Tyler Clementi's Roommate Indicted

[The Philosopher]

Full Title: Tyler Clementi's Rutgers roommate indicted in connection with webcam broadcast
from Asbury Park Press

The roommate of Tyler Clementi, accused of broadcasting an intimate encounter between the Rutgers freshman and another man days before Clementi committed suicide, has been indicted by a Middlesex County grand jury.

The 15-count indictment againt Dharun Ravi, 19, includes a host of charges from invasion of privacy to the new charges of bias intimidation.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan said in a release that the bias intimidation began in August "the day he learned the name of his roommate, T.C.'' The Prosecutor's Office has not named Clementi directly.

The charge suggests Dharun Ravi targeted Clementi because he was gay.

...

The indictment against Dharun Ravi includes four bias intimidation charges, two of them second-degree charges that can bring up to 10 years in prison each. Other charges include tampering with evidence, attempted invasion of privacy, hindering apprehension and witness tampering.

http://www.app.com/article/20110420/NJNEWS/110420020/Dharun-Ravi-indictment-includes-bias-charges-connection-Rutgers-Tyler-Clementi-suicide?odyssey=nav">head|Click Here To Read More

[JackBeck]

1. Statement from Garden State Equality:

"To those who say that Mr. Ravi's conduct was merely a prank that students are apt to pull - and that somehow he should not receive a tough sentence - we say that's nonsense. That heinous philosophy has tragically done so much to create a bullying epidemic in our state and nation in the first place."

http://www.bluejersey.com/diary/18340/tyler-clementis-tormentor-dharun-ravi-indicted-on-15-counts

[Vinnie From Indy]

2. A tragedy all around

This dumbass kid is now going to face the music for his outrageous and criminal behavior. One can only hope that this will get a great deal of press and that it might help someone somewhere from being bullied.

[customerserviceguy]

3. I heard this on the radio today

Since I haven't really followed the story since it first came out, I'm still left with one question. What was the actual behavior of Clementi and his guest that was actually broadcast on the Web? Was it simply physical affection, or was it something that was considerably more prurient? It seems that if it were the latter, the charges would be easier to stick on Ravi, whereas if he were only broadcasting two people hugging and kissing with clothes on, it might be easier to dismiss as a prank.

[MNBrewer]

4. Intent plays into this, I believe.

Was it Ravi's intent to invade Clementi's privacy? What were the consequences of the invasion of privacy?