No criminal charges to be filed in Megan Meier case
December 3, 2007
St. Charles—
This morning, St. Charles County prosecutor, Jack Banas, announced that there will be no criminal charges filed in the Megan Meier case.
Banas stated, “The purpose was never to cause her emotional harassment that we can prove.” Without being able to prove the allegations, officials felt they could not proceed with charges.
The Cyber Stalking portion of the Federal Violence against Women Statutes and Elements for Federal Prosecution is explained on the U.S. Department of Justice website as follows:
Cyber Stalking
18 U.S.C. §2261A(2)
It is a federal crime with intent to (1) kill, injure, harass, or place under surveillance with the intent to kill, injure, harass or intimidate, or (2) cause substantial emotional distress, or place in reasonable fear of death or serious bodily injury a person in another State or within the SMTJ; to use the mail, any interactive computer service, or any facility of interstate commerce (including the Internet) to engage in a course of conduct that causes substantial emotional distress or places such person in reasonable fear of the death of, or serious bodily injury to, that person or a member of that person's immediate family or that person's intimate partner. A single communication is not sufficient. The statute defines a "course of conduct" as a "pattern of conduct composed of 2 or more acts, evidencing a continuity of purpose."
Megan Meier hanged herself on October 16, 2006 after allegedly being bullied on the Internet by Lori Drew, Drew’s daughter and an employee of Drew’s business. The group anonymously created a virtual boyfriend for Megan. The online communication began with friendly posts but then turned mean. The comment “The world would be a better place without you,” was reportedly posted shortly before Megan’s death.
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