MySpace hoax trial starts today in L.A. court

Lori Drew, 49, of Dardenne Prairie, Mo., is accused of helping to set up a fake MySpace account on which she and others allegedly posed as a 16-year-old boy and began flirting with 13-year-old Megan Meier, a neighbor and onetime friend of Drew's daughter.

Prosecutors allege that Meier, who had struggled with depression, killed herself after the imaginary boy, "Josh Evans," suddenly turned on her and told her the world would be a better place without her. Drew and the others had allegedly been using the fake account to determine whether Meier had been spreading rumors about Drew's daughter.

Authorities in Missouri launched an investigation but eventually concluded that there was no statute under which Drew could be charged.

Thomas P. O'Brien, the U.S. attorney in Los Angeles, filed charges in May on the theory that because MySpace is based in Beverly Hills his office has jurisdiction.

O'Brien's office did not charge Drew with Meier's death. Rather, she is accused of violating federal law by providing false information to MySpace to set up the account and then using the account to intentionally "inflict emotional distress" on Meier.

Drew's lawyer, H. Dean Steward, fought unsuccessfully to have the charges thrown out before trial, arguing that people routinely create fake identities on the Internet without fear of prosecution. Steward also asked that prosecutors be banned from mentioning Meier's death because it would unduly prejudice the jury, but he was overruled by U.S. District Court Judge George H. Wu.

Drew faces up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.

Glover is a Times staff writer.

scott.glover@latimes.com