Michelle Carter Murder Case: Attorneys Give Opening Statements

TAUNTON, MA — Opening statements in the Michelle Carter case were heard Tuesday morning in Taunton Juvenile Court.

Carter, a Plainville native, is accused of pushing her boyfriend, 18-year-old Conrad Roy III of Mattapoisett, to suicide. The trial is starting earlier than expected due to Carter waiving her right to a jury trial.

In their opening statement, prosecutors allege that Roy struggled with depression and once overdosed on Tylenol. Once Roy met Carter, the two confided in each other about their mental illnesses.

When Roy began to struggle with depression again, Carter began to talk about suicide, even allegedly telling him that his death would not bother his parents or brother, according to the Boston Globe.

In texts to Roy, Carter allegedly said, "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 responded: “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.”

At one point, Roy nearly killed himself with carbon monoxide in his truck, but Carter told him to get back inside, prosecutors allege.

Carter's defense, however, said the death was a suicide and not a homicide. They argue that Carter didn't physically see Roy for a year and she tried to talk the teen out of killing himself. They say Roy researched several methods of suicide including ways to make it look like an accident, suicide by cop, and water intoxication.

In one text, Roy suggested that the two should be like Romeo and Juliet, messaging Carter, "You know what happens in the end, right?"

"Oh ---- no, we're not dying!" Carter responded.

Testimony is expected to continue during the day

Image Credit: George Rizer/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool