By Liz Townsend

Minnesota authorities have charged a man with aiding in the suicides of two people that he met in Internet chat rooms. Former nurse William Melchert-Dinkel, 48, is accused of entering into fake suicide pacts with vulnerable people and providing them with detailed instructions on how to kill themselves, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Melchert-Dinkel will enter a plea in a hearing November 19. His attorney attempted to have the charges dismissed on freedom of speech grounds, which was rejected by a judge November 9. Rice County District Judge Thomas Neuville ruled that the First Amendment does not extend to assisted suicide, the AP reported.

Minnesota law bans participation in “speech that intentionally advises, encourages, or aids another in taking his or her own life,” the AP reported. Based on this law, Neuville ruled that “speech that directly encourages and imminently incites the act of suicide ... falls outside the protection of the First Amendment,” the AP reported.

Melchert-Dinkel’s actions came to light after the 2005 death of 32-year-old Mark Drybrough in Coventry, England. Drybrough hanged himself in his home, and his family found an e-mail from Melchert-Dinkel on his computer that included detailed advice on suicide by hanging, according to the Press Association.

Other messages included Drybrough expressing reluctance to die, but Melchert-Dinkel allegedly encouraging him to commit suicide. Melchert-Dinkel also told Drybrough that he watched on a webcam while another suicidal “friend” killed himself so he could “make this guy’s last moments special,” the London Times reported.

When British police said they could take no action, it was brought to the attention of American officials. Authorities later found evidence that Melchert-Dinkel participated in Internet chat rooms with suicidal people around the world. He would pose as a female nurse and give advice on methods of suicide, the AP reported. Court documents also claim that he admitted to entering into fake suicide pacts with about 10 people, of whom 5 actually killed themselves, according to the AP.

Melchert-Dinkel is charged in the death of Drybrough and of 18-year-old Canadian Nadia Kajouji. Kajouji died by drowning in an Ottawa river in April 2008, the Times reported. Melchert-Dinkel allegedly tried to encourage Kajouji to hang herself, and also claimed he would commit suicide at the same time and they could watch each other via webcam.

According to a transcript of their web chat in the Times, he wrote to the teenager, “If you wanted to do hanging we could have done it together on line so it would not have been so scary for you.” “I understand. We want what’s best for each other,” she told him. Melchert-Dinkel responded, “Yes very much so ... I don’t want you to fail ever!”

Melchert-Dinkel used the same combination of false expertise, camaraderie, and compassion in his chats with Drybrough. One of his messages read, “I’ve seen every method used ... at work as a emergency ward nurse. I know what does and don’t work so that is why I chose hanging.”

“He whispered in his ear each time he logged on to the computer,” Drybrough’s mother Elaine told the Times. “Because of his medical experience he knew exactly what he was doing, the buttons he need to push.”