Internet suicide case judge to hear lawyers' statements

[dutchman]

A judge is due to hear statements from laywers today in the case of a former American nurse accused of encouraging a Coventry man to commit suicide over the Internet.

48-year old William Melchert-Dinkel, from Minnesota, is charged with encouraging both Mark Dryborough and a Canadian woman to commit suicide by posing as a female nurse on an online forum and giving them instructions.


32-year old Mark (pictured) was found hanged by his sister Carol in Hillfields in 2005.

Elaine – Mark’s mum – says it was only when her daughter was clearing through Mark’s things that she discovered something that unsettled her:

“Carol checked his computer to see if he’d got any worries, also if he’d got any friends we should tell, and she came across that conversation, two months’ conversation.

“The chat was between Mark and someone else from the forum and included in some of the transcripts was a step-by-step guide on how he could hang himself.”

In November, Rice County District Judge Thomas Neuville rejected claims that what Mr Melchert-Dinkel had said to them online was free speech and protected by law.

Melchert-Dinkel pleaded not guilty to both charges against him, and will now be unable to appeal if he’s convicted.

Should that happen, Melchert-Dinkel faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison for each charge he’s up on, or a fine of up to $30,000.

The judge has 20 days to decide whether or not Melchert-Dinkel is guilty once oral statements have been presented.