A former Boston College student who prosecutors say drove her boyfriend to take his own life after besieging him with text messages to ...
A former Boston College student who prosecutors say drove her boyfriend to take his own life after besieging him with text messages to 'go kill yourself' pleaded guilty Thursday to involuntary manslaughter.
Inyoung You, 23, received a two-and-a-half-year suspended jail sentence and 10 years of probation after accepting a plea deal and was barred by a judge in Suffolk Superior Court from profiting from her case in any way.
You also has to perform 100 service hours during the first three years of her sentence, but she can avoid any jail time if she adheres to the terms of her probation.
Prosecutors said You sent Alexander Urtula, 22, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, thousands of messages in the last two months of their relationship, including many urging him to 'go kill yourself.'
Prosecutors referred to her actions - which were demonstrated through 75,000 text messages - as emotional and mental abuse.
Urtula, who dated You for 18 months, died in Boston in 2019 after jumping off a parking garage roof just hours before he was supposed to graduate with a biology degree from Boston College.
Inyoung You, 23, received a two-and-a-half-year suspended jail sentence and 10 years of probation, as well as, will be required to perform 100 service hours per year for the first three years of her probation for the involuntary manslaughter of her boyfriend Alexander Urtula, 22
You and Urtula exchanged 75,000 messages throughout their relationship, including ones where You urged him to 'go kill yourself'
He reportedly never displayed any signs of wanting to commit suicide before You came into his life.
You, who fled to her native country South Korea after his death, had reportedly been tracking her boyfriend's phone to the parking garage and was allegedly there trying to stop him while he committed suicide on May 20, 2019.
'This agreement with [the] defense counsel was made in close consultation with the Urtula family. It is consistent with their desire to seek accountability and closure and to protect the legacy of Alexander, a loving son, brother, and uncle,' said District Attorney Rollins.
'They believe this is something Alexander would have wanted.'
You, who only dated Urtula for 18 months, was accused of emotional and mental abuse
Alex killed him by jumping off a parking garage roof in 2019, just hours before he was supposed to graduate from Boston College with a degree in biology
Judge Robert Ullmann encouraged You to 'make every possible effort to live your life in a way that honors the memory of Alexander Urtula.'
The judge also hoped this case will show young people that 'this type of messaging' isn't appropriate and has 'devastating consequences.'
'This type of messaging, demeaning someone when they are feeling down or even suggesting suicide can have devastating consequences,' Ullmann said in court.
When the judge asked if she would like to speak, You declined. Her lawyer Steven Kim said You was too distraught to speak, the Boston Globe reported.
Before her arraignment in November 2019 when she originally pleaded not guilty, You, through a public relations firm, released text messages suggesting she tried to stop Urtula and alerted Urtula's brother in the moments before his death.
In November 2019, a public firm, who represented You, released text messages suggesting she tried to stop Urtula (pictured)
You's lawyer said in court that his client is 'very distraught,' and deeply remorseful.
'As soon as Ms. You understood that he was trying to commit suicide, Ms. You did everything she could to prevent it, calling, texting, pleading, begging, rushing over there,' Kim said.
'Ms. You is a wonderful young woman who has deep deep remorse. This plea will allow her to move on with her life and preserves her potential to have a bright future and for the Urtula family to have closure as well.'
The family, who was supportive of the plea agreement, said they had 'no feeling' toward You.
'We bear no feelings of anger or reprisal. We believe that time will take us through in the moments we mourn and celebrate his life.'
The case was compared to that of Michelle Carter, who garnered national headlines and an HBO film. The young Massachusetts woman was sentenced to 15 months in jail after she was convicted in 2017 of involuntary manslaughter for using text messages and phone calls to encourage her boyfriend, Conrad Roy, to kill himself in 2014.
Carter was the first to be convicted of manslaughter for using her own words.
The judge, however, does not believe these two cases are similar because Carter's actions were more specific than You's.
'This is a tragic case,' the judge said. 'Frankly the statement of the Urtula family is heartbreaking. To the members of the Urtula family, I am deeply sorry for your loss and I greatly admire how you’ve responded to this tragedy.'
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