Articles
Second coerced suicide case adds urgency to Conrad’s Law passage
By Phyllis Hanlon
Two recent cases of “coerced” suicide in Massachusetts prompted legislators to file a bill that would criminalize intimidating behavior and strong-arm tactics that cause another to commit suicide. In 2014, Michelle Carter encouraged her boyfriend Conrad Roy to take his own life. More recently, Inyoung You allegedly pressured Boston College student Alexander Urtula to kill himself. In July 2019, state representative Natalie M. Higgins, (D-Worcester’s 4th district) and Senator Barry R. Finegold (D-Second Essex and Middlesex) filed the bill, known as Conrad’s Law, as the judicial committee was wrapping up its session. “We want to make clear to the community [More]
Conrad’s law
By Susan Gonsalves
A proposed law in Massachusetts would make it illegal to coax someone to commit or attempt suicide. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Barry Finegold (D-Second Essex and Middlesex) and Rep. Natalie Higgins (D-4th Worcester District) would make this type of coercion punishable by up to five years in jail and has been dubbed, “Conrad’s Law.” Conrad Roy, 18, killed himself at the urging of his girlfriend Michelle Carter in 2014. Carter of Plainville was convicted of involuntary manslaughter and is serving a 15-month prison sentence. “Like everyone else, I followed the case and was horrified by what happened,” said Finegold [More]