A 17-year-old girl allegedly badgered her 18-year-old depressed boyfriend to end his life. She sent him numerous messages encouraging him to commit suicide.
The young woman has been convicted of 'involuntary manslaughter', according to a report in Independent. The sentence was later stayed, pending appeal of conviction, adds the report.
The young woman named Michelle Carter had texted Conrad Roy III, her then boyfriend to get into a truck that he was filling with toxic carbon monoxide gas. She sent him messages reminding him of the pledge to kill himself. She has now been sentenced to 15 months in a Massachusetts jail
“The time is right and you are ready… just do it babe,” one of her texts reportedly read.
The judicial system had not come across such a situation before. In the case, words alone were said to be enough to have caused somebody’s death. While one side argued that she urged her boyfriend to kill himself, the other side said that he was depressed and would do it anyway. A psychiatrist testified that Carter had tried to stop him from 'killing himself', but ultimately supported him in the decision.