In Indiana, Angela J. Boyd, 38, was in the midst of a moving eulogy at her daughter’s funeral when it was interrupted by her brother in a truly soap-opera moment. The brother stood up to say that his 15-year-old niece was very much alive.
Boyd had faked the death of her daughter and arranged an entire funeral as part of the ruse to get money. She even came up with the story that the 15-year-old girl had been brutally raped and murdered by her father in Iowa. She then passed around the collection plate at the New Life Ministries Church of the Nazarene.
After her brother announced the girl was alive and well in Iowa, Boyd fled the church and later turned herself in to the police.
Her brother, Brian LeMaster, said the ruse was to support a drug habit. She is charged with attempted theft and could face six months to three years in jail. She could also face a defamation action from the father since this would constitute slander per se (imputation of a criminal act). That is of course doubtful given her financial and legal position.
This is an example of why some of us are critical of the Stolen Valor Act (here). When people fake such facts for personal gain, they can be charged with simple fraud (here).
Source: Pal-Item
Jonathan Turley
I think frank (December 3, 2010 at 3:25 pm) has a good question. The essence of Stolen Valor, it seems to me, is pure speech. It criminalizes a particular form of lie. The Ninth Circuit in an August decision decided this was unconstitutional. If you lie for personal gain, of course, this falls under existing fraud statutes, it doesn’t matter whether you’re lying about being a decorated veteran or a qualified electrician.
Gingerbaker
based on the mothers testamony Texas would’ve had a needle in his arm.
Sorry for the law 101 question prof but wouldn’t the charge of fraud be based on some benefit gained by the deception? If I give patriotic speeches to dingbat groups around the county & just happen to admit I have 2 Medals of Honor is that fraud that would lead to actual prosecution & ultimately punishment?
I’d argue that I got the engagement because of my marvelous speaking & the lie was incidental.
Here’s a public display of the insanity of addiction. I’m sure she thought this was a smart plan when she thought it up. Amazing example of how continuous drug abuse makes people completely crazy. Was it because she’s “addicted”, absolutely. Should she go to prison for this? You bet. Straight or high as a kite she is responsible for her actions and this fraud is pretty stupid and she should be punished. She can think about all this while in prison. Might do her some good.
The liberating message is held in the facts that you can be loony enough to make such claims and not risk arrest from the thought police. This incident is good news theater and not much else. There really aren’t any serious crimes committed.
I personally resent that this mother is using the “I’m addicted” alibi since there isn’t a drug craving so strong as to create such dramatics, thank God, with all of the addiction in our society, you wouldn’t be able to believe anything you heard or read.
Thanks again for protecting our constitutionally ensured freedoms!
Wow! This sounds like a bad movie plot! What a creep. I do hope the child is separated from her mother asap!
The fifteen-year-old will now be removed from custody of the mother, but the State will not allow the father near the child, because he has, after all, been accused of rape and murder.
Ok…is she alive or isn’t she? Or has she arisen….