Text messages between 18-year-old Michelle Carter and her online boyfriend, 18-year-old Conrad Roy III, have been released. They detail how Carter took advantage of Roy’s fragile mental state, ultimately pushing him to commit suicide via a deliberate carbon monoxide leak into his vehicle.
Roy, who was generally hesitant at the idea of committing suicide, was found dead on July 13, 2014. He was found in his truck in a parking lot and had used a combustion engine to induce a carbon monoxide leak. According to court documents, Carter’s “assistance” of Roy’s suicide had been going on for at least a week before Roy killed himself.
Michelle Carter has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
The text messages reveal that Carter actually helped Roy devise methods with which to kill himself. She did research finding out the best way to induce a carbon monoxide leak for suicidal purposes. Roy was apprehensive prompting Carter to accuse Roy of making up excuses to not go through with it. Carter also told Roy that if the carbon monoxide leak didn’t work, he could “try the bag or hanging.”
Holy crap! This girl was determined to see this unstable teen end his life.
If this story wasn’t disturbing enough at this point, when Roy was in the truck with the carbon monoxide leak, he panicked and wanted to leave the vehicle. From the Huffington Post:
“‘Like, honestly, I could have stopped it,’ Carter said in a text to her friend months after Roy’s death. ‘I was the one on the phone with him and he got out of the car because [the carbon monoxide] was working and he got scared. I fucken [sic] told him to get back in.'”
Sweet zombie Jesus! This chick is off her rocker. Who does this? Who coaxes a poor, unstable person into committing suicide?
Even though Carter has been charged with involuntary manslaughter, prosecutors will have a remarkably tough time proving Carter guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Massachusetts has no law criminalizing assisted suicide. Even though what Carter did is despicable beyond any and all reason, making a manslaughter charge stick in this case may actually prove to be impossible.
This case doesn’t fit into any Massachusetts statute. It isn’t cyberbullying nor is it harassment or stalking, and Carter’s actions do not fit well enough into the definition of involuntary manslaughter. This case has no precedent.
Unfortunately, Carter may walk when all of this is said and done. Well, at least she can be crucified in the court of public opinion.
If you or anyone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-8255. They are available 24/7, both in English and Spanish. They can also be reached at www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
