Holdouts blocked 'cyberbully' convictions

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 2 (UPI) -- Jurors were leaning toward felony convictions in the Los Angeles "cyberbully" trial of Lori Drew, according to the forewoman.

Valentina Kunasz told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch four members of the federal court panel held out for acquittal on the felony counts and conviction only on misdemeanors.

Drew was convicted on misdemeanor charges last week but cleared on more-serious felony charges stemming from the suicide of a teenage Missouri neighbor girl who was wooed and then spurned by an imaginary boy Drew created.

"I would have liked to see this lady go to jail to change the way

Internet sites are run," Kunasz told the Post-Dispatch.

The newspaper said Tuesday the four holdouts could not be convinced a felony conviction was appropriate. Kunasz said the holdouts did not believe e-mails used as evidence showed that Drew was acting maliciously or intended to harm 13-year-old Megan Meier.