A Minnesota man was charged last week with egging on a British man and a young Canadian woman to commit suicide in a web chatroom. A former hospital nurse, William Melchert-Dinkel, 47, has been accused of assisting suicide on two counts: Briton Mark Drybrough in 2005 and Canadian Nadia Kajouji in 2008. He was charged in a Minnesota court, and could face up to 30 years’ jail.

Allegedly Melchert-Dinkel posed as a female emergency nurse, giving people on internet suicide chatrooms encouragement and advice on committing suicide. He reportedly admitted that he had coached up to five people  to kill themselves. Authorities have said that Melchert-Dinkel provided detailed information on how much rope to buy and how to tie a slipknot when hanging themselves, as well as the best way to drown oneself.

A British woman who frequented the chatroom for people feeling depressed and suicidal, alerted authorities in 2008 to a possible predator on the site. The former nurse may have made suicide pacts with 10 or 11 people, describing his actions as “the thrill of the chase”. According to some legal experts, it could be difficult for Mr Melchert-Dinkel to be prosecuted because he only encouraged victims to end their lives, and did not physically assist. ~ Reuters Apr 24, BBC News Apr 23