Woman Who Encouraged Her Boyfriend To Kill Himself Is Jailed For 15 Months

Woman Who Encouraged Her Boyfriend To Kill Himself Is Jailed For 15 Months

A woman who sent a series of messages to her boyfriend, encouraging him to commit suicide, has been jailed for 15 months.

Michelle Carter, 22, pushed Conrad Roy III to end his life and became more insistent when he hesitated. 

Carter and Conrad both struggled with depression, and Conrad had
previously tried to kill himself. Their relationship consisted mostly of
texting and other electronic communications. Carter’s texts to Conrad
mostly encouraged him to follow through with his plan to kill himself
and he finally did.

Michelle Carter was sentenced to 15 months in jail in 2017 for her
role in the death of Conrad Roy III, but the judge allowed her to remain
free while she appealed in state court. However, last
week, Massachusetts’ highest court upheld her conviction, saying her
actions caused Roy’s death.

A lawyer for Carter had argued she should stay out of jail while her
defence team takes her case to the U.S. Supreme Court. Her attorneys
said in court documents that she has no prior criminal record, hasn’t
tried to flee, and has been receiving mental health treatment.

But a judge ruled yesterday that she should start her sentence. 

Michelle Carter was 17 when Conrad Roy, 18, took his own life in Fairhaven, a town on Massachusetts’ south coast in July 2014.

On the day Conrad killed himself, Michelle told him

You keep pushing it off and say you’ll do it but u never do. It’s always gonna be that way if u don’t take action.

I thought you wanted to do this. The time is right and you’re ready – just do it babe.

In another text message to Conrad, she wrote:

You’re finally going to be happy in heaven. No more pain. It’s okay to be scared and it’s normal. I mean, you’re about to die.

After Carter was led away yesterday, following the judge’s
ruling, Conrad’s aunt Becky Maki expressed relief, saying his family
believes justice had been served even though the case had been a long
and difficult ordeal for them.

But Carter’s lawyer Joe Cataldo said: “Make no mistake, this legal fight is not over.”