Former Student Convicted of Bias Intimidation for Webcam Spying

A jury has convicted a former Rutgers student of bias intimidation for spying on his gay roommate.

2012-04-21

April 21, 2012 (Press-News.org) Former Student Convicted of Bias Intimidation for Webcam Spying

In a case that has garnered national controversy, a jury has convicted a former Rutgers University student of bias intimidation, invasion of privacy and evidence tampering, convictions that could bring as many as 10 years in jail. Dharun Ravi, the student convicted, was born in India and also likely faces deportation. The charges, and subsequent conviction, arose from an incident where Ravi used a webcam to spy on his gay roommate. Shortly after seeing Ravi's tweets about the incident, his roommate, Tyler Clementi, committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge. The spying occurred in September of 2010, and Ravi was convicted in March of 2012.

Webcam Spying

On September 19, 2010, Ravi and another student used a webcam to spy on Clementi and another man as they engaged in intimate acts. After the incident, Ravi tweeted friends and invited them to watch the next proposed liaison, which was going to occur a few days later. Ravi and another student pointed the webcam directly at his roommate's bed in anticipation of spying on the intimate acts. That time, however, the actual spying never occurred: at trial, Ravi claims he moved the webcam before the spying could take place, but the prosecution claimed that it was Clementi who changed the angle of the webcam.

The second attempt to catch Clementi on film may have decided the case for the jury. "A reasonable person would have closed it and ended it there, not tweeted about it," one juror told The New York Times regarding the first webcam spying.

Plea Deal Rejected

Early in his criminal defense case, Ravi would have been able to take a plea deal that would have resulted in no jail time. However, Ravi rejected the deal, claiming to have done so because the deal would have forced him to admit his acts were the result of hatred to homosexuals. In a recent interview with Chris Cuomo of 20/20, Ravi said "[I]n 18 years of life, I don't see how someone could have so much hate towards a group of people for any reason."

Technology a Factor?

Ravi believes that technology may have made it seem more likely he was intentionally targeting his roommate on the basis of his homosexuality. "If you take all the technology out, this is just like I looked into the window and then left ... and then told a bunch of people about it," Ravi told 20/20.

This unique prosecution and conviction in this case shows how serious the penalties are for hate crimes. If you have been charged with a hate crime, contact an experienced criminal defense attorney who can defend your rights, as well as negotiate and advise you on plea bargains and other legal options.

Article provided by Feeley & Sayegh LLC Attorneys At Law
Visit us at http://www.jjslawoffice.com

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