Dharun Ravi Found Guilty In Rutgers Webcam Spying Trial

March 16, 2012 11:59 PM

Dharun Ravi in court on Friday, March 16, 2012 (credit: CBS 2)

Filed under

Heard On 1010 WINS, WCBS, WFAN, Local, News, NJ News, Seen On CBS 2HD, Watch + Listen

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) – Dharun Ravi, a former Rutgers student accused of using a webcam to spy on his roommate who later committed suicide, was found guilty of invasion of privacy and bias intimidation.

WCBS 880′s Levon Putney In New Brunswick

The jury reached a split verdict during its third day of deliberations in the Rutgers webcam spying trial.

Ravi shook his head as the verdict was read. The jury found he used a webcam to spy on his roommate Tyler Clementi in Sept. 2010 and that he did it and told others about it because of a bias against gays.

1010 WINS’ Steve Sandberg With More On The Verdict

Each bias intimidation charge included five questions. A finding of guilty on any of them made Ravi guilty of the entire charge.

The jury issued a split verdict on those subquestions, finding him not guilty on some sub parts of some counts, but guilty of all 15 counts as a whole.

It found, for example, that Ravi did not try to intimidate Clementi’s romantic partner, identified in court only as M.B., and that Clementi reasonably believed Ravi was trying to intimidate him because of his sexual orientation. It split over whether Ravi knowingly or willfully intimidated Clementi because of his sexuality.

Ravi was also found guilty of witness and evidence tampering, attempted invasion of privacy and hindering apprehension or prosecution.

LINK: Full Breakdown of Decisions Posted on NJ.com.

“They didn’t find necessarily that he hates gays, but they found that the victims felt intimidated because they were gay,” explained legal analyst and attorney Mark Furnish. “It’s complicated and it’s an unsettled area of the law and I think there will be fertile grounds for an appeal in the case.”

Kashad Leverett of South Amboy is the same age as the defendant he judged. He said the evidence showed Ravi acted with intent. He said there was very little argument during the deliberations and no one considered the spying to be an innocent prank.

“It wasn’t a typical jury where you see people arguing and everything,” Leverett told CBS 2′s Lou Young.

Days after the spying took place, Clementi committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. Ravi was not charged with causing Clementi’s death.

Outside the courthouse after the decisions were read, 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.”

WCBS 880′s Peter Haskell: Joe Clementi Said Watching The Trial Was Painful

“We were here every day because wanted to be here for our son, and because we believed this trial was important because it dealt with important issues for our society and for our young people today,” Joe Clementi said on Friday.

He is asking young people to be tolerant and to speak up if they see something they know is wrong.

“You can make the world a better place. The change you want to see in the world begins with you,” he said.

Clementi’s family has created a foundation to prevent teen suicide and develop anti-bullying programs.

Clementi’s death was one in a string of suicides by young gays around the country in September 2010. President Barack Obama commented on it, as did talk show host Ellen DeGeneres.

Steven Goldstein, chairman of the gay rights activist group Garden State Equality, said he believes the verdict sends an important message.

“We do believe that this verdict shows that a ‘kids will be kids’ defense is no excuse for bullying,” he said. “This is an important verdict in the interest of sending a powerful signal that bullying is unacceptable, period.”

Rutgers also issued a statement after the verdict that said: “This sad incident should make us all pause to recognize the importance of civility and mutual respect in the way we live, work and communicate with others.”

The most serious charges, bias intimidation based on sexual orientation, a hate crime, carry up to 10 years in prison each. Legal experts said the most Ravi would probably get all together would be 10 years.

Ravi’s sentencing is set for May 21.

Please share your thoughts below…

(TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2012 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

Ursalina

It’s embarrassing to 1010WINS that the anchor actually misunderstood the verdict and told her audience that Ravi was found innocent of most of the most serious charges. She should be fired and replaced with someone who understands the news — not just mouths it.

friend

I heard the same thing, wow

Bob

10 years?!?!? While OJ roamed free for about 15 after killing 2 people in 1994?!??!? While (her own) child murderer Casey Anthony roams free today?!?!? Robert Blake as well! Are you fekng kidding me?!?? Did Ravi push Clementi off the GWB?!?!? NO! And from what I read, he (Clementi) knew there was a camera present. If I am doing something that private, I am not taking any chances of it being exposed. The first thing I do with a webcam in the room is to make sure it is not focusing on what I don’t want the whole world to see (disconnecting it and covering the lens could work too the last time I checked).

This trial about political correctness and nothing else other than maybe the Jewish controlled NJ court system having it out for Muslim. Too bad I wasn’t on that jury. NOT GUILTY ALL THE WAY. Because the law isn’t always right.

burstlp1958

aside from your clear bigotry and misguided conspiracy notions, the law is the law until its either struck down by a court or changed by a legislature–and it is to control until changed contrary to your ridiculous view that YOU can choose the laws that are or are not right–its not an issue of PC to expect privacy and not be filmed and broadcast without your knowledge or consent–just because you disapprove of the conduct and think somehow the kid deserved whatever doesn’t change the fact what he did was morally wrong and against an existing law
Gflow

Some are more equal the others.
Michael H.

Ravi is Hindu, not Muslim.
littlestar

Amen !

The US is becoming Feminized

Ravi didn’t cause this sodomite to jump off a bridge. boys will be boys. 10 years? He shoulda skipped just skipped bail and bought a new identity.

Melvin in Manhasset

Dont give the “boys will be boys” excuse. I bet you were the bully when you were a kid…

The US is becoming Feminized

Yes I was, so what? Wht are u gonna do?

Melvin in Manhasset

Ok there, Internet tuffguy

NJ

Why is he allowed to continue to be out on bail …found guilty should not he be in prison
The jury got it wrong

Please delete this racist comment.

And, this trial was nothing more than a witch hunt. Very unfair and the mainstream media should be ashamed of themselves portraying Clementi as the poor victim and the foreigner Ravi as an evil gay-hating person.

Ravi you will, unfortunately, have to pay the price and be the scapegoat in all this when we know that the only person to blame for Clementi’s death is Clementi himself.
Sean Patrick Brennan

Dear hate-filled people who posted above, please at least use your real name so we all know who to stay away from. Trials like this one seem to bring out a lot of you people, and I think if you really think this way, you should make sure your friends, family, and coworkers know that you do. Don’t just hide behind anonymous online aliases used to post online garbage along the side of the Internet’s road. Rest in peace, Tyler.

Sean Brennan Patrick

The fact that this disturbed kid jumped off the bridge after being filmed having relations with a man almost twice his age is tragic yes. It seems to me, and everyone else with a brain, that he would have hopped off regardless of his roommate taping him. No buys that fact that he was hiding his identity, some people can, but he wasn’t one of those people.
His parents and friends failed to support him and he felt he had no where to turn
Captain Obvious

Who exactly is a hater? What about this kid Ravi? I bet you hate him. Anyone with a different point of view is a hater. Typical argument from a Liberal.
bob forbes

Listen,Sean Patrick Brennan why is it if someone disagrees with the gay lifestyle their haters.What do you mean by “you people” ,strait??Get a life.Marry a woman and make your dad proud!!

Captain Obvious

Nothing but a Witch Hunt.

If Clementi was a Heterosexual, caught in bed with the ugliest girl on campus, then jumped off a bridge, there would be no trial, no news story.

If he was so insecure about his sexuality, he made no attempt to hide it. Invite a strange looking, older guy, back to a college dorm where he is totally out of place. Then tell his room mate that he needs private time with his new male friend.

In a college dorm?? Why not go to a hotel, or back to the older guys place?

To all those that say this is insensitive, give me a break. This is reality. Yes, he was someone’s child. Yes he had family. They probably had more to do with him jumping off a bridge than this guy Ravi. He was a troubled kid, that’s all. He was making no attempt at all to hide his sexuality.

Ravi is a jerk for setting up his roommate. Not guilty of all those charges.

mkjmkjlk

ummm, no actually he was found guilty, so youre wrong on your last statement

John

There is justic aftert all! Ship the piece of garbage back to India!
rocker90

He needs to appeal. He did not receive a fair trial.

This is an outrage. He did not force Mr. Clementi to jump.

Mr. Ravi was trying to protect himself. In college you cannot be forced to have a gay roomate.

rocker90

Thiis is a violation of his civll rights.
Jojo

@rocker 90, Ravi was not charged with murder. Her was charged with invasion of privacy and bias intimidation. This verdict shows that there are consquences to what you do. Maybe these idiots will now think twice. I don’t feel sorry for this POS. He was found guilty appropriately.

chelsea c

Jojo are you a fellow pervert?

burstlp1958

nothing clear chelsea about jojo but it is clear you are a feloow bigot

Amtracmarine

Invasion of privacy yes but bias intimidation,no way

NYC

Agree
Dorothy “Dot’ Head

He did not force Mr. Clementi to jump. Correct. No one was claiming he did. He was not charged with THAT. Maybe you should read the charges and his CONVICTIONS before mouthing off.

Ravi was a fokking liar. He did not put the cam there to PROECT HIS ELECTRONICS FROM THEFT. He could have taked his silly Ipad with him. He TAMPERED WITH EVIDENCE. He’s LUCKY if he ONLY gets deported.

Jail and Deport!!

Have this piece of garbage do his jail time in Jersey’s worst jail and then deport him for being a Convicted Criminal.
KPMc

So… if the couple whose privacy was violated were heterosexual you would be perfectly fine with that?

I’d tell you to think before you open your trap but that may be too much to ask of you.

lynn taylor

no it wouldn’t be fine, however, the fact that he’s gay and granted some special protected status get all the prosecutors excited to go after a hate crime…which they initially tried to do. The whole cause and effect argument to this case is based on the fact he was gay. If you’re gay and embarrassed about it whose fault is that? Friggin kid had serious issues to begin with that no one knew about.

john

He may have been more fragile then some, but gay or not this was a very private and personal thing to be broadcast around the globe. Try putting yourself in his position, an intimate moment recorded and displayed for people you see everyday, and then add to it something you felt embarrassed about.
It is not about him being gay.

Amused but not misled

The victim being gay was a lesser factor.

The roommate had a screw loose and killed himself. But for his very dramatic suicide this whole thing would be petty BS.

The press lied about all the supposed internet broadcasts and postings too. There were NONE. Manufactured crap to sell subscriptions.

KPMc

So a closed-circuit casting to others is acceptable in your world? Let me set up a camera in your bedroom and see how you feel about that.

nj sports

mixed news here…other sites are reporting that he was not convicted of bias intimidation..

Jojo

Its complicated. He was found guilty on 15 counts. The 15 counts included sub-counts. If he is found guilty one of the counts and not guilty on sub counts. He is considered guilty on the whole count.

Lynne

This guy needs to grow up and face the punishment for his crimes. He needs to be sent back to where he came from and take his little friend Molly with him – another brainless idiot.
CT Native

Wait until he meets his new roomate, Buba. He’ll learn what being gay really means………….

Twang

duh….how original
KPMc

So you think gay means prison rape?

I guess you learned a lot from the trial.

Peter

He should have taken a plea !!!
Jaf

Anyone notice that Ravi never combs his hair? At least go out in style, just saying

mkjmkjlk

hes losing his hair. pos deserves it.

rabble rouser says

Back to Bombay for this Perp……………
HGLEWIS

Yahoo! is reporting he was found guilty of all counts, including bias intimidation?
rabble rouser says

But they allowed his co defendant Ms Mai to get into the PreTrial Intervention Program,which will result in a dismissal of her charges,because she became a stool pigion…wheres the justice there I ask?

Michael H.

Ms Mai realized she did something wrong and ‘fessed up. Mr Ravi thought he did nothing wrong and held that belief straight through the trial.

It’s called a plea bargain and is a perfectly acceptable part of our criminal justice system

Marc

HAD I BEEN ON THE JURY – NOT GUILTY ON ALL COUNTS!!!!!!!!!!

max

UNLESS HE DID THIS TO YOU
THEN YOU WOULD THINK HE SHOULD BE GUILTY
DEPORT HIM
live&letlive

& that’s exactly why they would have kicked you out of the jury pool!!!

Zelia

Hie is getting what he deserves. He spied on his roommate and felt entitled to do so. Now he is finding out that his behavior was not acceptable. He could have accepted a plea bargain but chose to roll the dice. And now he will pay the price.

Jaf

Is that a poem? It rhymes, nice touch

Noper

Poor kid,
Noper

This case is to satisfy the gay/agenda.community.

Boomer

You are an insensitive moron. Tyler was someone’s son, brother, cousin… and he is dead because of people like YOU and Ravi

Amtracmarine

Tyler told his mother that he was gay before he left for school and he said that she “Totally Rejected” him . Should she also be included in your little guilt club???

Boomer

Amtracmarine- what are you, a baggage handler on Amtrak?

Michael H.

The “Gay Agenda”:

1 – Obtain equal rights
2 – Marry the person they love
3 – Buy milk

littlestar

The Gay Agenda : 1- Obtain equal rights through a non existant phobia. 2- Marry someone because you are intolerant of the oppisite sex. 3- Buy milk.

Amused but not misled

CORRECTION

#2 is Marry someone because they have financial benefits you don’t have.
#3 is use their money to buy milk

MIKE

LET THAT YOUNG MAN GO. THEY ARE COLLEGE STUDENTS WORSE THINGS THAN THAT HAPPEN IN THE DORMS. THEY SHOULDNT ALLOW STUDENTS TO DRINK TO DEATH!!! THATS AN ISSUE. HE HAD NO IDEA THE GUY WOULD KILL HIMSELF.

FREE THE GUY!!!

tomlasusa

Um, even if it could be proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that he harbored no gay bias towards Clementi…let’s not forget INVASION OF PRIVACY!!!!

I’m sure if you found a camera planted somewhere in your bedroom and discovered your neighbor was filming all your activities you’d be screaming for an arrest.

So no. He does not get to walk scott free.

The amazing thing is he could have taken the plea deal for counseling and community service … which he refused. Which means he thinks he did nothing wrong.

And therein resides the problem.

Amused but not misled

Wasn’t a neighbor video taping. Was they person who ALSO LIVED THEREin th room taping. Very different

Nick

You cant be serious? What worse can happen then death beucase of somones sexual orientation? That kid that killed himself did nothing wrong. You are obviously a disturbed person, that is not clearly thinking and once again, is wrong.

live&letlive

Amen, what Nick said!!! The sooner people realize that most gay people are the nicest & most of the ones I know are the most prosperous people who don’t mess with anybody & just want their privacy, the better off this world will be!! They bother noone, yet are screwed with constantly by biased, bigotted, shallow minded, fearful, prejudiced idiots!! I am straight & I’d much rather have my gay friends than the morons chanting all this redneck anti-gay garbage!

bob forbes

if you believe that, I have some swampland for sale in florida

Jaf

He was not on trial for Tyler’s death. Also, on the topic of college students drinking themselves to death, if that’s what they wish to do, let them; they are not hurting anyone except themselves. In Ravi’s case, he invaded another persons privacy, which, IMO, displays poor judgement and total disregard for another persons rights.

tomlasusa

>>et them; they are not hurting anyone except themselves. <<

Their families might disagree with that one.

1 2 Next »

News

Dharun Ravi Found Guilty In Rutgers Webcam Spying Trial

March 16, 2012 11:59 PM

Filed under

Related tags

Latest News Video

Summertime = Fun Time!

Help Shape The Debates

At Harmon Meadow 6/15

Great Networking Event

Select a Live Stream

News, Sports and Talk Radio

Music Radio