jackyjaggs
Elite Member
(CNN)Michelle Carter, whose own words helped seal her involuntary manslaughter conviction in the suicide of her teenage boyfriend, was sentenced to 15 months in a Massachusetts prison Thursday -- but will remain free pending appeals.
"This court must and has balanced between rehabilitation, the promise that rehabilitation would work and a punishment for the actions that have occurred," said Bristol County Juvenile Court Judge Lawrence Moniz, emphasizing that rehabilitation was a primary component of juvenile justice.
Hundreds of Carter's text messages presented as evidence over six days of testimony in June convinced a Moniz of her guilt in a criminal case that hinged largely on the intimate cellphone exchanges between Carter and 18-year-old Conrad Roy III.
Before imposing his sentence the judge heard impassioned statements from the immediate relatives of Roy -- a troubled young man who struggled with mental health issues and had attempted to take his life before his 2014 suicide.
Camden Roy, the victim's sister, broke down on the stand as she spoke of waking up and going to bed each day thinking of her brother. She lamented not being able to attend his wedding or to be an aunt to his children.
Conrad Roy Jr. told the court that Carter "exploited my son's weaknesses and used him as a pawn" for her own interests.
And Lyn Carter, in a statement read by a prosecutor, said she prays that her son's death "will save lives some day," adding that she supports a law making it a crime to coerce or encourage suicide. "There is not one day that I do not mourn the loss of my beloved son," she said.
Carter appeared to be close to tears as she listened, holding a tissue near her mouth. Bristol Assistant District Attorney Maryclare Flynn recommended a sentence of seven to 12 years in prison, saying Carter "undertook a deliberate, well thought out campaign ... for her own personal gain and quest for attention."
"She ended (Roy's) life to better her own," she said.
[h=3]Defense attorney calls for probation[/h]
Carter faced up to 20 years in prison but defense attorney Joe Cataldo asked for five years of supervised probation with required mental health counseling. He said his client had been diagnosed with several eating disorders, had been taking anti-depressants and was not a danger to the public.
In the end, Cataldo said, the case involved two young people struggling with mental issues. "This was so unique -- these two sad individuals," he said.
Cataldo added, "The goal is not punitive but rehabilitative."
Roy, 18, poisoned himself by inhaling carbon monoxide in his pickup truck.In a 15-minute explanation of his guilty finding last June, Moniz focused on the defendant's extensive text messages.
"She admits in ... texts that she did nothing: She did not call the police or Mr. Roy's family" after hearing his last breaths during a phone call, Moniz said as Carter cried silently.
"And, finally, she did not issue a simple additional instruction: Get out of the truck."The state argued that the evidence was damning. Carter sent Roy numerous text messages urging him to commit suicide, listened over the phone as he suffocated -- and failed to alert authorities or his family that he'd died. Moniz agreed.
"This court has found that Carter's actions and failure to act where it was her self-created duty to Roy since she put him in that toxic environment constituted reckless conduct," the judge said. "The court finds that the conduct caused the death of Mr. Roy."
I mean because she "said" for him to do something and did not stop him, then Charles Manson technically should have got a lesser sentence because he only "said" for them to do something and did not commit the crime. Or next time we are speeding with someone in the car can our defense be " the passenger told me to go faster" then they should get the ticket. just saying.....
"This court must and has balanced between rehabilitation, the promise that rehabilitation would work and a punishment for the actions that have occurred," said Bristol County Juvenile Court Judge Lawrence Moniz, emphasizing that rehabilitation was a primary component of juvenile justice.
Hundreds of Carter's text messages presented as evidence over six days of testimony in June convinced a Moniz of her guilt in a criminal case that hinged largely on the intimate cellphone exchanges between Carter and 18-year-old Conrad Roy III.
Before imposing his sentence the judge heard impassioned statements from the immediate relatives of Roy -- a troubled young man who struggled with mental health issues and had attempted to take his life before his 2014 suicide.
Camden Roy, the victim's sister, broke down on the stand as she spoke of waking up and going to bed each day thinking of her brother. She lamented not being able to attend his wedding or to be an aunt to his children.
Conrad Roy Jr. told the court that Carter "exploited my son's weaknesses and used him as a pawn" for her own interests.
And Lyn Carter, in a statement read by a prosecutor, said she prays that her son's death "will save lives some day," adding that she supports a law making it a crime to coerce or encourage suicide. "There is not one day that I do not mourn the loss of my beloved son," she said.
Carter appeared to be close to tears as she listened, holding a tissue near her mouth. Bristol Assistant District Attorney Maryclare Flynn recommended a sentence of seven to 12 years in prison, saying Carter "undertook a deliberate, well thought out campaign ... for her own personal gain and quest for attention."
"She ended (Roy's) life to better her own," she said.
[h=3]Defense attorney calls for probation[/h]
Carter faced up to 20 years in prison but defense attorney Joe Cataldo asked for five years of supervised probation with required mental health counseling. He said his client had been diagnosed with several eating disorders, had been taking anti-depressants and was not a danger to the public.
In the end, Cataldo said, the case involved two young people struggling with mental issues. "This was so unique -- these two sad individuals," he said.
Cataldo added, "The goal is not punitive but rehabilitative."
Roy, 18, poisoned himself by inhaling carbon monoxide in his pickup truck.In a 15-minute explanation of his guilty finding last June, Moniz focused on the defendant's extensive text messages.
"She admits in ... texts that she did nothing: She did not call the police or Mr. Roy's family" after hearing his last breaths during a phone call, Moniz said as Carter cried silently.
"And, finally, she did not issue a simple additional instruction: Get out of the truck."The state argued that the evidence was damning. Carter sent Roy numerous text messages urging him to commit suicide, listened over the phone as he suffocated -- and failed to alert authorities or his family that he'd died. Moniz agreed.
"This court has found that Carter's actions and failure to act where it was her self-created duty to Roy since she put him in that toxic environment constituted reckless conduct," the judge said. "The court finds that the conduct caused the death of Mr. Roy."
I mean because she "said" for him to do something and did not stop him, then Charles Manson technically should have got a lesser sentence because he only "said" for them to do something and did not commit the crime. Or next time we are speeding with someone in the car can our defense be " the passenger told me to go faster" then they should get the ticket. just saying.....
