Michelle Carter Gets Jail Time In Texting Suicide Case

TAUNTON, MA — The woman who encouraged her boyfriend over text messaging to kill himself has been sentenced to jail time, but will be allowed to remain free as her appeal is heard. Facing up to 20 years in prison, Michelle Carter was sentenced Thursday to two and a half years in jail with 15 months to be served and five years of probation. The remaining time of her sentence has been suspended until Aug. 1, 2022. Carter is also banned from profiting from the crime, including signing deals for movies, books, television shows or interviews.

Carter will remain out of jail for now. Judge Lawrence Moniz granted a delay on incarceration, allowing her to remain free as the case is appealed in the state court system. The stay does not apply to federal courts. During the stay, Carter must have no contact with the family of the victim or witnesses and can't obtain a passport or leave the state.

Watch: 15 Months For Girl Who Sent Texts Urging Suicide

The Commonwealth requested a sentence of seven to 12 years in a state prison. The defense asked for five years of probation with conditions, including mental health counseling, supervised probation of all mental health treatment and no contact with the victim's family.

SEE: Conrad Roy Suicide Note To Michelle Carter Released

In June, Carter was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of Conrad Roy, her ex-boyfriend. The case centered on scores of text messages she sent him encouraging he take his own life. The two met in Florida in 2012 while they while both were on vacation with their families.

On July 12, 2014, Roy died in the parking lot of the Fairhaven Kmart from carbon monoxide fumes from a gas-powered water pump. Texts between the two show a then-17-year-old Carter spending days encouraging Roy to end his life and telling him to get back into the truck when he began to have second thoughts.

In his decision, Moniz said that Carter telling Roy to go back into the truck, knowing that the toxic environment would likely kill him, was wanton and reckless conduct. Her failure to notify someone of Roy's location violated state law.

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A teary-eyed Camden Roy, Conrad's younger sister, said Thursday during impact statements that a day has not gone by where her first thought in the morning and last at night is of her brother.

"Not having that one person I’ve been with every day since birth is a pain I will keep for the rest of my life. Knowing I’ll never be an aunt or never see him get married is something I thought I would never live with," she said.

Roy's parents also gave statements, with his father Conrad Roy Jr. speaking in person, and a statement from his mother Lynn Roy was read by Assistant District Attorney Maryclare Flynn.

"He had such a bright future. Michelle Carter exploited his weaknesses and used him as a pawn in her well being. She has shown no remorse. The fact that my son was convinced to kill himself is incomprehensible. She showed no remorse," Roy Jr. said.

"There is not one day I do not mourn the death of my beloved son. Every day I strive to be a better mother to his sisters for him. I am trying to be there for his sisters the best way I can with the pain I carry for my eternity," a statement from Roy's mother read.

During the trial, prosecutors pointed to this text conversation as one of many that showed Carter pushing Roy to suffocate himself.

Carter said to Roy, “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.”

Citing a 200-year-old case, Moniz said when he announced the verdict that a state prison inmate was convicted of manslaughter for convincing another prisoner to hang himself hours before he was to be hanged.

Following his death, Carter attempted to organize a softball tournament in memory of Roy and posted on social media about how she missed Roy with several messages about suicide prevention. In court, friends of Carter testified that she admitted to hearing Roy die on the phone.

"I could have stopped him. I was on the phone with him and he got out of the car because it was working and he got scared and I (expletive) told him to get back in,” Carter said in one text.

In another text, Carter wrote, "They read my messages with him. I’m done. His family will hate me and I could go to jail.

Carter's defense said Roy was suicidal and had attempted to take his life before. An expert witness for the defense said Carter's text to Roy encouraging his death was the result of involuntary intoxication from an anti-depressant medication.

Moniz said he did not agree with the idea that a bad reaction to medicine caused her to encourage Roy's suicide. He also noted that following the earlier attempts, Roy had sought help, and it is not up to the court to determine what would happen if he didn't return to the truck filled with toxic poison.

Materials from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Image credit: Matt West/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool