Woman charged over lost lottery ticket claim ** Update

[JTSimon]

SOUTH EUCLID, Ohio (AP) -- A Cleveland woman has told police she picked the winning numbers for the $162 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot but lost the ticket before the drawing, according to a police report.

Elecia Battle told police she dropped her purse as she left the Quick Shop Food Mart last week after buying the ticket. She said she realized after the drawing last Tuesday that the ticket was missing.

The Ohio Lottery said the winning ticket was sold at the store, about 15 miles east of Cleveland.

After news of Battle's police report spread Monday night, several people wielding flashlights walked through snow and braved frigid temperatures to try to find the ticket in the store parking lot.

"I decided to come back to see if I could find the winning ticket," said LaVerne Coleman, 57, who says she would keep the winnings if she found the ticket.

Police say Battle was in tears when she came to the station Friday to file the report and did not hesitate when asked to write down the winning numbers.

"We don't believe that she's fabricating it, but there's no real way of knowing other than going on her word," Lt. Kevin Nieter told Cleveland's WEWS-TV on Monday.

Nieter said information Battle knew about when the ticket was bought and how the numbers were picked make her story credible. She told police that the numbers -- 12, 18, 21, 32 and 46 and Mega Ball 49 -- represented family birthdays and ages.

The winning ticket was sold to someone who chose the numbers, not someone who let the machine pick.

Messages left with the police department seeking comment were not immediately returned.

Battle could not immediately be reached for comment. There was no telephone listing for her.

Nieter said Battle may be out of luck if someone else picked up the lone winning ticket.

"Whoever has the ticket has the right to stake the claim to the winning jackpot. You can file all the police reports you want but it's not going to help," he said.

Ohio Lottery spokeswoman Mardele Cohen said that if someone else came in with the ticket, Battle could try to get a temporary restraining order in court to block the winnings from being paid.

The winner has six months from the drawing to claim the largest jackpot in state history. If the money isn't claimed by June 27, it goes to Ohio and 10 other states that participate in the game.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Midwest/01/05/megamillions.lostticket.ap/index.html


If your in Cleveland you better start searching... lol @ the lady going to the police station

[Doggystylin]

lmao sucks for her

[Trauma-san]

The couple that won the other half of the jackpot live about 20 miles from here!  They're like 30 years old, just imagine what life would be like if you won the lottery at 30 (I think he's 31, she's 29).  They haven't decided if they're going to take the lump sum or the 30 year payments.  I'd take the payments, that way you'll always have money no matter what.  

The funny thing is, we're in North Carolina, lottery is illegal here, so the guy drove to South Carolina to buy the tickets.  The same exact day, I was in South Carolina, and was thinking about buying some tickets, but was running late and didn't stop at the gas station.  

[Bramsterdam (see ya)]

lmao sucks for her

[JTSimon]

Rebecca Jemison and her husband appear at a press conference after claiming the $162 million jackpot.


CLEVELAND, Ohio (AP) -- A woman turned in the winning ticket for the $162 million Mega Millions multistate lottery jackpot, and it was not the one who claimed she lost it, lottery officials said Tuesday.

Rebecca Jemison, a hospital worker from South Euclid, turned in the 11-state jackpot at Ohio Lottery headquarters in downtown Cleveland, officials said. The lottery validated the sole winning ticket Tuesday morning for the drawing a week ago.

"I think I checked it about five or six times to make sure to see was it real," Jemison said at a news conference at lottery headquarters.

She said she told her mother even before telling her husband. "Being a mama's girl I wanted to share the news with my mama first," she added. She also talked to an attorney and an accountant.

"One thing I want to make clear: Luck had nothing to do with it. It was truly a blessing, truly a blessing," she said.

Earlier, a Cleveland woman, Elecia Battle, 40, filed a police report saying she lost the ticket last week. Police said her story was credible, but the Ohio Lottery said whoever turned in a valid ticket was legally entitled to the winnings.

About 30 people with flashlights searched for the ticket Monday night outside the suburban Cleveland store that sold the ticket after Battle's police report became public.

Jemison said she was angry and pushed to turn in the ticket after Battle's story was on the news. Jemison said she played the winning numbers occasionally over the past several years.

Battle's lawyer, Sheldon Starke, did not immediately return a call seeking comment on the lottery's announcement. He had said she intended to make a case that the winning ticket was lost property.

"This is a question of lost property, not abandoned property," he said earlier Tuesday. "If there is one type of property that is not presumed to be abandoned, it's money ... Anyone who finds it is not the owner."

Battle told police that the numbers -- 12, 18, 21, 32 and 46 and Mega Ball 49 -- represented family birthdays and ages.

[West C. Connected]

AHAHAHA SUCKS 4 HER

[JTSimon]

AHAHAHA SUCKS 4 HER

Some1 is lying because this new lady says she bought the winning ticket.

And there was only 1 winning ticket sold.

[Trauma-san]

Look at her Husband.  That's the coolest fucker alive, just look at him.

[bez]

Look at her Husband.  That's the coolest fucker alive, just look at him.

lol

[Jome]

Lying bieeetch..  

[Trauma-san]

5 words.

Fraud.  Going. To. Fucking. Jail.  

[JTSimon]

5 words.

Fraud.  Going. To. Fucking. Jail.  

Trauma your an idiot...how can you say its fraud.  

Here is the lady who said she lost the ticket. Lets see how your judge her?

Code: [Select]

After news of Battle's police report spread Monday night, several people wielding flashlights walked through snow and braved frigid temperatures to try to find the ticket in the store parking lot.

It was reported the lottery tickets was turned in excellent condition no signs of snow/ground damage. Nice and crisp.

[Trauma-san]

Man.  What the fuck are you talking about.  She didn't lose the fucking ticket, she's a liar, and she's trying to defraud the Lottery out of 163 Million dollars.  Maybe you don't think that's an offense, lol, but the police think different.  I'm an idiot? What the fuck are you smoking?  The other woman obviously bought the ticket, she 1. HAS THE FUCKING TICKET, 2., has another ticket she bought at the same time, and 3., has an EXPIRED ticket with the same numbers!  

[JTSimon]

Man.  What the fuck are you talking about.  She didn't lose the fucking ticket, she's a liar, and she's trying to defraud the Lottery out of 163 Million dollars.  Maybe you don't think that's an offense, lol, but the police think different.  I'm an idiot? What the fuck are you smoking?  The other woman obviously bought the ticket, she 1. HAS THE FUCKING TICKET, 2., has another ticket she bought at the same time, and 3., has an EXPIRED ticket with the same numbers!  

Trauma your so backwards...I thought you meant the lady that turned in the ticket was a fraud.

[Trauma-san]

So, because you can't read, I'm backwards.  The post is about the woman who says she lost it. Take a little logic jump, and you can assume my reply is ALSO about the woman who says she lost it. Work with me a little bit here, you might learn someth... nevermind, you'll never learn shit.