Are sexual perversions linked to power?
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(CNN) -
Former Boston College student Inyoung You pleaded guilty Thursday to manslaughter in the suicide of her boyfriend Alexander Urtula, according to a joint sentencing memorandum.
Suffolk County, Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Robert Ullman sentenced her to a suspended prison term of two and a half years, and ten years probation.
She will not be placed in preventive detention, but if she violates her probation, the judge can impose the jail sentence in the house of correction.
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The first five years of that probationary period will be supervised, during which she will be required to meet a number of conditions, including that she complete community service and continue to receive mental health treatment from a licensed provider.
You was explicitly prohibited from profiting financially from the facts underlying the case at any time during the 10-year trial period.
You tracked down Urtula's location on May 20, 2019, and was present when it jumped from a parking lot to a Boston transit station just hours before graduation, Suffolk County District Attorney Rachael Rollins told the journalists at the time.
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Authorities said You was "physically, verbally and psychologically abusive" to her boyfriend during their 18-month relationship.
Ullmann called the case a tragedy and said it should serve as a warning to teens and young people who turn to social media and demean someone.
Before leaving the stand, Ullmann, according to a court statement, had a request to You.
"I only ask that you do your best to live your life in a way that honors the memory of Alexander," he said.
Surviving the suicide of a son in the words of a mother 4:53
"This agreement with the defense attorney was made in close consultation with the Urtula family," Rollins said.
"It is consistent with their desire to seek accountability and closure and to protect the legacy of Alexander, a loving son, brother and uncle. They believe this is something Alexander would have wanted."
"Today, as always, our thoughts are with Alexander's family and loved ones," Rollins said.
"Today's supplication allows you to close a chapter of your pain and hopefully move on to the next stage of your healing journey."
Prosecutors have described a pattern of abuse and manipulation throughout the relationship, in which You allegedly "made demands and threats" and exercised "total control" of Urtula, both mentally and emotionally.
She was aware of her boyfriend's depression, they argued.
He ordered Urtula to commit suicide "hundreds of times" through the more than 47,000 text messages he sent him in the two months before his death, prosecutors said.
Urtula was a student of biology and You of economics.
After Urtula's suicide, You returned to his native South Korea, but appeared in court on Thursday, the court confirmed.
You was scheduled to graduate in May 2020, but dropped out of classes in August, according to a school spokesperson.
The case drew comparisons to the Michelle Carter suicide texting case, in which Carter was convicted of manslaughter after a judge found that her texting to boyfriend Conrad Roy III persuaded him to commit suicide in 2014.
See here the lines of attention and suicide prevention in Latin America, the United States and Spain.
Call 1-800-273-8255 in the United States to reach the National Suicide Prevention Line. Provides free and confidential assistance 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for people in suicidal or distressed crisis. You can learn more about their services here, including their guide on what to do if suicidal signs are identified on social media. You can also call 1-800-273-8255 to speak with someone about how you can help someone in crisis. Call 1-866-488-7386 for TrevorLifeline, a suicide prevention counseling service for the LGBTQ community.
For assistance outside of the US, the International Association for Suicide Prevention provides a global directory of international resources and hotlines. You can also turn to Befrienders Worldwide.
