Ohio Woman Admits Lying in Lottery Case

[joeunderdog]

CLEVELAND - A woman said through tears Thursday that she lied about losing the winning ticket for a $162 million lottery prize awarded to another woman.

Elecia Battle, 40, is dropping her lawsuit to block payment of the 11-state Mega Millions jackpot to the certified winner, her lawyer Sheldon Starke said.


"I wanted to win," Battle said. "The numbers were so overwhelming. I did buy a ticket and I lost. I wanted to win so bad for my kids and my family. I apologize."


snip

Authorities are investigating whether Battle lied in the police report — a misdemeanor punishable by 30 days to six months in jail.


Jemison, of suburban South Euclid, qualified for a lump-sum payment of $67.2 million, after taxes.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=519&e=3&u=/ap/20040108/ap_on_re_us/mega_millions_winner

[underpants]

1. Maybe that lawsuit against Mcd's for a bad milkshake will pay off

I heard that on FOX last night so forgive me.

[saigon68]

9. 15 Minutes of "Fame" is a bitch

Now back to Kobe, Michael and Phil Spector

LOL

[Foehammer]

2. oh she lyed!

Like we didn't all ready no she was lying from the get go.

[liberalhistorian]

3. Well, DUH!!!

I wondered how long she'd keep that bullshit up. I'm in that area in Ohio, and the papers are full of columns and stories about her. I certainly do understand her wanting to win, hell, with that amount of money you'd have to be comatose not to want it. But you don't lie and try to steal it from the rightful winner, either. At least she finally did the right thing.

[joeunderdog]

4. She did not "do the right thing."

She got caught perpetrating a fraud.

[monobrau]

5. What the hell did she think it would accomplish?

The lottery pays out to the person that shows up with the ticket.
I don't think it matters if you lose it, although I suppose a case could be made if you could prove it was stolen.

[yellowcanine]

10. I think she thought the real winner wasn't going to show up.

It had been a couple of days and the winner hadn't come forward - though that actually happens fairly often with the really big pots. OTOH, who really knows what makes people do stupid things like this. Greed is kind of like being horny - rational thought doesn't always prevail.

[xultar]

6. We'll I'm shocked? u? n/t

[yellowcanine]

7. Hopefully the lawyer will suffer some negative fallout

The jerk had to know she was lying and he still went ahead with filing the lawsuit. Will the Ohio Bar Association do the right thing and investigate him?

[yellowcanine]

8. "I wanted to win so bad for my kids and my family."

Oh well, alrighty then. I am sure Al Capone used the same rationalization. Nice example she is setting for her kids. You know she is only admitting the lie now because her story was so full of holes it resembled Swiss cheese - also it is mighty convenient for her to "come clean" just when the police are investigating her for filing a false report. Hopefully the local DA will at least nail her with that one to discourage this kind of BS in the future.

[kysrsoze]

12. Well, I'd like to win that money for my family too. I say, "jail time"

Why shouldn't she go to jail? This is attempted fraud.

[louis-t]

11. nitwit, I'm surprised it went this far...

after the real winner showed a losing ticket from previous week with the same #'s. Classic example of a person who has no self control.

[yellowcanine]

13. It gets better - read this

"Battle apologized to her husband, her lawyer and Jemison, saying she wanted to use the money
to help her family and recently laid-off Cleveland police officers. "

You couldn't make up shit like this.