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NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — A New Jersey Superior Court judge has sentenced former Rutgers student Dharun Ravi to 30 days in prison and three years probation for spying on his gay roommate who later committed suicide.
Ravi was convicted earlier this year on charges of invasion of privacy, witness tampering, tampering of evidence, and bias intimidation, actions that prosecutors said led to the suicide of his college roommate, Tyler Clementi, who jumped to his death in September 2010.
Dharun Ravi
Judge Glenn Berman sentenced Ravi to 30 days in the Middlesex County Adult Detention facility, three years probation including a requirement the Ravi complete 300 hours of community service, and attend a counseling program relative to cyber-bullying and alternate lifestyles.
Ravi was also ordered to pay $10,000 to the probation department, the monies to be allotted to a program dedicated to victims of bias-motivated crimes.
As Berman sentenced Ravi, he was purposeful to note that he has never heard Ravi apologize for his actions that contributed to Clementi’s suicide.
“I heard this jury say guilty 288 times: 24 questions, 12 jurors, that’s the multiplication,” Berman said. “And I haven’t heard you apologize once.”
Berman also said he will recommend that Ravi not be deported.
“This individual was not convicted of a hate crime, he was convicted of a bias crime,” Berman said, adding that Ravi’s crimes were committed out of “colossal insensitivity.”
“Down the road you can expunge this judgement,” Berman said. “You cannot expunge the conduct or the pain you caused.”
However, he said that the sentence was necessary to deter others, “even if it isn’t a deterrent to you.”
The India-born Ravi received only a fraction of the maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The guilty charges could also have resulted in Ravi, who is in the U.S. on a student visa, being deported.
Clementi, 18, jumped to his death from the George Washington bridge on Sept. 22, 2010 after Ravi placed a camera in their dorm room three days earlier and streamed images onto the internet of Clementi’s intimate same-sex encounter, and used Twitter to encourage fellow students to watch.
Ravi, now 20, was also accused of setting up his webcam to try to capture Tyler in a second liaison two days later.
Tyler Clementi
The Clementi family, addressing Ravi in their victim impact statements,
highlighted Ravi’s apparent lack of remorse about the incidents which caused them loss of the son and
brother.
“He was very vulnerable and he was shaken by the cold criminal actions of
his roommate,” said Tyler’s father,
Joseph Clementi, choking on the words as he read his statement in the court.
“We are seeking justice and accountability, not revenge,” adding that he felt Ravi has shown a “lack of any
real remorse.”
James Clementi, Tyler’s brother, said Ravi has never shown any remorse or apologized to the family, and he has found himself wondering if Ravi is “even capable of empathizing with another person.”
“I ask only for fairness and justice,” James Clementi said. He added that it was apparent that Ravi decided Tyler was “someone who deserved to be laughed at, picked on and violated.”
“Tyler’s final days and hours were filled with fear, shame and a despair so great it ripped him away from me forever,” said James Clementi.
Tyler’s mother, Jane Clementi, called Ravi’s actions “malicious and evil.”
“What I want is justice,” she said. “The court needs to show … this was not right and it was not acceptable behavior and it will not be tolerated.”
She asked why no one else in the dorm spoke up for Tyler. “How could they all go along with such meanness?” she asked. “No one spoke up to the mastermind, the computer genius,” she said adding that Ravi’s actions were “mean-spirited, they are evil and most important they are against the law.”
Richard Pompelio, the lawyer for M.B. — the man who was caught on the web camera in the romantic encounter with Tyler Clementi — read from a written statement from his client, who stated, “While I bear no anger towards Mr. Ravi, after much thought and many sleepless nights, I must say that Mr. Ravi should serve some type of confinement so that he can reflect on the serious harm he has caused … I do not believe that he has taken responsibility for his conduct, and to this day he seems to blame me for the actions he took.”
New Jersey’s Garden State Equality issued this statement following sentencing:
“We have been public in taking a position of balance: We opposed throwing the book at Dharun Ravi. We have spoken out against giving him the maximum sentence of 10 years in jail and against deporting him. That would have been vengeance beyond punishment and beyond sending a message to the rest of society.
“But we have similarly rejected the other extreme that Ravi should have gotten no jail time at all, and today’s sentencing is closer to that extreme than the other. This was not merely a childhood prank gone awry. This was not a crime without bias.”
Steven Goldstein, chairman of Garden State Equality, complained that Ravi’s term was shorter than the 90-day sentence mandated for a three-time shoplifter.
Berman stayed the sentence at the request of Prosecutor Julia McClure, who said that the state will appeal, as prosecutors had asked for a more significant sentence to be levied against Ravi.
Defense lawyers also indicated that they would appeal as well.
Ravi, who never testified in his own defense, refused to respond to repeated questions shouted from the crowd by reporters and spectators.
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unbelievable this guy only got 30 days
Really? Such unjust bullshit.
he deserves longer
That’s it? 30 days?
This makes me so mad. Only 30 days! REALLY!
deport him as well
Boy, they really threw the book at him, didn’t they??? Disgusting!
The whole problem with this is that the jury was informed by the judge right from the beginning that the victim’s suicide was NOT to be considered in any way shape or manner in this case!!
Basically a slap on the wrist.
Thats what I call semi-justice..damn shame he only got 30 short days..smh
deport the bastard.
un real ….30 days……I have no words….
Smh.
we outraged g-d will get him
There’s a shock…
what? huh? 30 days? that it? Hell No!! Damn Fool Homophobia Peoples!!! 30 Days?!?!??? oh god, god help us. ugh!
As a former cop, I think 30-days is WAY to lenient, but at least this man has a criminal record that will follow him around forever.
makes me physically sick. A boy is dead and this is not justice!
30 days….wow….
I think it’s a terrible sentence! Should have been at least 5 years for hate crime.
This is just totally wrong….. what a slap on the wrist !!!
Maybe he should be bullied for 30 straight days by the GLBT community once he serves his meager sentence. I don’t know what is worse his actions or that of the legal system.
pisses me off he shoulda got longer
?!! Per James Robinson-this judgement came directly from the judge’s instructions, thus it was a miscarriage if justice by design. Shameful!
30n days is too meager for his bullying. How about life since his actions resulted in the death of another human being.
unbelievable and simply horrible to lose such a young life and he can’t even show remorse or empathy
we talked about this in class today and even the guys in class who dont like gay people agreed that he deserves a long sentence. what he did was not right. . why cant the world just accept that this is who people are and stop toying with everyone?
i am so upset this is rediculous
“Vengance is mine,” said the Lord.
30 days …. Omg you have to be kidding …. Unbeliveable!
He gets 30 days for a human life, Vick gets 365 days for dogs lives….is there any value for human life in this coutry any more?
not enough punishment for causing some ones death, and clearly he has shown no remorse, should have been deported!
DISGRACEFUL! I hope he gets brutally raped every single one of those 30 days in jail. I can’t believe I said that, but I actually mean it. How dare the court hold Tyler Clementi’s life in such low regard?
30 DAYS??? This whole things has been going for how long now and he only gets 30 days? the trial was longer then that. Only in America.
At least the prosecutor had a asked for a stay to pursue a longer sentence. At least one person in legal system has a brain.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I can’t believe it – only 30 days?! He should definitely be in there longer than 30 days.
A ridiculous slap in the face!
I am stuck that we live in society that someone feels so shattered that his sexual orientation will be exposed… how sad
yeah 30 days is ridiculous but please for some of you gys to say he should be raped, bullied, killed etc..is too much. You can’t fight hate w. hate. He should have gotten more but hopefully by him seeing that he got spared, he will see the light and learn from his choices. Maybe some day he can find peace . :/
That is some bull-motherfucking-shit. He was directly responsible for someone’s death. That’s at least manslaughter. And it’s too bad he wasn’t deported (after serving his sentence, of course).
Ever hear of a slap on the wrist…..well this is a tap on the wrist some justice system we have anymore
that is bad ….
Are you kidding me? This guy should have gotten life in prison!
what a shame just 30 days for a life of someone brilliant!!!
get rid of the judge
I know my opinion won’t be popular here, but while I think 30 days is way too light those of you calling for life sentences are just out for blood. No amount of punishment will bring the young student whose life was lost in this unfortunate incident back and at the end of the day the student took his own life, all this man did was harass him and expose his secret life. Should he have gotten more than 30 days for what he did do? Yes. Do I feel he is directly responsible for his roommate’s death? I can’t say that I do, he had no way of knowing (or even reasonably believing) that his roommate would take his own life simply for being outed.
I have no words for how awful this sentencing is. 30 days in jail is far, far, far too little time to serve justice to Dharun Ravi for what he did to Tyler Clementi. In the words of the judge: “I heard this jury say guilty 288 times: 24 questions, 12 jurors…And I haven’t heard you apologize once…You cannot expunge the conduct or the pain you caused.”
30 days?! Wtf? That not justice.
Wrong just wrong
All the court time put in
After his jail time they should deport him. They are being way to easy on this person
fuck that piece of shit
Christ, it seems like the lot of you are foaming at the mouth from this and I honestly can’t see why. I’ve seen and watched many a story on this poor kid’s death and, based on interviews, I just can’t see Ravi holding a prejuidice. I’m not saying he was in the right here, not at all, I’m just trying to say that he almost certainly didn’t do this on purpose. He was a stupid kid who did a stupid thing to his roommate which ended in tragedy. Please stop treating him like the worst thing ever, especially when there are people doing far worse things to LGTB people and getting off scott-free.
There is no question that what he did was wrong on many levels. However Tyler was failed by many people on many levels, as are most bullied teens. Tyler took his own life. Ultimately he is the only one responsible for his death. His faith, his family, his “friends” and many others influenced his decision to be sure, but Ravi was not solely responsible for his death. We can’t possibly know what exactly drives people to suicide, we can only speculate. To hold this young man responsible for Tyler’s death would be ruining so many lives, and for what? So everyone can wipe their hands of responsibility by pointing the finger at Ravi? People need to look at themselves and recognize the various ways we all knowingly and unconsciously contribute to bullying. Just my 2 cents.
And the wishes for the death and rape of this boy are completely inappropriate and uncalled for. A great example of the hate and bullying you claim to be against. Shame on you.
This is sad…Once again a hate crime is ignored. Shame on them..
Not long enough. That bastard.
Oh wow. I guess justice is served, right? Fuck the system.
Little turd will not enjoy jail!!!
This is a fucking joke. He should be deported after serving the ten years, he should have gotten. Homophobia sound familiar? The remorseless little ass got away with a hate crime and causing an unnecessary death.
Thats all he got?????? B.S. He is just as guilty as if he pushed that kid off the bridge himself. He SHOULD be deported. Obviously missed the fact that America stands for freedom…if he cant abide by that then he has no reason to be here.
The young man wasn’t even remorseful. He knew what he was doing and that it was a hateful and cruel action. Our judicial system has failed us once again,
30 days for assitance in suicide my my what is our judicial system coming to…Was this trial by his perverted peers?
Really?!
This is insulting.
Need a petition to put pressure on the prosecutor to appeal the sentence. This creep needs to send time in prison.
what a piece of work
OUT IN 30 DAYS!!!!!!!!unrealistic sentence for this!!!!!
Got off easy, little twerp!
his sentence was such bs!!! How do we expect haters to learn if jusges dont give them the max?
SOOOOO WRONG!!!!
i hope someone bangs him in prison and posts it online…
shouldn’t be 30 days, should be more like 10 years or something >:(
Disgrace….
Wow.. So post a video of a gay kid up to humiliate him, he kills himself and you get 30 days… Nice legal system..
Wow should have been years
wrong on so many levels..
hope he gets raped in prison
wtf
not acceptable for 30 days jail
WOW!!!!! Seriously disgusting!!! He’ll get his…they have 30 days to of free will for this loser!!! Our justice system…oh wait…what justice system!! Sad sad sad!!!!
He will get what ia coming to him of we are lucky some one might fuxk him during his sentence
I do not wish him (or anyone) violence…but he will be stuck with the nightmares that his guilt will create. A lifetime sentence.
A BS sentence, no deportation and still probably receiving scholarship money to continue on with his education. Great deterrent.
That sentence is to damn light.
Outrageous and disgraceful. The courts should be ashamed. One can post a video online, humiliate another person enough to drive him to suicide and he gets 30 days? He should sit in prison for years and then be deported back to his country. I hope Tyler’s death haunts him for the rest of his life. He has blood on his hands!
The sentence is a joke for a class 2 felony. The judge wanted to send a message… ‘I’m not in support of gays having equal protection under the law’. Well, message received. Like we didn’t know he would hand down this bogus ruling? Seriously…
This idiot has NOT REMORSE and his “sentence” (and his judge) is a joke. Should have been given the maximum of 10 yrs in prison AND DEPORTATION. Who wants to encourage this fool to remain in our country? Insulting.
Travesty of justice.
Those of you calling for this guy’s rape should be ashamed. To be sure, he did something really stupid and that behavior caused incredible. But to wish him death or rape is vitriolic, and is tantamount to the hate you claim motivated this guy’s behavior.
that’s a slap on the wrist for a serious crime, my heart goes out to the family of the victim
Personally, I think the family should sue. In this instance it makes sense.
Prooving intent possible?
I just do not understand…•_•