Rutgers Webcam Spying Case Verdict

[nickiknack]

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. — A former Rutgers University student accused of using a webcam to spy on his gay roommate’s love life was convicted Friday of invasion of privacy and anti-gay intimidation in a case that exploded into the headlines when the victim threw himself to his death off a bridge.

Prosecutors said Ravi set up a webcam in his dorm room in September 2010 and captured roommate Tyler Clementi kissing another man, then tweeted about it and excitedly tried to catch Clementi in the act again two days later. A half-dozen students were believed to have seen the live video of the kissing.

During the trial, Ravi’s lawyer argued that the college freshman was not motivated by any hostility toward gays and that his actions were just those of an immature “kid.” The defense also contended Ravi initially set up the camera because he was afraid Clementi’s older, “sketchy”-looking visitor might steal his belongings.

The most serious charges — bias intimidation based on sexual orientation, a hate crime — carry up to 10 years behind bars each. But legal experts said the most Ravi would probably get all together at sentencing May 21 would be 10 years.

Before the trial, Ravi and his lawyers had rejected a plea bargain that would have spared him from prison. He would have gotten probation and community service and would have been given help in avoiding deportation.

Ravi was not charged with causing Clementi’s death, and the suicide remained largely in the background at the trial, though some witnesses mentioned it and the jury was told Clementi had taken his life.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/jury-begins-3rd-day-of-deliberations-in-trial-of-ex--rutgers-student-accused-of-webcam-spying/2012/03/16/gIQAci0HGS_story.html?tid=pm_pop

So what do you guys think about the case and the verdict??

[DiscoBerry]

Holy-fuck!  The system does work from time to time.

[Witchyjoshy]

For a second, I thought this was going to be about the one case where a principal was using school-given computers' webcams to spy on children to "report any unsavory practices to their parents"

This is still very very horrible, and I'm glad that this guy is going to be serving time behind bars.

[DiscoBerry]

Before the trial, Ravi and his lawyers had rejected a plea bargain that would have spared him from prison. He would have gotten probation and community service and would have been given help in avoiding deportation.

Is it wrong that this keeps making me laugh.

[largeham]

Before the trial, Ravi and his lawyers had rejected a plea bargain that would have spared him from prison. He would have gotten probation and community service and would have been given help in avoiding deportation.

Is it wrong that this keeps making me laugh.

No, I laughed as well. Stupid lawyers, this guy deserves them.

[erictheblue]

Before the trial, Ravi and his lawyers had rejected a plea bargain that would have spared him from prison. He would have gotten probation and community service and would have been given help in avoiding deportation.

Is it wrong that this keeps making me laugh.

No, I laughed as well. Stupid lawyers, this guy deserves them.

Don't automatically blame the lawyers. A lawyer must counsel his/her client in the law and give them advice, but the final decision is the client's. If Ravi said "I want to go to trial, no deal," the lawyer is required to do so.

[e13]

Hm, well, at least its nice to see a high profile case that ends well. 

[N. De Plume]

Before the trial, Ravi and his lawyers had rejected a plea bargain that would have spared him from prison. He would have gotten probation and community service and would have been given help in avoiding deportation.

Is it wrong that this keeps making me laugh.

No, I laughed as well. Stupid lawyers, this guy deserves them.

Don't automatically blame the lawyers. A lawyer must counsel his/her client in the law and give them advice, but the final decision is the client's. If Ravi said "I want to go to trial, no deal," the lawyer is required to do so.

That is, unless you have the movie version of Al Capone’s lawyer.

[RavynousHunter]

Just 10 years for causing a person to kill himself?  *sighs*  I guess you have to take your victories where you get 'em...

[Witchyjoshy]

Just 10 years for causing a person to kill himself?  *sighs*  I guess you have to take your victories where you get 'em...

Well, unfortunately, I don't know if he, in fact, intended to bully this person, let alone to suicide.

I don't know if he didn't intend that, either.

10 years isn't a short time.

[e13]

Just 10 years for causing a person to kill himself?  *sighs*  I guess you have to take your victories where you get 'em...

Well, unfortunately, I don't know if he, in fact, intended to bully this person, let alone to suicide.

I don't know if he didn't intend that, either.

10 years isn't a short time.

In the past ten years I:

Graduated High School
Held my first full time job
Lost my virginity
Developed and sold my own card game
Had a relationship of almost four years
Earned a BA in English (what is my life going to be?)
Traveled to New York City!
Worked at a news station
Worked at a hotel
Worked at Targét
Worked for a news magazine
Worked for Wisconsin Public Radio
Lost two friends I knew in high school
Attended the weddings of three people I knew in high school
Went to two political rallies
Attended three protests
Volunteered for a pet safety group
Wrote a short story contest finalist
Acted in over ten plays (counting one acts)
Attended three funerals for loved ones
Directed two plays
Written over fifty short stories and poems
Increased my drawing technique to the point you have to be another artist to know I suck (victory!)
Participated in nearly 40 HeroClix tournaments (and won a few)
Seen and read the entire Harry Potter series


Being locked away for ten years is no simple thing. This is just a cursory layer of my life during the past decade of my life. I believe he's being plenty punished considering there is no apparent motive to cause death.

[largeham]

Don't automatically blame the lawyers. A lawyer must counsel his/her client in the law and give them advice, but the final decision is the client's. If Ravi said "I want to go to trial, no deal," the lawyer is required to do so.

You're right, either way one of them is extremely stupid.

Also, as Zachski said, ten years is quite a long time.

[Lt. Fred]

Ten years is a good sentence for indirect manslaughter.

[largeham]

Yeah, a long time but perfectly deserved in my opinion.

[Shano]

I am not usually getting to post in threads that could become more intense.

But I am amazed that on this allegedly liberal forum there are so many revenge/harsh punishment supporters. I would not generally associate the two, but maybe I am too idealistic. I am also idealistic in that I view the purpose of post crime intervention to be rehabilitation and in no way revenge/closure. I am also quite aware that emotions make my ideal hardly achievable.
It seems to me that people are unaware about some of the facts of the case (one blatant example is that Clementi had already scouted several bridges way ahead of the Ravi events and that suggests he had intention and design already). I am also quite personally convinced that Ravi didn't exibit bias intimidation.
Overall I consider the punishment completely disproportionate.