Posted on 06/16/2017 9:33:52 AM PDT by nickcarraway
A Massachusetts woman broke down in tears Friday as she was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for goading her teenage boyfriend into killing himself.
Michelle Carter now faces up to 20 years in prison when she's sentenced on Aug. 3.
Judge Lawrence Moniz said Carter, 20, failed to give a "simple additional instruction" for Roy to exit his car while handing down the verdict in Bristol County Juvenile Court.
Michelle Carter Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter in Texting Suicide Case Play Facebook Twitter Embed Michelle Carter Found Guilty of Involuntary Manslaughter in Texting Suicide Case 0:43 Carter's lawyers were holding her hand and patting her back during the hearing.
A prosecutor's request to deny Carter bail was rejected. However, she is prohibited from contacting the Roy Family or any witnesses from the case, acquiring a passport or leaving Massachusetts without the court's approval ahead of her sentencing.
Carter, who opted for a bench trial rather than for a jury, was tried in a juvenile court without a jury because she was 17 when Roy died.
In July 2014, Carter’s boyfriend, 18-year-old Conrad Roy III, sat in his black Ford F-250 in a Kmart parking lot and committed suicide by inhaling carbon monoxide.
Moniz said that when Carter instructed Roy to return to his vehicle, she became responsible because she knew he was entering "a toxic environment inconsistent with human life." Moniz also noted that Carter did not contact Roy's family when she knew his location and his intended actions.
Moniz said Carter had a responsibility to take action to stop a life threatening risk. "The reckless failure to fulfill this duty can result in a charge of manslaughter," he said.
Although she was not physically present, the prosecution argued that Carter texted Roy moments prior to his death and encouraged his suicide instead of trying to prevent it.
In a text to her friend Samantha Boardman, Carter allegedly wrote, “Sam, [Roy’s] death is my fault like honestly I could have stopped him I was on the phone with him and he got out of the [truck] because it was working and he got scared and I f------ told him to get back in Sam because I knew he would do it all over again the next day and I couldn't have him live the way he was living anymore I couldn't do it I wouldn't let him.”
Carter’s defense attorney Joseph Cataldo said Roy had multiple suicide attempts in the past. Steven Verronneau, a forensic investigator with MWV Multi-Media Forensics who testified on behalf of the defense, analyzed the computers and phones owned by Roy and Carter and discovered Roy researched “suicide by cop,” and which medications he could use to die while sleeping.
However, during his cross-examination by prosecutor Katie Rayburn, Verronneau said there were family pictures on Roy's devices that could be interpreted as him being happy and Carter had likely deleted phone messages she sent to Roy.
Cataldo mentioned Carter was taking Celexa, a treatment for depression, at the time of Roy’s death. Dr. Peter R. Breggin said in his testimony for the defense that Carter’s switch to this medication led to a “transformation” that made her think she was helping Roy by aiding his suicide.
In response to the verdict, Matthew Segal, legal director at the ACLU of Massachusetts, released a statement condemning the decision.
"This conviction exceeds the limits of our criminal laws and violates free speech protections guaranteed by the Massachusetts and U.S. Constitutions," he said. " If allowed to stand, Ms. Carter’s conviction could chill important and worthwhile end-of-life discussions between loved ones across the Commonwealth."
The defense argued in their closing statement that Carter should not be convicted considering she was 30 miles away when the suicide occurred.
“He goes to the beach, he drives down to the Kmart there is no evidence that she helped him load the water pump, helped him obtain it, there is no evidence that she has any physical actions whatever,” the defense said on Tuesday.
The prosecution said Carter’s texts to friends as well as her phone call with Roy’s mother after his death show Carter wanted to use the suicide to become famous and play the “grieving girlfriend.”
“The court has never required actual presence to commit a crime,” the prosecution countered. “She was in his ear even though she knew he was going to die and she did it for attention.”
CORRECTION (June 16, 12:05 p.m.): An earlier version of this article misstated the name of the court where Carter was convicted. It was Bristol County Juvenile Court in Taunton, not Taunton Juvenile Court.
Obviously the judge disagrees with you. As do I.
Moving on.
Maybe she’ll kill herself while out waiting for sentencing.
“Maybe she’ll kill herself while out waiting for sentencing.”
Be careful. You might be prosecuted.
I’m with you. He was mentally ill. It’s the same thing as a little kid can’t “consent” to having sex. It’s considered rape. I feel like she was on a power trip with her being Svengali.
It is all to destroy agency (individualism/free will/Christianity) in the masses. We are making people not responsible for their own actions and their own decisions......creating snowflakes, like the ignorant boy that committed suicide; a Marxist worldview where we never are in control of ourselves, have agency or have free will. The programming system in our evil schools (Common Core) makes the snowflakes—people incapable of critical thinking and which has normalized slavery (vice) and total irrationality—removal from Truth and Reality.
The Left through control of our “news”, textbooks, literature, “art”,, and skool system are forcing unnatural desires, artificial, totally irrational “thinking” on the masses-—removing Reality and Objective Truth (Our Constitution and God). We no longer have a “Justice” system based on natural law and God’s Laws which formed the most rational, best “Justice System” in history of the world.
As Cicero stated, when “just laws” promote vice it will destroy virtue formation in the people—make them ignorant, immoral and dependent on the state since vice makes slaves of the masses (a serf system with only tribal worldivews).
Control of Language and Words has been going on for 100 years to literally destroy the Christian worldview of selflessness and virtue formation so others just see people as a Means to an End——to use oneself and others in disgusting, vile ways is now normal and good and glorified to even preschoolers to destroy the possibility of a Christian worldview-—where we have individual natural rights only from God, not the State and that Just Laws only promote truth and freedom and virtue.
Now, our “laws” promote vice and evil and slavery at every turn and it is ALL unconstitutional and our children are all Mind Controlled-—like the suicidal boy and the girl who had no virtue formation.
When the death panels tell eldery patients to just go kill themselves, they want to be shielded from prosecution.
This vile little succubus latched onto him precisely because he was emotionally disturbed and suicidal. She egged him on via social media, and was upset because nobody felt sorry... for her.
Take her out of this society. Involuntary manslaughter is on the weak side, in my opinion.
Depraved witch.
the ACLU of Massachusetts, statement condemning the decision.
“This conviction exceeds the limits of our criminal laws and ‘violates free speech’ protections guaranteed by the Massachusetts and U.S. Constitutions”......
LOLOLOLOOLOLOLOLOLOL....hahahahahahah! Insanity speaks!
Manson didn’t go to the house and kill people...
Sadly, I think you are correct. As an aside, you just have to wonder where her parents were bringing her up. What she did as a human being is despicable.
Read the full set of text messages. She switches from being his “friend” and telling him to seek medical advice to pushing him to kill himself. Like it’s all some sort of game. Over 1 dozen times she pushes him toward suicide. Who does that to a friend? Who would even do that to a stranger? This woman is a sociopath.
June 19, 2014
Here, Carter urges Roy to seek medical help for his suicidal thoughts.
Carter: “But the mental hospital would help you. I know you don’t think it would but I’m telling you, if you give them a chance, they can save your life”
Carter: “Part of me wants you to try something and fail just so you can go get help”
Roy: “It doesn’t help. Trust me”
Carter: “So what are you gonna do then? Keep being all talk and no action and everyday go thru saying how badly you wanna kill yourself? Or are you gonna try to get better?”
Roy: “I can’t get better I already made my decision.”
June 23, 2014
In this exchange, Carter discourages Roy from harming himself.
Carter: “How do you want to harm yourself”
Roy: “Something idkk yet”
Carter: “Please don’t”
Roy: “I hate myself I’ll always hate myself, I’m never gonna view myself as good I’m so far behind”
Carter: “What is harming yourself gonna do!? Nothing! It will make it worse!”
Roy: “Make the pain go away like you said”
Carter: “It will make the pain go away temporarily, but when you’re done, you’ll just regret it and feel even worse!”
July 7, 2014
Here, Carter tells Roy how she would handle his situation.
Roy: “ If you were in my position. honestly what would you do”
Carter: “I would get help. That’s just me tho. When I have a serious problem like that my first instinct is to get help because I know I can’t do it on my own”
Later that day, however, Carter and Roy discuss the best way for him to produce carbon monoxide (CO).
Carter: “Well there’s more ways to make CO. Google ways to make it. . . “ <<<-— 1
Roy: “Omg”
Carter: “What”
Roy: “portable generator that’s it”
July 8, 2014
The next day Roy seems less resolute.
Carter: “So are you sure you don’t wanna [kill yourself] tonight?”
Roy: “What do you mean am I sure?”
Carter: “Like, are you definitely not doing it tonight?”
Roy: “Idk yet I’ll let you know”
Carter: “Because I’ll stay up with you if you wanna do <<<-— 2
it tonight”
Roy: “ Another day wouldn’t hurt”
Carter: “You can’t keep pushing it off, tho, that’s all you keep doing” <<<-— 3
July 11, 2014
On this day Carter sends Roy her opinion about using a generator in the truck, as opposed to a water pump.
Carter: “...Well in my opinion, I think u should do the generator because I don’t know much <<<-— 4
about the pump and with a generator u can’t fail”
July 4-12, 2014
This series of messages was sent over a span of nine days. The —— indicates a pause between conversations.
Carter: “You’re gonna have to prove me wrong because I just don’t think you really want this. You just keeps pushing it off to another night and say you’ll do it but you never do” <<<-— 5
July 11-12, 2014
Overnight and into the next morning, Roy shares concerns over how his parents would handle his suicide.
Roy: “I’m just to sensitive. I want my family to know there was nothing they could do. I am entrapped in my own thoughts”
Roy: “like no I would be happy if they had no guilt about it. because I have a bad feeling tht this is going to create a lot of depression between my parents/sisters”
Roy: “i’m overthinking everything. . f**k. I gotta stop and just do it”
Carter: “I think your parents know you’re in a really bad place. Im not saying they want you to do it, but I honestly feel like they can accept it. They know there’s nothing they can do, they’ve tried helping, everyone’s tried. But there’s a point that comes where there isn’t anything anyone can do to save you, not even yourself, and you’ve hit that point and I think your parents know you’ve hit that point. You said you’re 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”
Carter: Everyone will be sad for a while, but they will get over it and move on. They won’t be in depression I won’t let that happen. They know how sad you are and they know that you’re doing this to be happy, and I think they will understand and accept it. They’ll always carry u in their hearts”
http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/08/us/text-message-suicide-michelle-carter-conrad-roy/index.html
I’m just throwing this out for discussion. It’s not a perfect analogy...but suppose Person A tries to commit suicide with a semi-auto pistol. But he has trouble chambering a bullet, and the gun jams. So A puts the gun aside.
A then calls B, and tells B exactly what he tried to do. B tells A to try to clear the jam. A then clears the jam, and he shoots himself.
Is Person B guilty of manslaughter?
It seems pretty apparent Carter wanted to use the suicide to become famous and play the “grieving girlfriend.”
Looks like she’ll be grieving alright....but not in the way she anticipated.
Young people today are completely full of themselves .....endless selfies and amazing hours of idleness.....all to get that one moment as a celebrity wannabe.
So glad my kids are grown and at a time when they knew their free time was precious to them and used it well.
I expect that the evil rap songs that suggest killings will soon be deemed responsible for murders, with the writers and performers being convicted of crimes?
This is a bit of a slippery slope to be on, IMO, which seems to be what you are also seeing.
If person B was aware of the circumstance outside of the gun being jammed, I’d say a case could definitely be made.
Reckless disregard for human life?
“..Manson didn’t go to the house and kill people...”
There were actually TWO murder sprees on different nights. Manson was present at the SECOND murder, of the LaBianca (sp?) people.
I’ve always thought the real battle in this case will take place in the court of appeals.
This needs to go to the Supreme Court
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.