GIRLFRIEND GUILTY OF MANSLAUGHTER FOR SUICIDE TEXTS
TAUNTON, MASS. A woman who sent her boyfriend a barrage of text messages urging him to kill himself when they were teens was convicted Friday of involuntary manslaughter in a trial that raised questions of whether words can kill.
Juvenile Court Judge Lawrence Moniz found that Michelle Carter caused the death of Conrad Roy III, who intentionally filled his truck with carbon monoxide in a Fairhaven store parking lot in July 2014.
The judge noted that the 18-year-old Roy climbed out of the truck as it was filling with toxic gas and told Carter he was scared. “Get back in,” Carter told Roy, according to a friend who testified Carter described the conversation in a text message to her about a month after Roy died.
“This court finds that instructing Mr. Roy to ‘get back in’ the truck constitutes wanton and reckless conduct by Ms. Carter,” the judge said.
He said Carter had a duty to call someone for help when she knew Roy was attempting suicide.
Sobs broke out throughout the courtroom when the verdict was announced.
The judge ruled that Carter, now 20, can remain free on bail but ordered her not to make any contact with Roy’s family or leave the state. She could face up to 20 years in prison. A sentencing hearing was scheduled for Aug. 3.