Michelle Carter Being Sued for $4.2 Million by Late Boyfriend's Mother
08/31/2017 03:57 pm EDT
Michelle Carter, the Massachusetts woman who was convicted in the 2014 suicide of her boyfriend, is now being sued by his mother a little over $4 million.
According to PEOPLE, Lynn Roy is suing Carter for last wages that her son Conrad Roy III would have accumulated.
At this time, it's not known if Carter has retained a civil lawyer to assist with the case, but it is known that the wrongful death lawsuit was filed on behalf of Conrad's estate in a Norfolk Superior Court.
In June, a judge found Carter guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the 2014 death of Roy III. The prosecution argued that Carter encouraged Roy to kill himself through a series of phone calls and text messages.
Judge Lawrence Moniz, of the Massachusetts' Bristol County Juvenile Court, passed down the decision on Friday, which is only three days after the closing statements were made.
The trial only lasted for a total of 6 days, and Carter potentially faces a sentence of up to 20 years in prison.
She was charged as a youthful offender, but under Massachusetts state law juvenile offenders can be sentenced the same as an adult. However, at the time of the crime, she was a minor.
Roy's father, Conrad Roy Jr., released a statement following the ruling. He said, "This has been a very tough time for our family and we'd like to process this verdict that we're happy with."
One of Carter's lawyers, Joseph Cataldo, said the Judge Moniz's decision "disappointed" him, and he went on to imply that he might consider filing an appeal.
Judge Moniz reportedly spoke from the bench for around 20 minutes, explaining his findings before he announcing the decision he'd come to.
At first, he was said to seem to be exonerating Carter for her behavior in the days leading up to Roy's suicide, but then focused in on her actions the day of Roy's death. This, he said, ultimately led to his conviction decision.
"Carter's actions and also her failure to act where she had a self-created duty to Mr. Roy, since she had put him in that toxic environment, constituted each and all wanton and reckless conduct," Moniz said, delivering his ruling.
He referenced very specific moments. Carter telling Roy to get back into a truck that she was aware was filling with deadly carbon monoxide, as well as her failure to notify anyone about what was happening.
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