with the mind of a 13-year-old,” he said as Drew looked on. “I truly believe prisons were made for people like Lori Drew.”

Probation officials recommended Drew be placed on probation for one year and fined $5,000, the story adds.

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phony MySpace user – Megan Meier Net suicide trial, November 21, 2008
foundation – Megan Meier`s mother starts foundation, May 30, 2008
p2pnet – `Megan Meier`s law` passed, November 26, 2007
Associated Press – Sentencing delayed for Mo. woman in MySpace hoax, May 18, 2009