A New Jersey judge sentenced former Rutgers University college student, Dharun Ravi, to 30 days in jail for invading the privacy of his roommate. Tyler Clementi, Ravi's roommate, committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge after discovering that his sexual encounter with an older man in his dorm room was allegedly broadcast to a half-dozen students using a hidden webcam. Ravi was convicted of invasion of privacy, bias intimidation, witness tampering and hindering arrest.
Before sentencing, Ravi's mother plead for leniency and Clementi's father insisted that Ravi's acts were malicious as a result of his son Tyler being gay. Clementi's father also pointed to his son's looking at Ravi's Twitter feed numerous times, which alluded to the acts, before Tyler jumped off the George Washington Bridge to his death. The Clementi family accused Ravi of being callous, arrogant and mean spirited and failing to even take the trial seriously and implored that the judge impose confinement as part of sentencing.
In making his decision, Judge Glenn Berman stated that he didn't believe that Ravi hated Tyler Clementi but "he acted out of colossal disrespect."
Tyler Clementi's lover, an older man only known as "MB", was reported as saying that he felt that while Ravi solely blamed him for spying on their liaisons, he did not feel that Dharun Ravi should be deported.
Ravi's alleged accomplice, Molly Wei, struck a plea bargain and will face no jail time if she successfully completes a three year pre-trial intervention program which also includes 300 hours of community service, counseling for cyberbullying and interacting with individuals with alternative lifestyles.
Before sentencing, Ravi's mother plead for leniency and Clementi's father insisted that Ravi's acts were malicious as a result of his son Tyler being gay. Clementi's father also pointed to his son's looking at Ravi's Twitter feed numerous times, which alluded to the acts, before Tyler jumped off the George Washington Bridge to his death. The Clementi family accused Ravi of being callous, arrogant and mean spirited and failing to even take the trial seriously and implored that the judge impose confinement as part of sentencing.
In making his decision, Judge Glenn Berman stated that he didn't believe that Ravi hated Tyler Clementi but "he acted out of colossal disrespect."
Tyler Clementi's lover, an older man only known as "MB", was reported as saying that he felt that while Ravi solely blamed him for spying on their liaisons, he did not feel that Dharun Ravi should be deported.
Ravi's alleged accomplice, Molly Wei, struck a plea bargain and will face no jail time if she successfully completes a three year pre-trial intervention program which also includes 300 hours of community service, counseling for cyberbullying and interacting with individuals with alternative lifestyles.
