Woman on trial for texts 'driving boyfriend to suicide'

[Dragonfly]

Woman on trial for texts 'driving boyfriend to suicide' - BBC News

A 20-year-old US woman, whose boyfriend took his own life nearly three years ago, has gone on trial for allegedly urging him to kill himself.

"You need to do it, Conrad," Ms Carter texted him on the morning of 12 July, according to records presented by the Bristol County District Attorney's Office."You're ready and prepared. All you have to do is turn the generator on and you will be free and happy," she wrote.

Apparently she's elected to not have a jury trial, so the judge will be the one deciding her fate.

If you were the judge, how would you rule?

 

[Cisero]

Woman on trial for texts 'driving boyfriend to suicide' - BBC News






Apparently she's elected to not have a jury trial, so the judge will be the one deciding her fate.

If you were the judge, how would you rule?

This is deeply disturbing & sick.

"You've hit that point and I think your parents know you've hit that point," the accused texted. "You said your mom saw a suicide thing on your computer and she didn't say anything. I think she knows it's on your mind and she's prepared for it."

Wow.

I don't know if what she did is illegal, but I sure as hell think she should be in jail.

 

[Dragonfly]

This is deeply disturbing & sick.



Wow.

I don't know if what she did is illegal, but I sure as hell think she should be in jail.

Precedent setting case I'm sure.

Yes - jail time should be the end result. How long might be the best question.

 

[joG]

Woman on trial for texts 'driving boyfriend to suicide' - BBC News






Apparently she's elected to not have a jury trial, so the judge will be the one deciding her fate.

If you were the judge, how would you rule?

If you throw yourself on your sword because some girl tells you to, you deserve every inch.

 

[Dragonfly]

If you throw yourself on your sword because some girl tells you to, you deserve every inch.

If you drive the getaway car, but don't actually rob the bank I guess you're innocent too? :roll:

 

[ttwtt78640]

Other. Suicide should not be a crime since the perp is also the victim.

 

[Serenity]

I remember reading about this at the time. Here's an article with the texts. Beyond heinous.

Her aim was to play the part of the grieving girlfriend afterwards to get sympathy/attention.

Teen girl Michelle Carter's texts blamed for suicide of friend Conrad Roy, 18

What an evil person.

 

[Dragonfly]

Other. Suicide should not be a crime since the perp is also the victim.

She was the sole conspirator in his death. She caused his death. Directly.

As he expressed doubts, she kept pushing.

"I thought you wanted to do this. The time is right and you're ready … just do it babe," she said.
"No more pushing it off. No more waiting," she went on.

Mr Roy was found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning in his vehicle at a Kmart car park in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, on 13 July 2014.

Texts show he wavered in his plan to follow through with the suicide, at one point getting out of his pick-up truck.

The court heard that Ms Carter, who was then 17, replied: "Get the f*** back in the car."

 

[Cisero]

I remember reading about this at the time. Here's an article with the texts. Beyond heinous.

Her aim was to play the part of the grieving girlfriend afterwards to get sympathy/attention.

Teen girl Michelle Carter's texts blamed for suicide of friend Conrad Roy, 18

What an evil person.

Damn. I have a terrible knot in my stomach now. How horrible.

 

[PoS]

While there is no doubt she's a horrible creature, she didnt kill him- he did it to himself.

 

[ttwtt78640]

She was the sole conspirator in his death. She caused his death. Directly.

She did suggest that the perp kill the victim but did not participate in any other way. If someone said "if you need money then go rob a bank" are they guilty of conspiracy to rob a bank?

 

[MaggieD]

Woman on trial for texts 'driving boyfriend to suicide' - BBC News

Apparently she's elected to not have a jury trial, so the judge will be the one deciding her fate.

If you were the judge, how would you rule?

I don't see it under what I think is current law. One legal definitionn is the unlawful killing of an individual unintentionally. She didn't kill him. He killed himself. If mere words could kill, ex-spouses would be dropping dead every day. She didn't provide the means. Wasn't even present.

Not guilty.

 

[WCH]

What law did she break?

 

[pinqy]

She did suggest that the perp kill the victim but did not participate in any other way. If someone said "if you need money then go rob a bank" are they guilty of conspiracy to rob a bank?

No, but if they give you the plans to rob the bank, and a timetable, and pressure you into it, then yes.

Carter is charged with Involuntary Manslaughter, meaning she did not intentionally kill him, but her negligent actions led to his death. If the prosecution can show, through the texts, that he would not have killed himself except for her intervention and direction, then I don't see how it can be claimed she's not responsible.

 

[pinqy]

What law did she break?

She is charged with involuntary manslaughter. I am assuming on the idea that her actions, while they did not kill him directly, led him to his death and he would not have died except for her.

 

[Dragonfly]

If the prosecution can show, through the texts, that he would not have killed himself except for her intervention and direction, then I don't see how it can be claimed she's not responsible.

Here's quotes of her texts:

As he expressed doubts, she kept pushing.

"I thought you wanted to do this. The time is right and you're ready … just do it babe," she said.
"No more pushing it off. No more waiting," she went on.

Mr Roy was found dead from carbon monoxide poisoning in his vehicle at a Kmart car park in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, on 13 July 2014.

Texts show he wavered in his plan to follow through with the suicide, at one point getting out of his pick-up truck.

The court heard that Ms Carter, who was then 17, replied: "Get the f*** back in the car."

He expressed doubts - she kept pushing
He got out of the truck - she told him to get the F___ back in it

On that specific day - he sure as hell would not have killed himself if she wasn't directly involved.

It's rather clear.

 

[americanwoman]

Woman on trial for texts 'driving boyfriend to suicide' - BBC News






Apparently she's elected to not have a jury trial, so the judge will be the one deciding her fate.

If you were the judge, how would you rule?

I hit guilty but perhaps of a lesser charge however I meant to hit guilty.

After reading the full exchange, she was really pushing him. Of course he could have stopped or not done it but he wasn't really in a good state of mind and she took advantage.

 

[ttwtt78640]

No, but if they give you the plans to rob the bank, and a timetable, and pressure you into it, then yes.

Carter is charged with Involuntary Manslaughter, meaning she did not intentionally kill him, but her negligent actions led to his death. If the prosecution can show, through the texts, that he would not have killed himself except for her intervention and direction, then I don't see how it can be claimed she's not responsible.

I would agree if she took any action - e.g. started the truck or tied him up. Merely texting advice to go through with your suicide plan is not enough "action", IMHO. Knowing what would have happened (absent her advice) is highly speculative at best - that could never be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

 

[Dragonfly]

I would agree if she took any action - e.g. started the truck or tied him up. Merely texting advice to go through with your suicide plan is not enough "action", IMHO. Knowing what would have happened (absent her advice) is highly speculative at best - that could never be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

There is nothing "highly speculative" about what she did.

Read the linked stories about this.

There was a gazillion chances for that girl to change the course of events that happened.
The boy was highly confused and doubted his plan countless times.
She pushed him every step of the way to kill himself.

This isn't a case of a broken-hearted guy killing himself because the girl broke up with him.
She didn't just brush off his claims of killing himself as attention seeking.

She pushed him mercilessly for quite some time. Never once suggesting he not do it.

Read the link Serenity posted.

This girl is directly responsible for his suicide on that specific day.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

She did suggest that the perp kill the victim but did not participate in any other way. If someone said "if you need money then go rob a bank" are they guilty of conspiracy to rob a bank?

If you stay on the phone with them through the robbery, telling them what to do and how to do it and when they express doubt you tell them to keep going...yeah, I think that makes you a co-conspirator.

 

[Skeptic Bob]

This wasn't bullying. This wasn't an offhanded "you should just kill your self" comment. This was methodical, calculating and intentional. I don't know if there is a more appropriate charge, though. My only problem with involuntary manslaughter is that there was nothing involuntary about it.

 

[joG]

If you drive the getaway car, but don't actually rob the bank I guess you're innocent too? :roll:

If I tell you to robe a bank and you do, i think maybe you acting the fool. If I pay you to do it, however.... Well, maybe then.....

 

[calamity]

Woman on trial for texts 'driving boyfriend to suicide' - BBC News






Apparently she's elected to not have a jury trial, so the judge will be the one deciding her fate.

If you were the judge, how would you rule?

I see nothing wrong here...except that some idiot arrested this woman and put her on trial.

On a personal note: I certainly would not have done what she did, nor would I have listened to her. But, legally speaking--she can say, text, suggest, whatever...anything she wants to say. If someone listens to her, that's their business.

Maybe, I'd draw the line if it's a fake suicide pact. "You kill yourself and I'll do it too." Only I don't and you do. IMO, that's a sort of fraud. But, if I say, "Kill yourself, your life sucks anyway." How the **** is that a crime?

 

[Dragonfly]

I see nothing wrong here...except that some idiot arrested this woman and put her on trial.

On a personal note: I certainly would not have done what she did, nor would I have listened to her. But, legally speaking--she can say, text, suggest, whatever...anything she wants to say. If someone listens to her, that's their business.

Maybe, I'd draw the line if it's a fake suicide pact. "You kill yourself and I'll do it too." Only I don't and you do. IMO, that's a sort of fraud. But, if I say, "Kill yourself, your life sucks anyway." How the **** is that a crime?

If I stand up in a crowded theater and yell "He's got a gun!!!", and a few people are trampled to death in the ensuing stampede to flee the theater, am I legally responsible for their deaths?

It was just words.

Nobody fleeing saw anybody with a gun.

 

[calamity]

If I stand up in a crowded theater and yell "He's got a gun!!!", and a few people are trampled to death in the ensuing stampede to flee the theater, am I legally responsible for their deaths?

It was just words.

Nobody fleeing saw anybody with a gun.

Silly analogy. Yelling that is a lie. Hence, fraud.

If I tell my ex to go hang herself, how the hell is that a crime? **** people probably do that all the time. So, this person did it with someone she knew actually was considering it. OK. Understood. Like, I said, I would not do that. But, it sure as hell should not be a crime.