Accused 'Angel of Death' on Internet Pleads Not Guilty

Update on a case that involves a disturbing twist on social networking—in which a Minnesota nurse stands accused of urging people he met online to commit suicide. William Melchert-Dinkel pleaded not guilty to felony counts stemming from the deaths of two individuals, one in England and the other in Canada. Prosecutors say he posed as a female nurse using various aliases and told both victims he wanted to help them hang themselves while he advised via webcam.

The case came to light after a woman in the UK tipped off Minnesota police that someone was trolling chatrooms offering the macabre advice, reports the BBC. Melchert-Dinkel has requested a jury trial and his lawyer has suggested he intends to pursue a freedom-of-speech defense. The local Pioneer Press has excerpts of his online correspondence.
(More suicide stories.)