I'm pretty torn over this. On the one hand, yeah she's pretty despicable for encouraging this guy to end his life...but I'd need to hear more about this. Was he constantly talking about it to the point that she was calling his bluff? I need more details.

 

And on the other hand we have free will. She didn't hold that guy down and physically force him to stay in that truck.

 

That's precisely where I've been about this case.

Perspective is a strange thing sometimes. She had known this guy for some time, and he had talked about killing himself for some time (by reports). In a situation such as this, she may have been one of the most supportive people in this guy's life and may have provided constant feedback to him about his situation. It is also possible she grew tired of his talk and lost her own ability to empathize with a person who continually threatened to take his own life.

 

It's easy to place blame on her for her text messages, but context is a truth serum.

 

While I don't endorse her behavior, I understand what may have been the "why" behind her responses....it still does not make her any more responsible for his death than the people who heard him talk about suicide and did nothing to stop it.

 

Same coin, different side.

 

Not following you here BB, can't really grasp what you are trying to say here other than she's not at fault. Ultimately yes, HE killed himself and is responsible. The question is what part, if any, she played to that end. I think she played a part and was despicable in her actions. It's not like she shot him a text out of frustration saying "leave me alone already and do what you are gonna do". She actually was "coaching" him through it.

I'm torn on this one. She's a piece of crap but not sure she should be criminally liable.

According to her forehead, we are going to have a bad winter.

According to her forehead, we are going to have a bad winter.

:lol2:

Not following you here BB, can't really grasp what you are trying to say here other than she's not at fault. Ultimately yes, HE killed himself and is responsible. The question is what part, if any, she played to that end. I think she played a part and was despicable in her actions. It's not like she shot him a text out of frustration saying "leave me alone already and do what you are gonna do". She actually was "coaching" him through it.

 

What I'm getting at is that people who deal with individuals that continually make threats tend toward the desensitized side, unlike casual observers (jury members) who only see the wind down and end state.

 

She is not responsible for this dude killing himself. She may have some emotional culpability, but to make her the responsible party is an emotional judgement based on how we feel about HER and not out of sympathy for him.

Does anyone know what exactly she was convicted of?

Does anyone know what exactly she was convicted of?

 

Involuntary manslaughter

Involuntary manslaughter

Thanks. So according to a court of law, she IS responsible for the dude killing himself.

del

According to her forehead, we are going to have a bad winter.

 

:lol2: Love it !!!

Just a technicality, and not sure how much this matters... But she waived her right to a jury trial. This was a bench trial decided by a judge.

Great civil case. Terrible criminal case. Words should not be able to form the basis of criminal culpability absent a proscribed action (bomb threat) wanton mass action (scream fire in crowded theatre), or truly vulnerable victim (down syndrome child, for example). When we expand that to depression we broaden the spectrum too far. This is not throwing a brick to a drowning man, because a brick is heavy, words are not.

Great civil case. Terrible criminal case. Words should not be able to form the basis of criminal culpability absent a proscribed action (bomb threat) wanton mass action (scream fire in crowded theatre), or truly vulnerable victim (down syndrome child, for example). When we expand that to depression we broaden the spectrum too far. This is not throwing a brick to a drowning man, because a brick is heavy, words are not.

My fear is what's next. I think the slope just got a bit slick.

Just a technicality, and not sure how much this matters... But she waived her right to a jury trial. This was a bench trial decided by a judge.

 

Her lawyer knew a jury would not be favorable for her, which is why he convinced her to wave the jury and let a judge decide. Still didn't work.