Lawyers for a high school honor student in Massachusetts say the teen is 'bewildered' over the involuntary manslaughter charges against her following the suicide of her friend, as they push to have the case moved to a different county due to 'a conflict of interest'. Michelle Carter, 18, looked glum as she appeared in court in New Bedford on Thursday accused of encouraging the death of Conrad Roy III, who gassed himself in his truck in Fairhaven last July. During the hearing her defense attorney requested the case be moved out of Bristol County, saying it's 'impossible' for Carter to receive a fair trial in the area because the District Attorney is the victim's third cousin.Michelle Carter, 18, appeared in New Bedford court Thursday over the involuntary manslaughter of Conrad Roy II, 18, who killed himself last JulyCarter 'sent Roy a series of texts encouraging him to take his own life'Her lawyers claim she is 'bewildered at the charges' and have asked for the case to be moved because the District Attorney is the victim's third cousinThey claim she was actually trying to help RoyRoy was found dead of carbon monoxide poisoning in his idling truckCarter told a friend she was worried that the police were checking his text messages, saying: 'I'm done ... I could go to jail'After he died, she raised money for suicide prevention and wrote on Twitter about how much she missed himCarter, who was 17 at the time, is free on bail but can't text or use social media
_ had previously tried to commit suicide over a year earlier and was battling depression. Her most recent message - written just two days before her indictment - reads: 'Enjoy the parade from up there tomorrow _, I know you would of loved to be there ♥ Really missing you tonight.'