Dharun Ravu Guilty of Invasion of Privacy in Rutgers Webcam Spy Trail

[+ FreshFluff]

He didn't even avail himself of the opportunity to address the court before sentencing. I just don't think that Ravi "gets it" (nor do his parents).

 

I wouldn't have either if I were Ravi. Every time the kid opens his mouth, he sounds more jerky--or, if he's contrite, fake. Better to just shut up.

[Strafe13]

I actually agree with most of the sentence ($10,000 fine, 300 hours of community service, and 3 years of probation). I just think the 30-day jail sentence was too light, considering he'll likely get some credit for time served, depending on how long he was in jail awaiting bail, plus if good time is factored in, he could get paroled before doing the full month. I think the maximum 10 years or even just several years would have been too harsh. I actually would have been fine with him getting just a few months up to a year, so that it wouldn't affect his immigration status (he's a permanent legal resident, and usually they won't get deported for non-violent crimes carrying less than a 2-year sentence). Six months I think would have been more appropriate, considering his age at the time, his lack of a criminal history, and the nature of the offense (not the unforeseeable act of Clementi's suicide). All IMHO, of course.

[Guy Fawkes]

As the Judge said:

 

“I heard this jury say ‘guilty’ 288 times, and I haven’t heard you apologize once,” he said sternly to Ravi who, contrary to custom, did not stand up as he was being sentenced. The judge pointedly noted that he remained seated, but said he was not taking that into account.

 

 

I get the feeling that we're not hearing all of the story....

 

http://video-embed.nj.com/services/player/bcpid619329501001?bctid=1648727814001&bckey=AQ~~,AAAAPLMIP6E~,BRrRHTAljlHNUYJqhl35zLecZp p8wkKm

[+ Lucky]

You mean like the fix was in?

[Irtwo]

That's interesting note about him not standing, I didn't know that. It's actually a bad reflection on Ravi's attorneys, who are supposed to direct their client as to what to do (unless they tried to get him to stand and he just refused).

[+ purplekow]

The moher is interviewed on TV and she states that "my son (Ravi) has suffered enough" She may have made the same comment in her statement regarding penalty while in court. It has been widely reported that he has not acted in a manner which reveals any degree of contrition nor has he expressed any degree of contrition. This verdict just allows him to continue his life as though he never did the things of which he is convicted. His life, IMO, should be impacted in a negative way. By giving him 1 year and 1 day in jail and deporting him back to India after the sentence is served, a message will sent that irresponsible, illegal behavior without contrition, has significant consequences. I hope the prosecutors impress the appellate court with the need for a harsher penalty.

 

My closest friend from high school has a rather prominent position in the Middlesex public defenders office and he tells me it is generally felt that the prosecutors will not succeed in getting very much more of a penalty than the judge meted out.

[maxwellissmart]

The moher is interviewed on TV and she states that "my son (Ravi) has suffered enough" She may have made the same comment in her statement regarding penalty while in court. It has been widely reported that he has not acted in a manner which reveals any degree of contrition nor has he expressed any degree of contrition. This verdict just allows him to continue his life as though he never did the things of which he is convicted. His life, IMO, should be impacted in a negative way. By giving him 1 year and 1 day in jail and deporting him back to India after the sentence is served, a message will sent that irresponsible, illegal behavior without contrition, has significant consequences. I hope the prosecutors impress the appellate court with the need for a harsher penalty.

 

My closest friend from high school has a rather prominent position in the Middlesex public defenders office and he tells me it is generally felt that the prosecutors will not succeed in getting very much more of a penalty than the judge meted out.

 

That's funny, I made almost the exact same comment on Facebook. I think there is, and has always been a complete disconnect of empathy and responsibility on Ravi's part towards anything that happened.

[seeker630]

That's funny, I made almost the exact same comment on Facebook. I think there is, and has always been a complete disconnect of empathy and responsibility on Ravi's part towards anything that happened.

 

That's bothered me too - even when he HAS said he's sorry, it hasn't really sounded sincere or has seemd superficial. I don't get the sense that he feels he really did anything wrong.

[maxwellissmart]

That's bothered me too - even when he HAS said he's sorry, it hasn't really sounded sincere or has seemd superficial. I don't get the sense that he feels he really did anything wrong.

 

I think the backlash has only just begun for him in life, and I say it's well-deserved.

[RockHard]

Judge defends his sentence.

 

In a court hearing today, Judge Glen Berman offered a "spirited defense of the sentence he imposed on Dharun Ravi."

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/31/nyregion/judge-defends-sentence-imposed-on-dharun-ravi.html?hp

 

No matter how “unconscionable” Mr. Ravi’s conduct, Judge Glenn Berman said in a court hearing Wednesday, “I can’t find it in me to remand him to state prison that houses people convicted of offenses such as murder, armed robbery and rape. I don’t believe that that fits this case. I believe that he has to be punished, and he will be.”

[bigvalboy]

His lack of remorse is appalling...I tend to agree with Max, although I am throughly disgusted with the sentencing, I believe that this process that he was forced to go through will have lasting repercussions on his life....hopefully!!

[+ Lucky]

I thought his statement yesterday showed remorse. What would you have him do? It's the crybaby judge I fault, who whined today that the prosecutor "smirked" when he sentenced Ravi. Oh, boo hoo. You're a judge, get over it. Then he explained that he could not find it in himself to do his job as a judge and sentence Ravi to state prison. He would be with rapists, the judge said, begging the question of whom the judge thought he would be with in county jail. And, if county jail was the appropriate place for him, the judge did not well explain why only 20 days (30 before good time) were appropriate for a guy who he said had showed no remorse.

My thinking is that if the judge cannot bring himself to do his job, he should resign.

[BSR]

While Ravi's sentence does seem light at first glance, a cursory examination of the sentences meted out to murderers and rapists reveals far more shockingly light sentences. Granted, two rights don't make a wrong, but when serial rapists are being released after just a couple of years, it's hard to justify a tougher sentence for Ravi.

[+ Lucky]

BSR, with respect, that is nonsense. If rapist are released that early, they weren't convicted of rape itself. Period. They plea bargained to something less. I did more than a cursory exam on this.

[Rick Munroe]

I thought his statement yesterday showed remorse.

 

He said, "My behavior and actions, which at no time were motivated by hate, bigotry, prejudice or desire to hurt, humiliate or embarrass anyone, were nonetheless the wrong choices and decisions." That shows he really still doesn't get it. Everything he did was designed to humiliate and embarrass his gay roommate and definitely motivated by bigotry.

[RockHard]

Two things always stood out to me in this case:

 

1. How private can any college kid assume his dorm room to be? The space is shared, isn't it? If you share a space with someone, on school property, what private act will destroy your life if you get caught doing it? If hundreds of people see you kissing another man, is that enough humiliation to justify taking your own life? Since when did kissing another man become a humiliating act on a college campus in New Jersey?

 

2. I think I endured a hell of a lot of painful humiliation in high school, mostly because I was gay and did not realize it. I wasn't mature enough to accept it. The pain was so bad I cried almost every day of my freshman year, and I'm not kidding. The bullies had a field day with me, and I quickly learned to avoid the cafeteria if I didn't want to wear that day's lunch. I absolutely wanted to die. But never did I ever consider ways of ending my life.

 

How much humiliation should a healthy 18-year-old be able to endure? What degree of humiliation drives a college kid to jump off the George Washington Bridge? We can all think of plenty of ways to kill pain, but choosing to jump off that bridge struck me as something more.

 

It's obvious Dharun Ravi had no idea how fragile Tyler Clementi really was. Maybe Tyler had no idea. Does any 18-year-old have a mature enough mind to evaluate the mind of another 18-year-old?

 

Dharun Ravi made some awful mistakes. He picked the wrong guy to play an immature prank on. Tyler Clementi's death may haunt Dharun for the rest of his life, but I'm not entirely convinced that Dharun is fully responsible for Clementi's actions. I'm also not convinced that Dharun Ravi is a gay hater.

 

I don't think the sentence is too light, and I believe Dharun Ravi will be punished for a very long time for his stupid act as an 18-year-old.

 

I would never want to relive 18 again.

[+ Lucky]

Gosh. I am tempted to stop picking on RockHard.

[maxwellissmart]

He said, "My behavior and actions, which at no time were motivated by hate, bigotry, prejudice or desire to hurt, humiliate or embarrass anyone, were nonetheless the wrong choices and decisions." That shows he really still doesn't get it. Everything he did was designed to humiliate and embarrass his gay roommate and definitely motivated by bigotry.

 

I agree completely. About the only thing missing here is a bucket of pig blood to dump on Tyler's head at prom. That, and some empathy—apparently Ravi has none, and that Wei girl is sorely lacking in it as well. Doing something like this to someone else would never occur to me. It's one thing to be irritated because your roomie is a slut and dragging home God-knows-who into a shared room where you keep your stuff. It's another thing entirely to webcam it repeatedly and with the explicit intent of broadcasting it, embarrassing them and potentially destroying not only their reputation at school—but possibly relationships with parents, friends and other associates beyond the grounds of Rutgers.

 

I'm tired of hearing how "he's 18, so he doesn't know." That's fucking bullshit. He's smarter than probably 95% of the population, and he was smart enough to get into Rutgers. He knew exactly what he was doing—the thing is that he didn't care. And the fact that he tried to retcon his behavior and reputation to make it appear that he was so much more concerned with Tyler afterwards shows his intent to save his own ass. Which should be deported immediately.

[maxwellissmart]

Tyler Clementi's death may haunt Dharun for the rest of his life...

 

I would hope it's the death that haunts him and not just the fallout from it.

[seeker630]

It's obvious Dharun Ravi had no idea how fragile Tyler Clementi really was. Maybe Tyler had no idea. Does any 18-year-old have a mature enough mind to evaluate the mind of another 18-year-old?

 

Dharun Ravi made some awful mistakes. He picked the wrong guy to play an immature prank on. Tyler Clementi's death may haunt Dharun for the rest of his life, but I'm not entirely convinced that Dharun is fully responsible for Clementi's actions. I'm also not convinced that Dharun Ravi is a gay hater.

 

 

I agree. I'm also not convinced that Ravi would gave behaved differently if Tyler had hooked up with an older woman from off-campus.

[bigvalboy]

I agree completely. About the only thing missing here is a bucket of pig blood to dump on Tyler's head at prom. That, and some empathy—apparently Ravi has none, and that Wei girl is sorely lacking in it as well. Doing something like this to someone else would never occur to me. It's one thing to be irritated because your roomie is a slut and dragging home God-knows-who into a shared room where you keep your stuff. It's another thing entirely to webcam it repeatedly and with the explicit intent of broadcasting it, embarrassing them and potentially destroying not only their reputation at school—but possibly relationships with parents, friends and other associates beyond the grounds of Rutgers.

 

I'm tired of hearing how "he's 18, so he doesn't know." That's fucking bullshit. He's smarter than probably 95% of the population, and he was smart enough to get into Rutgers. He knew exactly what he was doing—the thing is that he didn't care. And the fact that he tried to retcon his behavior and reputation to make it appear that he was so much more concerned with Tyler afterwards shows his intent to save his own ass. Which should be deported immediately.

 

 

Well there is obviously several opinions here. I stand with Max on this one, and I thank you for stating so concisely what I was thinking, but hesitated to post.

[hornytwells]

I know I will be unpopular for saying this, but I think his sentence was pretty fair. He was not on trial for Clementi's suicide. As far as I am aware from what i read, (and am ready to stand corrected on this) Clementi himself did not leave evidence that Ravi's prank was responsible> No one here seems to have mentioned that Clementi was deeply upset at his mothers reaction to his coming out, which may have played a far larger part in contributing to his suicide. Does this mean his mother should be on trial? Also, movies like American Pie portray stunts similar to Ravi;s as hilarious pranks, and while I am not suggesting for a minute that this is in any way an excuse, I think that hatred/bigotry are a little too strong given the circumstances. Insensitive, stupid and ignorant seem more appropriate. I also feel that Ravi's perceived indifference is maybe based on legal advice not to look responsible for something he was not charged for. As far as bullying goes, I have heard of far worse bullying inflicted on minorities at a younger age-I think this boy had deep emotional problems to begin with.

[citylaw1]

Wow. They spent thousands and thousands to put him on trial so that he could be found guilty of virtually nothing.

 

After a trial that lasted four weeks, Ravi was convicted of all 15 charges against him, including invasion of privacy, anti-gay intimidation, and trying to cover his tracks by destroying text messages and tweets and tampering with a witness.

 

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/05/21/national/a093827D58.DTL#ixzz1wXw6gyep

[citylaw1]

He was convicted on 15 charges, according to the article. The sentence does seem light to me, tho.

 

Not really. The prosecution had previously offered a "no prison" plea. The judge ordered Ravi jailed, fined and placed on probation. I also bet the judge felt that the prosecutors improperly charged Ravi with bias crimes, faced with political backlash.

[citylaw1]

BSR, with respect, that is nonsense. If rapist are released that early, they weren't convicted of rape itself. Period. They plea bargained to something less. I did more than a cursory exam on this.

 

Not true. Last I checked, the average rape sentence (countywide) averaged 11.8 years, with the average time served around 5.5 years. This includes all degrees of rape.