The case of Michelle Carter has come to a conclusion – at least for now, that is.
Accused of encouraging her boyfriend to commit suicide through text messages she had sent him, Carter, 17, was sentenced yesterday to two-and-a-half years in jail, convicted of involuntary manslaughter, reports Quartz.
Carter was previously convicted by a juvenile court in June 17 after her boyfriend, Conrad Roy III, died “sitting in a truck he filled with carbon monoxide”:
Roy, 18, had texted Carter from the truck to say he was scared, but she told him to “get back in,” following similar texts in which she urged him to go through with his plan to kill himself.
Prosecutors said Carter was desperate for attention and wanted to be seen as a grieving girlfriend, while her defense [sic] said she had a history of mental illness — as did Roy himself.
Carter’s conviction is a controversial one, as Quartz’s Ephrat Livni reported in June. The judge ruled that Carter had a duty to inform authorities of Roy’s plans and urge him not to commit suicide, since she created the “toxic” situation in the first place.
But there is no law in Massachusetts that requires someone to report a suicide attempt, or that bans encouraging it. The verdict could set a new legal precedent.
You can read the full account of Carter’s messages in our story from 2015 HERE.
Carter will now have to serve at least 15 months of her sentence before she is eligible for parole.
If you or a loved one is battling with depression, please seek help.
[source:qz]
