Suicide watch: Woman on trial for texting boyfriend encouragement to end his life
- 7 years ago
TAUNTON, MASSACHUSETTS — A woman in Massachusetts has been charged with involuntary manslaughter after she allegedly convinced her boyfriend to commit suicide.
Defendant Michelle Carter, 20, is on trial in Bristol County Juvenile court. Text messages released in court documents revealed some important excerpts that led up to the death of 18-year-old Conrad Roy III.
According to Roy’s attorney, Roy was depressed after his parents’ divorce, and he was physically and verbally abused by his family. He then began to have thoughts of suicide, and even researched methods to do this online, The Boston Globe reported.
Carter and Roy often texted each other, and it was in this way that then 17-year-old Carter allegedly encouraged Roy to end his life. Carter reportedly told Roy that she thought his parents knew he was depressed, but that they could accept his decision to kill himself, and that people would only be sad for awhile.
In July 2014, Roy was contemplating killing himself by inhaling carbon monoxide from a generator in his car. Roy reportedly was having second thoughts, but in a phone conversation with Carter she allegedly told him to “get the fxxx back in the car.”
Days after Roy’s death, Carter apparently told friends that she was distraught over Roy’s suicide and wondered what she could have done to prevent it, Boston’s WCVB reported.
The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office says Carter has chosen a bench trial in Bristol County Juvenile Court. This means instead of a jury, only a judge will be hearing her case.
Defendant Michelle Carter, 20, is on trial in Bristol County Juvenile court. Text messages released in court documents revealed some important excerpts that led up to the death of 18-year-old Conrad Roy III.
According to Roy’s attorney, Roy was depressed after his parents’ divorce, and he was physically and verbally abused by his family. He then began to have thoughts of suicide, and even researched methods to do this online, The Boston Globe reported.
Carter and Roy often texted each other, and it was in this way that then 17-year-old Carter allegedly encouraged Roy to end his life. Carter reportedly told Roy that she thought his parents knew he was depressed, but that they could accept his decision to kill himself, and that people would only be sad for awhile.
In July 2014, Roy was contemplating killing himself by inhaling carbon monoxide from a generator in his car. Roy reportedly was having second thoughts, but in a phone conversation with Carter she allegedly told him to “get the fxxx back in the car.”
Days after Roy’s death, Carter apparently told friends that she was distraught over Roy’s suicide and wondered what she could have done to prevent it, Boston’s WCVB reported.
The Bristol County District Attorney’s Office says Carter has chosen a bench trial in Bristol County Juvenile Court. This means instead of a jury, only a judge will be hearing her case.