Feds Seek 3 Years for 'Cyberbully' in Teen's Suicide

Federal prosecutors are pushing for the maximum 3-year prison sentence for Lori Drew, whose MySpace trickery drove a 13-year-old to kill herself. “Defendant has become the public face of cyberbullying,” prosecutors wrote. “A probationary sentence might embolden others.” But in a presentencing report, probation officers said Drew should serve no more than 6 months, Wired reports.

Prosecutors want to bump that up, saying the Drew’s use of minors warranted harsher punishment. Drew was convicted of misdemeanors last year, but the jury rejected all felony charges. Prosecutors say the judge could and should take those felony charges into account anyway in sentencing her. But the judge could instead throw out the case altogether; he has yet to rule on a defense motion for directed verdict. (More Lori Drew stories.)