Texting suicide case: Michelle Carter's 15-month prison sentence stayed

Massachusetts [U.S.A.], August 4 (ANI): A Massachusetts state judge has stayed Michelle Carter's 15-month prison sentence pending appeal of her involuntary manslaughter conviction in the 2014 suicide of her boyfriend, Conrady Roy III.

Carter, who was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the 2014 suicide of her boyfriend, was sentenced on Thursday to a two-and-a-half-year term, with 15 months in prison and the balance suspended plus a period of supervised probation.

"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, CNN reports.

In a 15-minute explanation of his ruling, Moniz focused on the defendant's extensive text messages, CNN reports.

"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."

Earlier, hundreds of her text messages presented as evidence over six days of testimony in June convinced a Massachusetts judge of her guilt in the criminal case.

The case, which could lead to new state laws about pressuring someone to kill themselves, has been closely watched by legal analysts.

Carter faces up to 20 years in prison, though experts say such a lengthy sentence is unlikely. (ANI)

This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI