A teenage girl is facing manslaughter charges after a series of text messages from her allegedly fueled the suicide of a friend, Conrad Roy, 18, who was found dead in his truck in July 2014.
As the Sydney Morning Herald reports, Michelle Carter, now 18, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter over the death of the Massachusetts teenager. Her text messages seemingly encourage Roy to end his life. He died of carbon monoxide poisoning, of his own doing.
Joseph P. Cataldo, Michelle Carter’s defense lawyer, told a judge on Monday that prosecutors are punishing his client for her speech, and claims she was “brainwashed” into encouraging Roy’s suicide, after initially trying to dissuade him.
He said: “He ultimately persuaded a young, impressionable girl […] Eventually he gets her to endorse his plan.”
Prosecutors countered that speech can be the basis for criminal charges and said Carter attempted to cover her tracks by asking Roy to delete her messages.
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An extract of the text messages has been released:
CARTER: You can’t think about it. You just have to do it. You said you were gonna do it. Like I don’t get why you aren’t.
ROY: I don’t get it either. I don’t know.
CARTER: So I guess you aren’t gonna do it then. All that for nothing. I’m just confused. Like you were so ready and determined.
ROY: I am gonna eventually. I really don’t know what I’m waiting for but I have everything lined up.
CARTER: No, you’re not, Conrad. Last night was it. You kept pushing it off and you say you’ll do it, but you never do. It’s always gonna be that way if you don’t take action. You’re just making it harder on yourself by pushing it off. You just have to do it. Do you want to do it now?
ROY: Is it too late? I don’t know. It’s already light outside. I’m gonna go back too sleep. Love you. I’ll text you tomorrow.
CARTER: No. It’s probably the best time now because everyone is sleeping. Just go somewhere in your truck and no one is really out there right now because it’s an awkward time. If you don’t do it now you’re never gonna do it, and you can say you’ll do it tomorrow, but you probably won’t. Tonight? Love you.
Blogger Jonathan Turley wrote about the case in March:
“I find the alleged actions of Carter to be disgusting and deeply troubling. However, I fail to see the line between speech and criminal conduct. Indeed, there is no action here but speech. What is the difference between what she did and thousands of others advocating suicide on the Internet or people calling for others to jump off bridges or ledges. She certainly knew Conrad but that does not necessarily change the legal equation. If she can be charged with manslaughter, where do we draw the line in cases of speech.”
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