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Subscribe to RSSA man who witnesses say was watched via webcam while kissing a Rutgers University student who later committed suicide took the stand Friday, telling jurors he noticed the webcam while the two were being intimate.
"I had just glanced over my shoulder and I noticed there was a webcam that was faced toward the direction of the bed," said the man, identified only by the initials M.B. "Just being in a compromising position and seeing a camera lens - it just stuck out to me."
The man testified that he had met Tyler Clementi in August 2010 through a social networking site for gay men. They chatted online initially, he said, and their first in-person meeting was in Clementi's dorm room on Sept. 16, three days before the alleged spying. Clementi killed himself days later.
The man's testimony came in the trial of Clementi's roommate, Dharun Ravi, who is charged with bias intimidation, invasion of privacy and other crimes.
The judge did not allow photographs of M.B. to be taken in the courthouse, barred any audio or video of him to be taken and said that he would be identified in court only by his initials. The man's lawyer had successfully fought to conceal his identity because he's considered a victim of an alleged sex crime.
Star witness: Other students viewed Rutgers webcam
Jurors were given his whole name to make sure none knew him.
On Friday, the trim young man appeared in court in a button-down shirt, and did not match the description of the overweight "sketchy" or "homeless"-looking man that students had reported seeing visit Clementi. His hair was closely cropped and he didn't have the goatee that some described seeing him have.
Because of the secrecy surrounding the man's identity, there was an unusually large media contingent packed into the Middlesex County Courthouse for what was already a high-profile trial.
But in a little more than 30 minutes of direct-examination, not much light was shed on who he is.
He said he lived about a 20-minute drive from Clementi's dorm and was starting a new job on Sept. 20, 2010.
He testified that he met Clementi in his dorm room three times. The first was on Sept. 16, when he said Ravi was not expected home until the middle of the night.
The second was Sept. 19, the date of the alleged spying - and the time he said he noticed the webcam.
He said he and Clementi were naked and had sex that night. People who saw webcam images of his encounter with Clementi have testified that they saw no more than a few seconds of video and that the men were not seen doing anything more graphic than kissing. At one point, some said, their shirts were off, but their pants were on.
The man told jurors there were about five students looking at him as he left the building on Sept. 19.
"Had they been in the street or somewhere other than this building I would have asked them why they were looking at me," he said. He called their actions "unsettling."
Malicious, or childish, act? Rutgers webcam spying trial opens
The third time he met Clementi was two days later, when Ravi is charged with attempted invasion of privacy. There's been testimony that the webcam feed did not work that night. According to court papers filed previously, it was unplugged.
M.B. testified that he heard comments from the courtyard outside the dorm that night that bothered him. But he was not allowed to say what it was.
He testified that he wanted to see Clementi again. "As far as whether I was going to return to that building to see him, I felt a little uneasy about it," he said.
First Assistant Middlesex County Prosecutor Julia McClure told jurors in opening statements last week that Ravi deliberately planned to invade Tyler Clementi's privacy "and to deprive him of his dignity."
Defense attorneys countered that Ravi, 18 at the time but now 19, behaved childishly but did not commit any crime. He faces 15 counts of invasion of privacy, witness and evidence tampering and bias intimidation, a hate crime punishable by up to 10 years in state prison, in New Jersey's Middlesex County Court.
"The defendant's acts were not a prank, they were not an accident and they were not a mistake," McClure said. "They were mean-spirited, they were malicious and they were criminal."
Much of the testimony so far has come from college students. Several said Ravi told them that he'd used a webcam to see what was happening in the room he shared with Clementi on Sept. 19 and that he set up the camera again Sept. 21.
But none said that he had general malice toward gays.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More content from msnbc.com and NBC News
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He wasn't pushed was he?No issue then..I guess he didn't mind"engaging"on video
He didn't consent to being on video. When they noticed the video on the 19th, Clementi walked over to check it out. When he got to the computer, the green light went off on the camera. On the 21st, Clementi unplugged the computer to make sure that the camera wouldn't come on after learning about Ravi's plans to broadcast his encounter with M.B.
Ravi is a disgusting excuse for a human being. He had no regard for his roommates privacy or feelings, nor the privacy or feelings of M.B. Ravi claims that he didn't know what he was going to see on the 19th, yet he specifically told Wei that Clementi (who he had known was gay since before they moved in together) was in the room with a man and requested privacy for a few hours. Ravi goes on to claim that he immediately felt bad and that he and Wei agreed not to tell anyone, yet in less than 3 minutes was posting on Twitter about what he had witnessed. Within an hour he and Wei had allowed 4 other girls in the dorm to watch too.
When Clementi asks for the room again on the 21st, Ravi immediately began inviting everyone on his Twitter (at least 150 people) to have a "viewing party" by logging into his webchat. He claims that he changed his mind about the "viewing party", but other students have testified and there are texts that also show him saying that there was something wrong with the feed and that he would make sure it worked for the next time.
When the police were first trying to find Tyler, before his body was recovered, Ravi lied to them, attempted to get Wei to lie, and tried to alter his Twitter posts and delete text messages. Does this sound like someone who thinks that he did nothing wrong? He didn't even know that Clementi was dead at that point! Why was he trying to destroy evidence? I hope he gets the full 10 years and then gets deported for what he has done. He makes me sick.
I agree with KevNC. I would be mad even if this was my son with his girlfriend. There has to be some sort of privacy or decency rule between roommates in college. This is not about him being gay to me it's more about privacy regardless of the act. If someone recorder your family member taking a shower and posted it for everyone to see it would be unacceptable and I feel the same way about this. It is not a gay or straight issue as some are making it to be. It is an expectation of privacy issue that I have an issue with.
Deport, deport, deport! I also find it funny the lengths Ravi went to out this guy. IMO, Ravi was jealous and is confused about its own sexuality.
It is a terrible tragedy. Ravi may have been insensitive, brutish and cruel...up to a point. Could he have known his actions would result in a suicide? Ravi must show remorse...true remorse, not the courtroom kind and he must be punished. However misguided and stupid he was, does he deserve 10 years in a state prison? I hope not.
Seems to me if they noticed the web cam they must have had reason to believe their privacy was in jeopardy. Most web cams have a little green or red light when they are "on." So I question how if they noticed it they didn't notice it was on, even intermittently. It's not an invasion of privacy if they KNOW there's a camera. Throw a shirt over it or unplug it if you are uncomfortable. Again... I think this trial is a JOKE!
A person who was going to do that 'set up the webcam' would know about that little light..and all it takes is very small piece of black electrial tape to cover up that light. I use electrial tape to cover up the check engine light 'on' in my auto..so I could pass inspection ( light been on for five years-nothing wrong with engine just a sensor gitch).
They did notice the green light. When Clementi walked over to check it out, it was off. Clementi had a discussion with a friend of his via text the next day which talks about this. They did not see the light come on again.
Too many disturbing things if ya ask me...somebody died because of a bad joke; someone recorded a disturbing scene and let others in on it; someone infringed on another's privacy; and then a man was being watched poking another man....all these make for a pretty sickening situation.
As much as I do not agree with the whole "man poking man" thing; this kid should not escape justice...it was wrong what he was knowingly doing...he should go to jail for this.
@ David-1984932 - I would agree the trial a joke if Ravi were charged with murder when Clementi committed sucide. However, he is not. But he does face several other charges, including two counts of bias intimidation. They are the most serious of the charges, and each brings a possible 10-year prison term.
The question remains: Did Ravi secretly record Clementi having sex and broadcast it? Did Ravi do this because Clementi was gay? If the answer is no to either, he would be found innocent. But if he did those things, then he will be found guilty, and sentenced.
So if recording people without their knowlege is acceptable to you, I would very much like to setup wireless web cams all over your house, your bedroom, your bathroom, and put it on the internet for everyone to watch. Apparently to you, such an action is acceptable.
I went through something similar in college, where someone I was talking to for months online had hacked my computer and turned on my webcam without my knowledge. The webcam sat on top of my computer and all that had to be done to turn it on was to turn on the software. He somehow was able to turn on the software without the program showing on my screen's toolbar. My webcam had no lights or switches of any sort so I had no idea it was on while I was undressing, but when I started getting comments like "nice red panties", seconds after undressing, I was suddenly aware of what happened. I have no idea how long he had been doing this for, but it terrified me and upset me to have my privacy violated in such a way. The campus police did nothing to help and acted like it was no big deal, but I know how it feels to have your privacy violated and it's not pretty.
No "Trial" (if YOU are on trial) is a joke .... ! But it is a circus for everyone else ... while the article was horribly written, leaving serious questions as to who was who, it seemed clear that MB testified that he saw the camera and was seen by at least one of the participants ... MB and made him "apprehensive"
MB's additional testimony goes on to state (according to this story)
Not to assume anything about the case, one word jumps out ........ WHY? .. why would he feel "unsettled" when walking out of a dorm building when people looked at him? Wouldn't most of us look up at a stranger walking out of the building we lived in the world we live in today?
I'm kinda amazed that at a University as prominent & well endowed as Rutgers that dorm security cameras aren't installed that could collaborate at least this part of the story .... considering the contradictions in testimony about the appearance of the individual leaving the building ...
Was a additional individual involved that has not come forward, or has the persecutor just cleaned up the witness for court?
Lets be clear ... this is not a case about being gay ... nor is it really about privacy .... it about the state of mind of a individual that ultimately kills himself over something .... so far I have read nothing in any testimony that shows a intent on anyone's part to do malicious harm by their acts ... What actually caused this young man to take his own life is unknown, as is the state of mind or malicious intent the individual on trial.
Anyone with any additional information that is factual & substantiated that shows otherwise please post it so I might reevaluate my opinion ...
yeah it is a joke this Ravi should be convicted, all you state should not matter, Ravi invaded privacy and humilated a young man, who gave him that right??? He needs to be punished so this kind of stuff stops. Parents have no way of protecting their children away at school, so we have to make sure others are made an example of, so this does not happen again.
ROFLMAO, since when is it a crime for consenting homosexuals to have sexual intimacy. The lawyers in this case are pursuing a pound of flesh by painting this as a hate crime. They know they can't go after Ravi for murder, so they will pursue Ravi's other alleged action to exact their pound of flesh. Regardless of New Jersy Law, some jurors will consider the fact that Tyler shared a room with Ravi period.
If I were on this jury and heard the assistant prosecutors opening remarks, I would vote not guilty on all accounts.
moonbeamracer -- Go to www.northjersey.com for all of the articles written about this case. You might have to search Archives, because this began a while ago. The link I provided is for northern NJ's regional newspaper, The Record. I believe that Mike Kelly has written many articles about this case. Hope this helps.
Milo-2,
MB isn't an alleged victim of a sex crime because he had sex with another man; he's an alleged victim of a sex crime because Ravi secretly taped him having sex with another man, and did so for purposes of intimidation. How have you missed such a basic aspect of this case?
Lune
Yes David, a student killed himself because of the mental anguish and embarrassment placed on him by his roommate - if this trial is a "joke" I for one am not laughing.
Milo-2
ROFLMAO, since when is it a crime for consenting homosexuals to have sexual intimacy. The lawyers in this case are pursuing a pound of flesh by painting this as a hate crime. They know they can't go after Ravi for murder, so they will pursue Ravi's other alleged action to exact their pound of flesh. Regardless of New Jersy Law, some jurors will consider the fact that Tyler shared a room with Ravi period.
If I were on this jury and heard the assistant prosecutors opening remarks, I would vote not guilty on all accounts.
What are talking about, Milo2?
The "sex crime", the "hate crime" is the spying via webcam and the alleged criminal is Ravi, the roommate who was next door. The sex crime is NOT what the 2 gay men were doing! Thus, the witness, who was Clementi's partner that night, is indeed a victim of the hate and sex crime.
There is NO evidence that Ravi disliked gays. There is NO evidence that Tyler did what he did because of the silly, childish, action that Ravi took. Tyler could have been upset about something else---for example, his MOTHER was the last one he communicated with. She could not accept that he was gay. So, are you ready to "string up" Tyler's mother now??? There is no way to know what Tyler was thinking, and there is no way to ASSUME what Ravi was thinking. ALL just assumptions on your part. There is a lot of false spin out there. You haters want to believe the worst about Ravi without even hearing all the evidence. If Ravi thought he was guilty, he would have taken the plea.
While I think discrimination is terrible, we all know this trial is about being a substitute for a murder "by suicide" trial.
That this other individual is in this world to testify shows it was nobody's fault that this Rutger's student took his own life. This is the 21st century, nobody really has any privacy and all the cool people have a sex tape floating around the internet.
That this individual felt the need to rage-quit life is his own issue. I'm not big on using tangential laws as an end run around an inability to pursue the charges you wish were on the books.
None of the charges have anything to do with the suicide. They all relate specifically to setting up a camera to watch someone without their permission or knowledge with the intent to cause intimidation or humiliation.
Wow. Just wow.
Mike defends a foreigner! I bet this is a first.
Mike, Just because all these gadgets can be made and sold. I never agreed to the end of my privacy. I don't think the Constitution and the 4th Amendment expired because of technology. In fact, I think that they only prove that they are more important than ever.
"I'm not big on using tangential laws as an end run around an inability to pursue the charges you wish were on the books."
Good. Then you won't be upset that our system pursues this violation of Constitutional rights to it's fullest. Unless you consider Constitutional laws "tangential".
Just because it's the 21st century doesn't mean we all give up our privacy because "we have nothing to hide" or whatever. So remember kiddies, before you go using your webcams and iphones like this, there are something called federal wiretapping laws on the books.
KevNC
Hence, the pound of Flesh, because they cannot tie Tylers Suicide to a count of murder on Ravi's part.
If they can not punish Ravi one way, they will manipulate the courts to suit their needs.
Me: "all the cool people have a sex tape floating around the internet."
I think my "all the cool people..." has been misunderstood, it was a comment on society. Sex is so pervasive in media and on the internet that it is almost reasonable to assume that putting one more sex tape in it, even one made secretly without the person knowing, would be inconsequential in the long run... it would just be quickly absorbed like a drop of water into the sea. It could be seen as something that would become quickly indistinguishable and irrelevant in the scheme of things.
I know that's not the case, but I can see how younger people who have only grown up with the internet and a lesser expectation of privacy could to this and not have the privacy issues involved cross their mind.
This student embarrassed another for his own sadistic pleasure. I would throw the book at him becaused he caused this death. Let's get some more immigrants into our country so they can enhance the quality of our lives.
I hope this is just sarcasm. The student caused his own death, just a prank gone bad. Tyler killed himself, nobody threw him off a bridge.
No. No one pushed him physically off the bridge. However, the absolute fear of people's reactions like you have helped him along. This is what happens when hateful attitudes prevail. If he wasn't afraid of how he was going to be judged and hated, I doubt he would have jumped.
You want to call us "rainbow warriors" and that's fine. You have the right to your free speech. Just realize that your "free" speech comes at a cost and sometimes that's the cost of another persons life. There is no difference between people who make hateful comments about gay people and the Phelps family. At least they are honest about their hatred.
Whose to say he wouldnt have killed himself a week later. or a month. or a year. Obviously he was ashamed about his sexuality which is noones fault but his own. I got made fun of by some people when i was in school. but when i got into a fight with one of them, people stopped trying to bully me cause they knew we would be fighting. Not saying what video taping was right cause thats deff messed up. and probably accelerated buddys suicide but it is what it is. I say just deport the SOB back to his country and quit wasting our tax dollars on this garbage.
Oh yea, it's his fault that tons of people out there are homophobes.
Way to blame the victim.
Greene Bean - Looking at the hypotheticals of whether he might have committed suicide at some later date is irrelevant. The fact is that he killed himself at that time. We can't ignore the fact that these events played a role in his choice. The police have his suicide note, but have not released the contents yet. Regardless, Ravi has not been charged with being complicit in Clementi's death. All of the charges are related to spying on Clementi, showing the video to others in an attempt to humiliate Clementi because he is gay. Ravi is one of those idiots who feels the need to post his every thought on Twitter, so there is ample evidence of his motives and intentions.
Just something to think about. If my boss fires me and says that he will tell any other employer of mine that I was lazy so I kill myself should my boss go to jail? If my girlfriend breaks up with me and says she's gonna tell everyone I have a little penis and Im terrible in bed so I kill myself, should she go to jail? I mean think about it. I would be embarrased and humilitated that everyone now knows I have a little d*ck, so that must mean she is responsible for my subsequent suicide. Maybe some of you should look at it like this. If Tyler turned around and shot and killed Ravi would that have been justified? If the answer is no he would not have been justified in taking Ravi's life, than surely he can't be justified in taking his own. If his suicide was not justified than how can you possibly lay the blame for it at someone else's feet? If this didn't set him off something else would have, and then all of you would just be pointing the finger at somone else, while all along ignoring the obvious. This boy killed himself, point blank, period!
It is against the law for your employer to do that... already. Do your homework before posting please.
Ok Jackass obviously some of us here have never heard of a hypothetical question. Maybe you should go home and have your mommie tell you what that is. I find it funny though that you don't seem to have a comment for the second question I posed or the overall premise. Come up with something better next time D*ck
Stewgotts - Ravi has not been charged with Clementi's death, so you are completely missing the point. Your examples pale in comparison to what Ravi did, by the way. If your girlfriend took pictures of your small penis and showed them to people in order to publicly humiliate you, then you might have made a comparable comparison. You seem to be under the impression that Clementi killed himself because he was being outed as gay. However, Clementi had already come out to his family and to some of his friends. It wasn't being outed that was the issue, it was having his sex life become part of a public show. Regardless of sexuailty, most of us would have a hard time dealing with our sexual activities being secretly watched by others. Ravi's actions are what he is on trial for, not the suicide.
If your girlfriend video taped you going to the bathroom without your knowledge and then showed all of the girls at your school to show what a small penis you had then she could be prosecuted too!
Don't you just hate people who want to explain what's right and wrong with everything based on their own personal histories? Laws aren't made that way and all people are different.
If you are homophobic, that's your privilege. No one is forcing you to befriend someone you don't like. But bullying, harassing, embarassing, intimidating them crosses the line. Not only can it become criminal, it is immoral. There is no doubt in my mind that this illegal invasion of privacy triggered a traumatic response that caused a boy to kill himself.
This Ravi can come up with all kinds of explanations--he just turned on the webcam because he was afraid his ipad would be stolen is the latest ridiculous reason--but he'll always have to live with his causing a death.
Some people are more fragile than others; we are all built differently. No doubt, if I discovered a camera on me filming my most private experiences that was made available to others to view, I would be deeply disturbed and traumatized. I might not recover from something as hideous as that.
Those supporting this Ravi are probably bullies defending themselves.
On the contary KevNc if you scroll through these comments and those on every other website you will see a litany of people blaming Tyler's suicide on Ravi. So how is it that Im missing the point? I understand he hasn't been charged with that, but from the comments it is clear that is why most people want to see him in jail. Ravi has been tried and charged in the court of public opinion for the death of Tyler and this is the point Im addressing. Look all the other charges are clear-cut and I pretty much agree with you, but I don't for one second believe that Ravi is responsible for Tyler's death, which many people here have stated.
Crime is Crime is Crime. I am not shocked but yes saddened at the people taking up for Ravi.
"On the contary KevNc if you scroll through these comments and those on every other website you will see a litany of people blaming Tyler's suicide on Ravi. So how is it that Im missing the point?"
Because the charges relate to INVASION OF PRIVACY. Even if the kid was walking around alive today the charges are valid. Even if it was a tape of a woman, or him by himself, or him reading a freaking book - Ravi broke the law. You're missing the point. The question isn't whether he caused his roomate's death, that's not what he's being charged with. Whatever individual posters may feel about this issue.
Recording someone without their knowledge in a private environment is ILLEGAL and a step away from espionage. Ravi doesn't deserve the opportunity he got at one of our top schools. Take it away from him. And normally I'm all for diversity and being inclusive of other cultures. Especially in a University setting. But this turd doesn't deserve half a chance after this.
It stops being "just a prank" when it's breaking upwards of 10 or 15 laws. I swear to god if anything like this ever happens to me I won't be ending it all, I'll be finding a lawyer and making the criminal who does such a thing pay with everything he's got.
I have no respect for certain members of the younger generation who think having tools like iPads, webcams and the internet entitle them to break any boundaries they see fit. This will set a good precedent for prosecuting future worthless bags of sh** like Ravi.
HorsePucky, and more HorsePucky.
Milo,
You're obviously entitled to your opinion. However, the truth is what it is. Hateful comments and attitudes do have a consequences and if you disagree with that then you aren't being honest. And the Phelps family is disgusting, but at least they have the courage to be honest about their beliefs and don't hide behind false sense of civility. You tell someone they are bad and worthless long enough, they will begin to believe it.
Practical jokes can backfire on you. If this was just a practical joke, it's proof of that. Even if he is found innocent, the legal fees from defending himself will kill him unless his defense is pro-bono.
Based on the evidence - the numerous Twitter postings and texts Ravi made during this time period - this was no practical joke. This was a heartless and malicious act by a cruel and despicable individual.
KevNC,
"this was no practical joke."
I didn't say it was a practical joke. The point I was trying to make is that even if it was a practical joke and even if he is found innocent, it is still going to cost him a lot of money. Lawyers aren't cheap.
Practical jokes that break a dozen laws can really backfire on you. Not very practical huh?
Oh, and I hope he loses all his money to the lawyers and goes to jail. It's almost a forgone conclusion Rutgers won't be allowing him back to study.
He didn't take the plea deal that was offered to him. Even if found not guilty of the charges in the state court..he will have to face the Feds after the case is over, which the Feds might want to deport him.
He was offered two plea deals, actually. The second deal had no jail time attached. It was similar to the deal they gave to Wei. He still turned it down, claiming that he is completely innocent. I hope they nail him to the wall.
I'm not defending this guy, but "deport him"??
is that some sort of slur re: his ethnicity?
He is in the country on a student visa. He is actually facing deportation because of these charges. So, I my comment is not based on his ethnicity but on what he is legitimately facing as a consequence of his actions.
He should be deported regardless as to the turnout of the trial. His very actions should at the least be against the schools ethics code and he should be kicked out of there. Without a school to attend his student VISA should be taken and he should leave the country. Besides......why would he want to stay somewhere he clearly does not like because of the gay people he might encounter.
He withdrew from Rutgers before they could expel him. He takes online courses from home now. Regardless of the outcome of the trial, he faces possible deportation. The feds are merely waiting until the trial is over to proceed. If he is sentenced, obviously they will wait until his prison term is up, if not, he could possibly face deportation procedures at the end of the trial.
It is the law, you commit a crime in the country you are in on a Visa and you get deported and are not allowed back into the US. Happens to poor and MC foreigners so why not this rich biotch?
LisaAVS - Ravi is not a US citizen and if he's convincted of a felony, he can be deported. For this reason alone, he was foolish not to accept the plea deal.
Good. I hope the Feds do deport him. He obviously has a flagrant disregard for the laws of this country. Namely the Constitution. If he can so flippantly spy on his roomate who's to say he would hesitate in other areas?
And he's so arrogant he refuses a generous plea.... He probably thinks his rich upper-Caste parents in India can buy him out of this. I hope our justice system drains them and throws him back where he came from at the least. Maybe he'll even have to sell his precious iPad he was so worried about being stolen.
I'm all for other cultures, I'm all for strength through diversity, but this guy has to go.
What this student did was not nice (and he knows it wasn't a nice thing to do). How would he had felt had his parents been videotaped in a compromising manner. Just because it may or may not be legal, does not give you the right to expose someone else's private moments to public ridicule. I feel very sad for the young man who felt so ashamed that he had to commit suicide. He did nothing wrong -- what goes on between two CONSENTING ADULTS behind closed doors is their business -- not something to be exposed to the outside world.
I agree. But you will have the rainbow warriors crawling out from every angle saying this is a "special case" in which it's not.
"Rainbow Warriors" Really? Are you ten years old? What other creative words do you have for other minority groups that stand up for their rights that you disagree with?
Exactly, this guy was making a porn flick that I bet he watched again and again, in private.
It was a video feed, there was no recording. Please grow up.
Please, I don't believe for a minute he wasn't recording it at the same time and immediately destroyed that recording when the cops showed up like the other evidence. People that support criminals like you are in your posts are missing basic social skills, like Ravi and Wei. Get real.
How am I supporting criminals? There is no evidence of a recording. Clementi's conversation with his friend the next day confirms Ravi and Wei's claim that the video feed was only for a few seconds since that was the length of time he saw the green light on. His conversation also cofirms their claim that he was only kissing at the time. With or without a recording, Ravi is a disgusting excuse for a human being and should go to prison for the full term of 10 years for what he did.
Hmmm M.B. :O Montgomery Burns! Mr. Smithers must be pissed.
He should be charged with invasion of privacy at the most. Enough with the petting of the gays.
If he had been the only one who had watched, you would be right. But, since he allowed other people to watch and told even more people about what he saw, it goes beyond that. In addition, he invited at least 150 people to have a viewing party to watch Clementi's next date on the 21st. Luckily, Clementi found out ahead of time and unplugged Ravi's computer. Ravi's intention was to humiliate Clementi. One of his texts actually says, "I'm going to get him." This is not about "petting gays". This is about treating another human being with basic decency and respecting another person's rights to privacy.
I'm pretty sure the only reason you consider it "petting" is because of your dislike of gays in general. If this somehow was a reflection of you or your world, I have a feeling your attitude would be different.
The whatting of the whos? Hmmmm, do you want to maybe rephrase that. In all seriousness, if they did this becuase he was gay then it's a hate crime. Just like if they did it because he was black or Indian or whatever.
The evidence indicates that he was motivated by the fact that Clementi was gay. That is why there is a bias intimidation charge.
Wait wait wait.....So he knew Clementi was gay before the webcam incident?
If he didn't, you have to ask yourself; would he have still shown the incident on webcam if it was a girl? If no, then it's a hate crime (still invasion of privacy, yes) IMO. But you'd have a hard time proving that he wouldn't have shown it as well.
He did a search on Clementi online before school began. He figured out that Clementi was gay at that time. The proof that this was motivated by Clementi's sexuality is that each time he invited someone to watch he told them that his roommate was with a man. This includes when he invited everyone who follows him on Twitter (at least 150 people) to watch his roommate messing around with another guy during a viewing party he set up online. Sadly, he claims to think that Clementi was a nice kid, even though they didn't have much in common. So, since, according to his statements, he had no dislike for Clementi as a person, yet he went to such lengths to humiliate him, constantly mentioning that his roommate was gay, his motive is clear.
Premeditated.
Well, Ravi was successful in his plan, the idea was to drive this guy out of Rutgers and he did, he provided the ammunition and literally pushed him off the bridge. Worst part is we have a Chinese slut from China and an Indian pimp from India coming all the way to America to discriminate against an Americans. You can only imagine how superior they must feel towards you, you stupid American.
Maybe they are so intrigued by a 'real gay' because in their countries, gays are hunted down along with the witch that made them that way and executed.
The Chinese and Indians breed like roaches. They could use many, many more gays.
@KevNC - That's your proof that he was motivated by Tyler's sexuality? Please don't ever become a cop. If my roommate was having sex with a girl and I was inviting people to watch I would be saying the same thing. "Yo, you gotta see this my roommate Kev is banging some chick right now." How is that a jab at his sexuality? All he was doing is describing to people what they were about to see. Tyler was with a man. He told people his roommate was with a man, so Im unclear as to how any of that would prove that this was motivated by Tyler being gay. Im pretty sure Ravi would have done the same thing had it been a girl in the room instead.
If he had only done it once, I might agree with you. But, since he had set up a viewing party for the 21st, and had invited 150 people to watch, it kind of changes things. In his Twitter posts and his texts to people he would specifically point out that his roommate was going to be with a man. That makes this more than someone just stumbling upon his roommate having sex and telling someone who is passing by to check it out. Also, the texts and Twitter posts he tried to alter or erase all related to his comments about Clementi being gay. Does that make it more reasonable?
Just deport him- lifetime ban, or sentence him to prison and deport him, but don't sentence him to prison and keep him here.
How do all you defenders of scum explain the fact that Ravi attempted to alter all his Twitter comments? He was trying to destroy evidence and would have if the web site permitted changes like that.... it wouldn't shock me at all if he made recordings and destroyed them when the cops came calling.
I hope they have forensic IT people pouring over his hard drive right now.
pained1, the trial isn't about the witness whose testimony is discussed above - it is about the the man who placed the webcam and how it may have impacted the dead man.
Correctness:
Unfortunately, this is a special case. If we ever evolve socially to a point where gays aren't ridiculed for their behavior, then things would be different and this wouldn't be special. Since we aren't to that point, it is a hate crime. As the story stated, he heard remarks in the courtyard that he couldn't repeat. I'm sure there was plenty of bullying going on in the aftermath of this. If it were a man and an random girl, he'd be getting "high fives" in the courtyard.
You seem to be one of these people that think gays CHOOSE to live a life of constant societal discrimination and anguish.
This story hits close to home for me because I knew a guy about the same age that attempted suicide for very similar reasons.
Michelle Bachman's district leads the country in gendar related teen suicide. Enough said.
What? Where is her district? do you even know?
Her solution is to put them through her husband's clinic to "pray away the gay". Disgusting my tax dollars go to fund that example of malpractice through Medicare.
In my opinion, it was a form of bullying, intimidation...call it what you will - if it was your child, you would be seeking justice somewhere - that "man/deplorable human being" should be held accountable for his actions! Ravi was obviously old enough to know better & I believe in the State of NJ, at 18 years of age, he would be considered an adult. To videotape something like that is ONE THING, but to show others in a form of mockery is disgraceful!!! Tyler did not ask for Ravi's "blessing" as to what was going to happen behind closed doors, he merely asked for some privacy, which it appeared Ravi had agreed to - DEPORT HIM & PUT HIM ON THE "NO FLY" LIST SO HE CAN NEVER COME BACK TO THIS COUNTRY!!!!!
Aim click bang all faggots
What about the old adage "Live and let live"?
So you are supporting and promoting the killing of people as a consequence of their sexual orientation??
Go back under your rock.
@ifuahadclue Your Comment Reeks of internalized homophobia you really should get out of that lonely Closet and start to enjoy life a little.
They should put this Ravi kid in jail for a long time, tried as a murderer. I honestly think he is gay and secretly wanted to see his roomate doing it...for his own little jerk off pleasure... put him away, that way, he'll get what he was hopping to see on the computer in jail.. he'll be some big inmates boy, and sore all the time..
Even childish behavior needs to be disciplined. I don't beleive that this man, who is attending college is considered a child or his behavior. He is a man and what he did was wrong and he should be punished to the full extent. He did this to hurt and humiliate another human and that is wrong. Shame on those who think this is just "stupid"" immature" or childish behavior. My three year old grand daughter knows to knock before coming into my bedroom I'm sure Mr. Ravi knew what he was doing was wrong.
I certainly don't know any 'children' doing this type of thing. It must be something reserved for the rich 'children.' If justice is served, which is less than a 50% chance because he comes from money, like Wei and his other friends, I suspect he'll be sexual active 24/7 where he's going. Rikers!
lock this dude up in jail then he will know what it's like to be watched by some one else . he will also know what it's like to have sex with a man . and he will also know what it's like to want to die to get away from people who harass you about your sex life . only it will be with your cell mate .
Everyone that knew what they were about to watch and watched the video anyway are gay.
The Kinsey Institute reaffirms only small percentage of the population is 100% heterosexual. Psychologists tell us that a large portion of "gay-bashers" are very insecure in their own closet sexuality and frustration.
Agreed. I certainly question the sexual preferance of men that beat women. It's either jealousy that they cannot reproduce or they really do hate women because they prefer men and society does not allow them to pursue their true nature.
Other than Ravi, 5 girls saw the video. So you are saying that these 5 girls are showing their hidden homosexual desires by watching two MEN involved in an intimate act? Just doesn't seem to work.
Taking pleasure in watching a homosexual encounter means you condone it.
If this man simply wanted to know what was going on in his dorm and was 100% straight, he would have watched the video, said "Yuck", and deleted it. Instead, he thought it was a novelty. I wonder what his pitch was to get people to watch it or if it was straight-forward.
Ravi: "Hey, want to watch some gay sex?"?
Ignorant masses: "Hell yeah."
Sure, the spectators are 100% hetero. And I am the Pope.
That would depend on the type of pleasure. If the pleasure they got from it was the pleasure of laughing at someone else, which seems to be what happened, then your theory falls a little flat. And, again, if a woman is getting sexual pleasure from watching men engaged in a sexual act, she is not gay. It would be odd for a lesbian to become aroused from the sexual activities of a man. I am a gay man and have seen two women in a porn. Believe me, I felt nothing.
Of course the 'witnesses' are lying. They are part of the crime because not one of them stood up and did the right thing. They are as criminal as Ravi and Wei. Hang em all! My son previously considered Rutgers a 'good' school but when you have HLS wanna be's committing crimes and an administration trying to downplay those crimes, he has changed his mind about the 'management' of this school and the toxic environment it embodies. Just another brick in the wall of 1%'rs and their spawn.
i find this young mans actions to be disgusting in the extreme...no he will never admit he did anything wrong by inviting people to watch the sex act of 2 consenting adults...nor will he ever admit that his actions caused another to commit suicide.
Even though I am heterosexual and against gay marriage, I think the defendant is guilty of a hate crime. He must have known or suspected his roommate's sexual preference which was the motivation to set up a camera (to catch his roommate in the act). Usually, a hidden camera set up as a prank would be for titillation. I'd think that a heterosexual college male wishing to install a hidden wireless camera as a prank would set one up in a female's dorm room. I don't believe the defendant has claimed himself to be gay. So I'd argue that the webcam was not for stimulation but for a more sinister/devious motive. He violated his roommate's rights. Also, by sharing it, he violated his roommate's rights even further.
Even though the roommate committed the suicide, it would not have happened if the defendant obeyed the law and respected his roommates rights and privacy. This is the US and not some foreign country, there has to be rule of law and consequences to deter others from doing the same.
We all do stupid things when we are young that we look back on when we reach a certain age of maturity and think "damn, I am so lucky to have lived through that or I'm so glad no one got hurt/killed because of that stupid thing I did".
Unfortunately, for some people, they do not get the luxury of being able to look back and say that. I'm sure this Ravi kid would of looked back at this years from now and had those same thoughts if nothing bad came from his childish buffoonery. Problem is, something bad did come of it...something horrifc.
He now has to pay the price.
The very disturbing thing for me about the case, other than the tragic fact that Clementi was pushed to commit suicide as a result of the actions of the defendant, is the attempt to excuse the behavior as a childish prank. We have seen too many people, children, who have died as a result of hazing and mean spirited bullying. And yet there is an attempt to blow this deliberate and premeditated act of humiliation and intimidation off as a "childish prank." When a 15 year old kills someone, we push to try him as an adult because we believe the defendant was old enough to know what he or she was doing. But these deliberate acts that led to death of Clementi are being played off as innocent "playing around." Only when we stop trying to rationalize and excuse such hateful and harmful behavior will we likely see a decrease in such behavior. We will see fewer children in schools with guns acting out of desperation because they have been victims of behavior like that of these defendants.
I can't understand why Ravi or anyone else would want to watch 2 gay men if you were straight
its called humiliation and bullying
Whether Tyler would have killed himself for some other reason at some other time is pure speculation. The fact of the matter is that he was videotaped while with a man. This was a deliberate act on the part of Ravi. Whether for his own prurient interests or to be shown to others, it was a definite, planned and specific invasion of privacy and should not be diminished in severity by calling it a childish prank.