Verdict reached in Dharun Ravi webcam spying trial

[Salemite]

Tyler Clementi webcam spying trial jury reaches verdict: Dharun Ravi found guilty of invasion of privacy

Dharun Ravi, the roommate of Tyler Clementi, a gay Rutgers Freshmen who committed suicide, was found guilty of invasion of privacy on Friday in New Jersey.

The case made national headlines in 2010 when Ravi was accused of using a webcam to peer into the Rutgers dorm room he shared with Clementi and caught him kissing an older man.

Ravi sent out tweets to tell his followers what had happened and encouraged them to webchat him to see the pair in action again two days later.

Evidence showed that Clementi, a quiet violin player who came out to his parents as gay a few days before starting Rutgers, read Ravi’s tweets and requested a room change from a Davidson Hall resident assistant, describing his roommate’s behavior as “wildly inappropriate.”

He updated his Facebook status to: “jumping off the gw bridge sorry” just four minutes before Ravi sent him a long text apologizing.

It is unclear if Clementi ever read the text. The case lasted 13 days and jurors heard from about two dozens witnesses for the prosecution and nine for the defense — including numerous Rutgers students, police investigators and computer experts.

Bias intimidation is a hate crime that carried a maximum of 10 years in prison. In summations, defense attorney Steven Altman argued his client was nothing more than an immature Freshmen who was playing a stupid prank which went horribly wrong.

He argued that Ravi had exhibited no anti-gay sentiments and was merely curious to see what Clementi and his male guest, identified only as M.B., were doing. “Who wouldn’t be curious,” Altman said, “if it’s your room and all of a sudden in a dorm of 18 and 17-year-olds somebody comes in looking scruffy and homeless?” Prosecutor Julia McClure argued that Ravi’s actions were motivated by homophobia and the desire to expose Clementi’s sexual orientation.

Ravi faces up to 10 years in prison based on the charges for which he was convicted.

Sentencing is Monday, May 21.

Source: New York Daily News

 

[palbert]

Good news.

 

[ChubbyCub]

I am so glad that the creep was found guilty. Jail time then he would be sent back to India. I hope he does not return to USA or Canada because we do not want him here.

 

[refujiunderground]

well... hopefully this drives home to all the homophobes that think it's okay to do this kind of shit.

 

[HunterM]

 

[JayQueer]

I am so glad that the creep was found guilty. Jail time then he would be sent back to India. I hope he does not return to USA or Canada because we do not want him here.

Why shouldn't he be allowed to live here?

Is it because he's Indian??

I'm a US citizen but my parents immigrated here (legally) from India.

What you wrote was xenophobic at best, and racist at worst..

 

[JayQueer]

I am surprised and I disagree with the verdict..

Obviously I was not present at the trial to hear and see all evidence, but Dharun's behavior doesn't seem atypical for a 18-year old straight guy just entering college. I think he was just acting stupid, but I don't think he had a vicious hatred towards gays as he was portrayed.

I am 100% sure there are straight guys who are far more homophobic and do things everyday to make gay people's lives miserable, but they are never charged or convicted for the pain and trauma they inflict on others.

I'm certainly not condoning what Dharun did -- it was incredibly immature and stupid, and I am so sad that Tyler Clementi was so anguished about things that he took his life, but at the same time I don't think the "punishment fits the crime". In a sense, I feel like Dharun is being convicted to provide some sense of closure to this story, especially given that Tyler Clementi committed suicide.

Basically, there are no winners in this story.

 

[CowboyBob]

This entire scenario is incredibly tragic. Nothing good came out of it. I only hope someday we won't be singled out as an object of ridicule and those who do that will see just how wrong they are.

RIP Tyler. You'll never be forgotten.

 

[Adrock-JD]

I am surprised and I disagree with the verdict..

Obviously I was not present at the trial to hear and see all evidence, but Dharun's behavior doesn't seem atypical for a 18-year old straight guy just entering college. I think he was just acting stupid, but I don't think he had a vicious hatred towards gays as he was portrayed.

I am 100% sure there are straight guys who are far more homophobic and do things everyday to make gay people's lives miserable, but they are never charged or convicted for the pain and trauma they inflict on others.

I'm certainly not condoning what Dharun did -- it was incredibly immature and stupid, and I am so sad that Tyler Clementi was so anguished about things that he took his life, but at the same time I don't think the "punishment fits the crime". In a sense, I feel like Dharun is being convicted to provide some sense of closure to this story, especially given that Tyler Clementi committed suicide.

Basically, there are no winners in this story.

These are New Jersey laws, not necessarily the same in other states.

His texts to friends before and during the webcam feed showed that he intended to harm. This was not a prank for fun.

He was hoping he'd get off with the "I had a gay roommate so I couldn't be homophobic" defense. The text messages proved otherwise to the jury.

You can have a gay roommate in college and be breathtakingly homophobic. To the extent that he did all of this. He was basically consumed with hatred for another person.

R.I.P. Tyler

 

[refujiunderground]

I am surprised and I disagree with the verdict..

Obviously I was not present at the trial to hear and see all evidence, but Dharun's behavior doesn't seem atypical for a 18-year old straight guy just entering college. I think he was just acting stupid, but I don't think he had a vicious hatred towards gays as he was portrayed.

I am 100% sure there are straight guys who are far more homophobic and do things everyday to make gay people's lives miserable, but they are never charged or convicted for the pain and trauma they inflict on others.

I'm certainly not condoning what Dharun did -- it was incredibly immature and stupid, and I am so sad that Tyler Clementi was so anguished about things that he took his life, but at the same time I don't think the "punishment fits the crime". In a sense, I feel like Dharun is being convicted to provide some sense of closure to this story, especially given that Tyler Clementi committed suicide.

Basically, there are no winners in this story.

i see what you're saying but someone has to be the example. it's going to happen sooner or later. maybe this will help push people towards being tolerant towards the lgbt community especially younger people. homophobia is something that is learned from other people so that means that it can be undone. it's just sad knowing that it took this to actually make the general public start to give a fuck. now people are probably going to start falling back with the homophobia and that'll push more people out the closet such as me.

 

[fetaby]

I am surprised and I disagree with the verdict..

Obviously I was not present at the trial to hear and see all evidence, but Dharun's behavior doesn't seem atypical for a 18-year old straight guy just entering college. I think he was just acting stupid, but I don't think he had a vicious hatred towards gays as he was portrayed.

I am 100% sure there are straight guys who are far more homophobic and do things everyday to make gay people's lives miserable, but they are never charged or convicted for the pain and trauma they inflict on others.

I'm certainly not condoning what Dharun did -- it was incredibly immature and stupid, and I am so sad that Tyler Clementi was so anguished about things that he took his life, but at the same time I don't think the "punishment fits the crime". In a sense, I feel like Dharun is being convicted to provide some sense of closure to this story, especially given that Tyler Clementi committed suicide.

Basically, there are no winners in this story.

Nothing counts before the but, it's all just icing to make the following statement easier to swallow.

-----------------------------------------

I can agree that Ravi didn't have hate towards gay people. He did have an unhealthy fascination which led him to commit crimes. He has been charged and convicted of those crimes and punished under the guidelines of our laws. In this case, the punishment most definitely fits the crime.

We are human, not zoo animals.

The notion that only hate is homophobia is false. That should be evident just looking at the name of it, phobia... Fear of a thing can manifest itself in a myriad of ways, from hate to disrespect to perverse fascination and even misplaced admiration.

 

[trawler69]

I know how Tyler Clementi felt. I had this sort of thing happen to me too. Fortunately I am more of a coward than he and am still here though the thought of ending it did certainly pass through my mind.

Having said that I would still find it wrong if the perpetrators were locked up for basically being ignorant homophobic twats. It would also probably make them worse by then being resentful.

I feel there should be a more apt punishment that would educate the ignorant into being more accepting, tolerant or even supportive of the minorities they persecuted.

Maybe we should try to come up with some sort of more imaginative scheme along those lines rather than just locking them away. It might even manage to get them to preach acceptance on our behalf.

 

[ChubbyCub]

Why shouldn't he be allowed to live here?

Is it because he's Indian??

I'm a US citizen but my parents immigrated here (legally) from India.

What you wrote was xenophobic at best, and racist at worst..

If someone is a guest in a country, as I presume he was, where is the entitled to remain in that country for committing a criminal act?

It was not my intention of coming across racist. I apologize.

 

[HunterM]

I respect what Ravi's father said:

At a courthouse news conference after the verdict, Clementi's father, Joe, addressed himself to college students and other young people, saying: "You're going to meet a lot of people in your life. Some of these people you may not like. Just because you don't like them doesn't mean you have to work against them."​

 

[trawler69]

^ I suspect you meant Clementi's Father

 

[HunterM]

^ I suspect you meant Clementi's Father

Ah...yes, you're right. Thx! Can't edit my post now

 

[Nomenclature]

and I have the perfect house warming gift for Dharun
..he should get a lot of use out of it where he's moving to

To be honest, I think it's disgusting that people make light of prison rape, like it's just a punchline to a joke. That is some really dark and disturbing shit.



----------

Ravi isn't a US citizen... but personally, it seems a little screwed up if a 30 year-old could be deported after living in the US since he was a toddler (I think I read that he was 2 when his parents emigrated?), regardless of what crimes he may be guilty of.

See, I don't know that much about immigration law, but if he's been here for 28 years. . .wouldn't that have uhm. . .given him enough time to apply for citizenship? You have to legally live and work in a country for 7 years with a green card before you're eligible for citizenship, I know that much.

 

[Croynan]

The Story of a Suicide - Tyler Clementi




The Story of a Suicide - Tyler Clementi

The New Yorker

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/02/06/120206fa_fact_parker

A very comprehensive article about the death of Tyler Clementi.


eM/

 

[Salemite]

I disagree with the verdict..

Dharun's behavior doesn't seem atypical for a 18-year old straight guy just entering college. I think he was just acting stupid, but I don't think he had a vicious hatred towards gays as he was portrayed.

I don't think it matters whether or not he had a hatred of gays. The fact is, Dharun's actions led to the loss of another person's life. Someone is dead because of him. Intentional or not, that was the result, and he needs to pay. For a violation of this magnitude, 10 years in prison is a plenty fair punishment.

Additionally, I do think Dharun's "prank" had at least a little to do with the fact that Tyler was gay. He pretty much verified that with his tweets and texts. "Roomate asked for the room 'til midnight. Turned on my webcam and saw him making out with a dude. Anyone with iChat, I dare you to video chat me between the hours of 9:30 and 12. Yes it's happening again." That's just the tip of the iceberg. If it was a girl he caught Tyler with, I doubt he would've felt the need to broadcast it on the internet for everyone to see. (After all, what's to ridicule about straight sex?) Either way, you can't just do something like that and expect to get away with it. Actions have consequences.

 

[rareboy]

Oh Jesus H. Kryst.

Why am I not at all surprised that you would disagree with the verdict.

Is it totally fucking impossible for you to ever be on the side of the angels?

Ravi isn't likely going to do any serious time.

But today, he has been a perfect poster child for all the fuckwad, homophobic asshats who think that they have the right to pry or snoop or harass the homos in school.

He can go fuck himself and so can anyone who thinks that somehow he ends up being the 'victim' in all of this.

I am surprised and I disagree with the verdict..

Obviously I was not present at the trial to hear and see all evidence, but Dharun's behavior doesn't seem atypical for a 18-year old straight guy just entering college. I think he was just acting stupid, but I don't think he had a vicious hatred towards gays as he was portrayed.

I am 100% sure there are straight guys who are far more homophobic and do things everyday to make gay people's lives miserable, but they are never charged or convicted for the pain and trauma they inflict on others.

I'm certainly not condoning what Dharun did -- it was incredibly immature and stupid, and I am so sad that Tyler Clementi was so anguished about things that he took his life, but at the same time I don't think the "punishment fits the crime". In a sense, I feel like Dharun is being convicted to provide some sense of closure to this story, especially given that Tyler Clementi committed suicide.

Basically, there are no winners in this story.