I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter

A balanced overview of an unprecedented case

There's nothing anyone can do for me that's gonna make me wanna live.

• Conrad Roy, III; Text sent to Michelle Carter (June 29, 2014)

Jesus will take care of you babe, you'll be happy and protected in heaven. I just want you to finally be happy, so so happy. Heaven needs a hero.

• Michelle Carter; Text sent to Conrad Roy, III (July 2, 2014)

I hope they see that he had his mind set on it. Like it may seem like I wanted him to but I didn't at all you know I loved him like, I read the thing online where it said if u agree w__ith the person, then it makes them realize how stupid they're being and so they'll stop it but it didn't work and I just idk I hope that the cops don't see it that way like I didn't bully him at all or anything.

• Michelle Carter; Text sent to Sam Boardman (July 21, 2014)

His death is my fault like honestly 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 fucking told him to get back in because I knew he would do it all over again the next day and I couldnt have him live the way he was living anymore I couldnt do it I wouldnt let him.

• Michelle Carter; Text sent to Sam Boardman (September 15, 2014)

When does irresponsibility become criminality? When do words attain the power to kill? If you're standing with a gun pressed against your temple, I encourage you to pull the trigger, and you do so, am I legally culpable in some way? What if you take the gun away from your head and I actively demand you place it back? Is your death in part my responsibility, in a legal sense? My words may have been abhorrent, immoral, and inhuman, but are they criminal? To a certain extent, it's the inverse of the saying, "just because someone tells you to jump off a bridge doesn't mean you have to". Which is true. But what if you want to jump? What if you've tried jumping before? What if jumping is one o...