Rutgers Trial Jury Reaches Verdict
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ABC NewsUPDATE: A New Jersey jury on Friday found former Rutgers student Dharun Ravi guilty on all counts for using a webcam to spy on his roommate, Tyler Clementi, having a gay sexual encounter in 2010.
Ravi, 20, was convicted of invasion of privacy, bias intimidation, witness tampering and hindering arrest, stemming from his role in activating the webcam to peek at Clementi’s date with a man in the dorm room on Sept. 19, 2010. Ravi was also convicted of encouraging others to spy during a second date, on Sept. 21, 2010, and intimidating Clementi for being gay.
Ravi was found not guilty of some subparts of the 15 counts of bias intimidation, attempted invasion of privacy, and attempted bias intimidation, but needed only to be found guilty of one part of each count to be convicted.
The convictions carry a possible sentence of five to 10 years in prison. Because Ravi is a citizen of India, and is in the US on a green card, he could be deported following his sentencing. The US deports most criminals convicted of felonies, with the exception of thefts of amounts under $10,000.
(NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.) — A verdict has been reached in the case of accused Rutgers student Dharun Ravi, accused of spying on his college roommate Tyler Clementi with a webcam during a gay sexual encounter.
Ravi, 20, faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted of the most serious charges stemming from his alleged use of a webcam to peek at Clementi kissing another man on Sept. 19, 2010. Prosecutors have alleged that Ravi then encouraged friends and other students to activate the webcam during another date, on Sept. 21, 2010.
Ravi, a citizen of India who was raised in New Jersey, is charged with invasion of privacy, bias intimidation, witness tampering, and hindering arrest. He faces the possibility of deportation if convicted of a serious crime.
Clementi’s case gained national attention when he committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge on Sept. 22, 2010. Ravi is not charged in connection with Clementi’s death.
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