Minnesota nurse charged with encouraging suicides online ordered to stay off Internet

Man charged with aiding suicides ordered off Net

FARIBAULT, Minn. — A former Minnesota nurse accused of going online and encouraging depressed people to kill themselves has been ordered to stay off the Internet while his criminal case is pending.

William Melchert-Dinkel made his first court appearance Tuesday in Rice County. The 47-year-old from Faribault (FAIR’-ih-boh) is charged in two deaths — a woman from Canada and a man from Britain.

Melchert-Dinkel has worked as a long-haul trucker since being stripped of his nursing license. Judge Bernard Borene barred him from leaving the state except for work, and required him to sign a waiver of extradition in case he flees.

Melchert-Dinkel didn’t speak in court except to say he understood the charges. His next court date is June 29.