Michelle Carter Trial (MA) Verdict announced Friday 11 AM

MaryAnnDVC

"Mare", DISing since '99; prefers being tagless
Joined
Feb 9, 2001
Starts tomorrow, June 6.

Michelle Carter was 17 (now 20) when she encouraged her 18 yr old boyfriend, Conrad Roy, through numerous text messages over a period of time, to follow through with his plan to commit suicide, which he eventually did.

What makes it particularly interesting...

"Boston defense attorney Peter Elikann told CNN affiliate WFXT that lawyers and legal scholars are watching the case closely because it could set a legal precedent.
"At the moment, there's really no law on the books in Massachusetts about whether somebody can encourage somebody to commit suicide or not," he said."


More info:
http://www.cnn.com/2017/06/05/us/te...ins/index.html1034PMStoryLink&linkId=38386827

LIVE COVERAGE
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2017/06/live_coverage_michelle_carter.html

http://thetrialdiaries.com/trial-livestream-links/
 
I read about this and read the text message exchanges... so sad. And infuriating. Perhaps this won't be enough to have her found legally liable (yet) but I will be interested in how a jury weighs the defense's arguments.

Some of the worst parts were when they discussed his parents/siblings, and he says he doesn't want to cause his family undue grief over his eventual suicide. And she's like, yeah well they tried you tried they know you're in a bad place and that sometimes you have to just give up because you've tried it all. HE WAS 18! :sad1: His messages read more like subdued cries for help or validation that he shouldn't go through with it. Right up to when he got out of the truck midway through, spoke with her about his second thoughts, but was encouraged to continue and did... :sad1::mad:

Idk. I'm now guilty of playing armchair attorney off what the media has reported so far. Yet I feel like this case is different from an assisted suicide, which is the angle I'm reminded of when the defense claims "it's sad, but he'd been planning this for months."

What does everybody else think? If you're aware that somebody is suicidal and you repeatedly encourage them (but also try to encourage them to get professional help, apparently), are you at fault?
 
I read about this and read the text message exchanges... so sad. And infuriating. Perhaps this won't be enough to have her found legally liable (yet) but I will be interested in how a jury weighs the defense's arguments.

Some of the worst parts were when they discussed his parents/siblings, and he says he doesn't want to cause his family undue grief over his eventual suicide. And she's like, yeah well they tried you tried they know you're in a bad place and that sometimes you have to just give up because you've tried it all. HE WAS 18! :sad1: His messages read more like subdued cries for help or validation that he shouldn't go through with it. Right up to when he got out of the truck midway through, spoke with her about his second thoughts, but was encouraged to continue and did... :sad1::mad:

Idk. I'm now guilty of playing armchair attorney off what the media has reported so far. Yet I feel like this case is different from an assisted suicide, which is the angle I'm reminded of when the defense claims "it's sad, but he'd been planning this for months."

What does everybody else think? If you're aware that somebody is suicidal and you repeatedly encourage them (but also try to encourage them to get professional help, apparently), are you at fault?

Ugh. Why do I click true crime threads. I don't even know.

But to answer your question, I think it's a lousy thing to do as a human, but I'm not sure you can be held criminally responsible unless you somehow physically helped.

Because the flip side is, let's say you try to talk someone out of it, you think you succeeded, you fail, and then they commit suicide...can you be charged with failing to report it or failing to prevent it? I think somewhere you probably could be, but I don't think it's right. You can't necessarily save someone from themself and you can't necessarily convince someone to do so either. (Provided you aren't blackmailing them in some way, I suppose).

I know of people who use that as a manipulation tactic. That's my issue. I mean not from the perspective of the girlfriend- I mean from the perspective of the guy. Convict this lady and then too easily people who would other wise leave their supposedly suicidal SOs won't get out of that toxic relationship because they think they'll be held responsible if their SO goes through with their threat after the breakup.
 


I know of people who use that as a manipulation tactic. That's my issue. I mean not from the perspective of the girlfriend- I mean from the perspective of the guy. Convict this lady and then too easily people who would other wise leave their supposedly suicidal SOs won't get out of that toxic relationship because they think they'll be held responsible if their SO goes through with their threat after the breakup.

Unfortunately, I agree. I think this girl did something horrible, but we cannot set the precedent that words (or lack of them) make you guilty of murder. Suicide is ultimately the responsibility of the one who commits the act. I believe we have to do more to convince people that suicide is not a solution, no matter what any jerk says to you.
 
Oh, and an interesting addition I heard this morning (I live in MA, so it's on my "local" news) - she waived her right to a jury trial. The case will be heard by just a judge.
 
I read about this and read the text message exchanges... so sad. And infuriating. Perhaps this won't be enough to have her found legally liable (yet) but I will be interested in how a jury weighs the defense's arguments.

Some of the worst parts were when they discussed his parents/siblings, and he says he doesn't want to cause his family undue grief over his eventual suicide. And she's like, yeah well they tried you tried they know you're in a bad place and that sometimes you have to just give up because you've tried it all. HE WAS 18! :sad1: His messages read more like subdued cries for help or validation that he shouldn't go through with it. Right up to when he got out of the truck midway through, spoke with her about his second thoughts, but was encouraged to continue and did... :sad1::mad:

Idk. I'm now guilty of playing armchair attorney off what the media has reported so far. Yet I feel like this case is different from an assisted suicide, which is the angle I'm reminded of when the defense claims "it's sad, but he'd been planning this for months."

What does everybody else think? If you're aware that somebody is suicidal and you repeatedly encourage them (but also try to encourage them to get professional help, apparently), are you at fault?

No jury, she opted for a bench trial
 


Even if she does not see jail, I bet she will get walloped in a civil suit and end up owing the family millions for a wrongful death
 
Read about this on WS. Wonder if it's a form of Munchausen? She wanted all the attention that would follow???
 
: #MichelleCarter asked Roy's sister if she could have some of his ashes after she found out his was cremated.
 
MIchelle Carter sparred with Roy's friend over "credit" for memorial fundraiser, Flynn says.
 

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