Michelle Carter has been handed down a 15-month sentence for encouraging her former boyfriend, Conrad Roy, to commit suicide.
Ms. Carter was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter of Mr. Roy, who died by carbon monoxide inhalation inside his truck in July 2014.
18-year-old Conrad Roy, who had a history of mental illness and had attempted suicide before, rigged a pump to output the deadly gas into the truck. The couple were in continuous contact via text messaging while the poisoning was happening. At one point, Roy got out of the truck and texted her to say he was ‘scared.’ Ms. Carter, then 17 years of age, allegedly messaged him to ‘get back in.’
Moments before Mr. Roy’s death, she texted ‘You need to do it, Conrad” and “All you have to do is turn the generator on and you will be free and happy.”
Mr. Conrad died shortly afterwards.
The case sets a legal precedent in Massachusetts, where the events took place, as there is no current state law to make the encouragement of suicide a criminal offence.
Ms. Carter will remain free while the appeals process is ongoing.