Conrad's law to prevent suicide coercion in Massachusetts.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Conrad Roy

Amy Sokolow, reported for The Boston Herald that Conrad's Law will once again be debated in the Massachusetts legislature. 

The bill is named for Conrad Roy who died in July 2014 after his girlfriend, Michelle Carter, pressured him through text messages and phone calls to carry out suicide. Almost seven years after his death, legislators have refiled legislation to prosecute coerced suicide in Massachusetts, bringing the state in line with almost all the others in the U.S.

Sokolow quotes Sen. Barry Finegold, D-Andover, who filed the legislation as stating:

“The fact that 42 other states have something like this on the books and we’re only one of eight states that (doesn’t) speaks volumes about why we do need something like this,”

Roland St. Denis, the husband of Conrad's mother, told the media

...having struggled with mental illness himself. He has worked with Medwed, Higgins and Finegold to shape this bill and shepherd it through the legislative process.

The lack of a coercion bill made Carter’s court case drag out longer than necessary, and “put an enormous amount of strain on Lynn, her daughters, (and) her son’s father’s family,”

Sokolow reported that Carter was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and was released from prison last year.

More articles on this topic:

• Massachusetts high court upholds manslaughter conviction for woman who assisted the suicide of her boyfriend (Link).
  

Woman pressured boyfriend to suicide.

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Conrad Roy

Last February, the Massachusetts high court upheld the the voluntary manslaughter conviction of Michelle Carter for assisting the suicide of Conrad Roy who was 18 at the time of his death. Carter, who was 17 at the time of the death, was sentenced to 15 months in prison. The court found that Carter pressured Conrad to die by suicide.
 
Another young woman has been charged after pressuring or assisting her boyfriend to die by suicide.

Alexander Urtula

Inyoung You (21) has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in the suicide death of Alexander Urtula (22) who had an 18 month relationship. Mark Pratt reported for the Associated Press:

Inyoung You, 21, was “physically, verbally and psychologically abusive” to fellow Boston College student Alexander Urtula during an 18-month relationship, Suffolk District Attorney Rachael Rollins said at a news conference.

You sent Urtula, 22, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, more than 47,000 text messages in the last two months of the relationship, including many urging him to “go kill yourself” or “go die,” Rollins said. You also tracked Urtula and was nearby when he died in Boston on May 20, the day of his Boston College graduation.

“Many of the messages display the power dynamic of the relationship, wherein Ms. You made demands and threats with the understanding that she had complete and total control over Mr. Urtula both mentally and emotionally,” Rollins said.

According to the Associated Press article You is currently in South Korea.

You is in her native South Korea, and it is unclear when she will be arraigned. Prosecutors are in negotiations with You's counsel to get her to return to the U.S. voluntarily, but if she does not, Rollins said, she will start extradition proceedings.

Last July, Massachusetts State Senator Barry Finegold and Representative Natalie Higgins introduced Conrad's Law, a bill to deter suicide coercion. Conrad's law would punish those who coerce others into committing or attempting to commit suicide, with punishment of up to five years in prison. The bill does not apply to assisted suicide, which is illegal in Massachusetts.

Similar to other assisted suicide cases, the person who dies may have been coerced or encouraged to suicide.

Lawyers for Michelle Carter argued that her texts were constitutionally protected free speech and yet the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court upheld her conviction. The Carter decision has been appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which hasn't yet decided whether it will take up the case.

To reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). You can also text a crisis counselor by messaging 741741.

Massachusetts to debate suicide coercion bill "Conrad's law"

Alex Schadenberg
Executive Director, Euthanasia Prevention Coalition

Conrad Roy

Massachusetts State Senator Barry Finegold and Representative Natalie Higgins are introducing Conrad's Law, a bill to deter suicide coercion.

Lauren Fox reporting for The Boston Globe stated that the bill is named for Conrad Roy who died in July 2014 after his girlfriend, Michelle Carter, pressured him through text messages and phone calls to carry out his suicide.

Conrad's law punishes those who coerce others into committing or attempting to commit suicide, with punishment of up to five years in prison. This bill does not apply to assisted suicide, which is illegal in Massachusetts.

Lauren Fox reported Lynn Roy, Conrad's mother as saying: 

she was honored to support the legislation, called “Conrad’s Law.” 

“Before my son passed, I was excited about so much,” she said. Still, she had never said “I’m friggin’ excited” about anything until she learned the anti-suicide measure was moving forward. 

“My heart is so full,” she said. “And I’m so proud of my son.”

CBS Boston reported Lynn Roy as saying that this is the first time she has felt joy since the death of her son. Roy stated:

“My son was the most kind, warm, compassionate person,” she said. “By passing Conrad’s Law, I truly believe this is the perfect way to honor him.”

Conrad's father told The Boston Globe that he hopes that:

“this bill helps saves some lives and just puts some more awareness out there about suicide and about bullying.”

Fox reported that Carter was convicted, in 2017, of involuntary manslaughter in Roy’s death. Earlier this month, Carter’s lawyers petitioned the US Supreme Court to review the case.