Frenzied media swirl around courthouse, relatives
Tension was also high outside the court where Michelle Carter was found guilty of urging her boyfriend to commit suicide as camera crews from CBS, NBC, HBO and “Inside Edition” jockeyed for position.
The case of the young texter swept across the nation, landing the story on the cover of “People” magazine this week.
The guilty verdict against Carter for involuntary manslaughter in the suicide of Conrad Roy III — 18 when he took his own life in 2014 — will likely change the way criminal law handles digital communication.
That fact drew reporters from all over the country to Taunton Trial Court.
It all came to a boil yesterday as camera people argued over blocking each others’ shots, anxiously anticipating the next familiar face.
A news chopper circled overhead as clouds moved in.
Defense Attorney Joseph Cataldo found himself in a media mob as he walked out the court’s front doors after the verdict.
He only offered that he was “very disappointed,” but wouldn’t comment on Carter’s mental or emotional state.
Conrad Roy Jr., the father of Carter’s deceased boyfriend, attempted to slip out a back door of the courthouse, leading the media on a frenzied chase through a grassy area to a side street.
Carter managed to escape mostly unnoticed out the back of the building.
Carter is set to return to court for sentencing Aug. 3.