If by chance you found this ticket?
$162 Million Lottery Ticket Lost?
CLEVELAND (AP) A $162 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot belongs to a woman who says she lost the winning ticket, even if someone else finds it, her lawyer argued Tuesday.
Several people have searched through the snow in a convenience store parking lot where Elecia Battle said she lost the ticket.
Battle intends to make a case that the winning ticket for the 11-state game is her lost property, said lawyer Sheldon Starke.
"This is a question of lost property, not abandoned property," he said. "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, 40, of Cleveland, filed a police report saying she
dropped her purse when she left the Quick Shop Food Mart last week after buying the ticket at the store in suburban South Euclid. She said she realized after the Dec. 30 drawing that the ticket was missing.
The Ohio Lottery confirmed that the winning ticket was sold at the store.
Starke said she plans to hold a news conference Wednesday.
Starke, who said his specialty is entertainment law, would not say if Battle intends to offer a reward.
"I'm praying that someone finds the ticket, brings it forward and gets rewarded and from there we all live happily ever after," said Battle, who cried as she talked to The Associated Press at her home Monday night.
Starke initially said Battle would hold a news conference
Tuesday to announce a reward, but he said they postponed that because "we have a lot of legal things to tie up, a lot of formalities."
After news of Battle's police report spread Monday night, people armed with flashlights trudged through the snow trying to find the ticket in the parking lot.
"I decided to come back to see if I could find the winning ticket," said LaVerne Coleman, 57, who said she would keep the winnings if she found the ticket.
Police Lt. Kevin Nieter said the family may be out of luck if someone else found the 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 told WEWS-TV on Monday.
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.
Police said Battle was in tears when she filed her report Friday 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," Nieter said.
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 Ohio Lottery said the winning ticket was sold to someone who chose the numbers rather than letting the computer make the choices.
Battle's husband, Jimmy Battle, has two jobs. The couple have seven children, some from previous marriages.
If the jackpot isn't claimed by June 27, the money goes to Ohio and 10 other states that participate in the game.
h34r: I personally would probably give it back to her just considering it was hers.. and she is offering a reward.. I feel bad for her I guess, that would suck sooo bad h34r:
$162 Million Lottery Ticket Lost?
CLEVELAND (AP) A $162 million Mega Millions lottery jackpot belongs to a woman who says she lost the winning ticket, even if someone else finds it, her lawyer argued Tuesday.
Several people have searched through the snow in a convenience store parking lot where Elecia Battle said she lost the ticket.
Battle intends to make a case that the winning ticket for the 11-state game is her lost property, said lawyer Sheldon Starke.
"This is a question of lost property, not abandoned property," he said. "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, 40, of Cleveland, filed a police report saying she
dropped her purse when she left the Quick Shop Food Mart last week after buying the ticket at the store in suburban South Euclid. She said she realized after the Dec. 30 drawing that the ticket was missing.
The Ohio Lottery confirmed that the winning ticket was sold at the store.
Starke said she plans to hold a news conference Wednesday.
Starke, who said his specialty is entertainment law, would not say if Battle intends to offer a reward.
"I'm praying that someone finds the ticket, brings it forward and gets rewarded and from there we all live happily ever after," said Battle, who cried as she talked to The Associated Press at her home Monday night.
Starke initially said Battle would hold a news conference
Tuesday to announce a reward, but he said they postponed that because "we have a lot of legal things to tie up, a lot of formalities."
After news of Battle's police report spread Monday night, people armed with flashlights trudged through the snow trying to find the ticket in the parking lot.
"I decided to come back to see if I could find the winning ticket," said LaVerne Coleman, 57, who said she would keep the winnings if she found the ticket.
Police Lt. Kevin Nieter said the family may be out of luck if someone else found the 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 told WEWS-TV on Monday.
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.
Police said Battle was in tears when she filed her report Friday 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," Nieter said.
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 Ohio Lottery said the winning ticket was sold to someone who chose the numbers rather than letting the computer make the choices.
Battle's husband, Jimmy Battle, has two jobs. The couple have seven children, some from previous marriages.
If the jackpot isn't claimed by June 27, the money goes to Ohio and 10 other states that participate in the game.
h34r: I personally would probably give it back to her just considering it was hers.. and she is offering a reward.. I feel bad for her I guess, that would suck sooo bad h34r:
