Michelle Carter Trial: Carter Sentenced To 15 Months In Jail

On Thursday, Judge Lawrence Moniz gave Michelle Carter a 2.5-year jail sentence for involuntary manslaughter for her role in the suicide of her friend Conrad Roy III. Carter will serve 15 months of that sentence, the rest will be suspended until 2022. Judge Moniz also gave her five years of probation. He granted a stay on the sentence during the appeals process.

During the trial the prosecution presented texts and Facebook messages Carter sent Roy throughout their relationship encouraging him to follow through on his plans to take his life.

In July 2014 Roy used a portable generator to fill his truck with carbon monoxide while in a K-Mart parking lot. Having regrets, Roy exited the vehicle and called Carter to tell her he was afraid and uncertain about his plans. Carter then instructed him to get back in the truck and follow through with his plans. Roy obeyed those words and got back into the truck, which had filed with toxic fumes, and died.

This is part of Radio Boston's ongoing coverage of the Michelle Carter trial.

David Boeri, WBUR senior reporter. He tweets @davidboeri.

Nancy Gertner, former Massachusetts federal judge, senior lecturer on law at Harvard Law School and WBUR legal analyst. She tweets @ngertner.