Inyoung You back from South Korea to plead not guilty over US boyfriend’s suicide

Ex-Boston College student is accused of encouraging Alexander Urtula to take own life in what prosecutors describe as toxic and abusive relationship

She is said to have sent boyfriend thousands of expletive-laden texts, calling him worthless and telling him to kill himself

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Inyoung You leaves Suffolk Superior Court in Boston on November 22, 2019. Photo: AP

Published: 2:53am, 23 Nov 2019Updated: 9:32am, 23 Nov 2019

A former Boston College student pleaded not guilty on Friday in her first court appearance on charges that she encouraged her boyfriend to take his own life in what prosecutors described as a toxic and abusive relationship.

Inyoung You, 21, pleaded not guilty to involuntary manslaughter in Suffolk County Superior Court in Boston after prosecutors say she voluntarily returned to the United States from South Korea, where she has been at least since the charges were announced in October.

You, dressed in a white sweater and black pants, did not speak during the proceedings. She was taken into custody in handcuffs after the judge set her bail at US$5,000. She posted bail soon afterwards and was released.

You, who was born in South Korea and is a naturalised US citizen, was also ordered to surrender her passport and remain in Massachusetts. Her next court date is in January, and her case will not go to trial until November 2020.

Alexander Urtula with Inyoung You, who has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in his suicide. Photo: Suffolk County district attorney

Prosecutors say You and Alexander Urtula, 22, of Cedar Grove, New Jersey, exchanged more than 75,000 texts in the last two months of their turbulent, 18-month relationship, with You sending the majority of them.