Ex-Rutgers Student Dharun Ravi Gets 30 Days In Suicide Of Tyler Clementi
May 21 2012, Published 5:00 a.m. ET
By Debbie Emery - RadarOnline.com Reporter and Adam S. Levy - RadarOnline.com Staff Writer
Ex-Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi was sentenced to 30 days behind bars Monday, in connection with his March conviction on 15 criminal charges linked to live streaming his former roommate Tyler Clementi's sexual encounters, leading to the 18-year-old's September 2010 suicide.
Ravi, 20, appeared before Judge Glenn Berman in a New Jersey courtroom on Monday morning to hear his fate, which was far more lenient than the 10 year sentence that he could have received.
"I do not believe he hated Tyler Clementi," Judge Glenn told the court. "He had no reason to, but I do believe he acted out of colossal insensitivity.
"I heard this jury say, 'guilty' 288 times - 24 questions, 12 jurors. That's the multiplication," Berman went on to say to Ravi. "I haven't heard you apologize once."
Ravi was also sentenced to three years of probation by Judge Berman, as well as counseling and a $10,000 fine, whose proceeds will be earmarked to help those victimized by bias crimes. Ravi was found guilty on four counts of the hate crime of bias intimidation, invasion of privacy and seven counts linked to his attempted cover-up of the crime.
Quelling much speculation, the judge said he would not order the convicted hate crime perpetrator deported to his native India.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, the 20-year-old was accused of live streaming his roommate Clementi's sexual encounters, which led to his suicide at age 18.
Upon learning of Ravi’s web cam stream -- in which he allegedly teased Twitter followers to watch Clementi have a same-sex tryst -- Tyler jumped off the George Washington Bridge into the Hudson River on September 22, 2010. The final message on his Facebook page simply read: “Jumping off the gw bridge sorry.”
Tyler’s family expressed their disgust at Ravi’s actions both before and after their son’s death and bitterly asked the judge to sentence him to prison time, accusing him of having a total “lack of remorse.”
Joseph Clementi said that Ravi decided his son "wasn't deserving the respect of basic human decency" and "was below him" because Tyler was gay. "He did it in a cold calculating manner and then he tried to cover it up," he revealed.
“He never really knew Tyler,” explained Clementi’s mom, Jane. “Not the smart, kind, articulate, humble, funny, talented, caring, thoughtful, generous, trustworthy and dependable person Tyler was.
"All he found out was that Tyler was gay."
In an e-mail statement to RadarOnline.com, gay rights group Campus Pride said they hope that other universities, staff and students learn from the mistakes made at Rutgers.
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“Every person has a responsibility to stand up for those who experience bullying and harassment – tragedies can be averted anytime even a single voice speaks out for the voiceless,” said Shane Windmeyer, executive director of Campus Pride. “Bystanders – those who witness bullying or harassment and do nothing to stop it – can plead neither ignorance nor innocence. Active silence can be as damaging as active bullying and result in tragedies like Clementi’s death.
“No student should ever live in fear for their own safety or struggle to be comfortable with themselves in the face of harassment.”
The court ordered Ravi to report May 31 to the Middlesex County Adult Correctional facility.