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Closing arguments begin in Rutgers roommate-spying trial
Closing arguments began Tuesday in the trial of a former Rutgers student accused of spying on and intimidating his gay roommate, who later killed himself by jumping off New York's George Washington Bridge.
On Monday, the defense rested without the defendant, Dharun Ravi, testifying on his own behalf.
The jury will consider 15 counts against Ravi, including bias intimidation, invasion of privacy, tampering with physical evidence, witness tampering and hindering apprehension or prosecution.
The case caught national attention in 2010 after the suicide of Ravi's roommate, Tyler Clementi. His death stirred discussion about bullying, with President Barack Obama releasing a videotaped message less than a month later condemning such treatment.
Ravi and fellow student Molly Wei - who admitted joining Ravi to watch a surreptitious webcam encounter involving Clementi and another man in September 2010 - were charged in the wake of Clementi's death.
Facing two counts of invasion of privacy, Wei reached a plea deal in May 2011 that required her to testify against her friend and former high school classmate, as well as to complete a three-year program on cyberbullying and do 300 hours of community service.
But Ravi, now 20, turned down a plea deal offered by Middlesex County prosecutors that would have let him avoid jail time in exchange for undergoing counseling, doing 600 hours of community service and disposing of any information that could identify the man who appeared in the web video with Clementi.
He faces 10 years in prison if convicted on all counts.
FULL STORY
Laws made up out of thin air. Trials for trial's sake. This case should never been brought for adjudication in a criminal court. Civil maybe! If I have caused embarrassment to someone, I have no way of knowing what they will do. And as far as college pranks go, I know of worse that didn't end in this type of tragedy. I truly feel sorry for the young man who took his life, but I think the reason for his action goes much deeper than the facts brought out at this trial!
I agree
@ Portland tony
sounds to me like you have an opinion as to the depth or reason this young man took his life; would you care to elaborate?
I wish I or someone did before this young man took his life. As I said, we can't predict what an embarrassed individual will do. But. one does not expect suicide.
A sad case indeed.
@ Portland, We all have our *breaking point* Sad that this young man and others can not seem to get the help for their issues and support from people around them.
Agreed!
My long post was rejected about an hour ago, probably because of forbidden words or parts of words.
I don't think anyone makes another person kill himself, no matter how cruel the mistreatment is.
Part of the personal responsibility that I often advocate here is not caring what others think of you. If I know I've done something that is good, that's what matters. I make the decision.
That individual kind of thinking is less often encountered today than it was when I was the age of this young man who committed suicide.
Especially in the case of any young gay man, even in this era he must expect to encounter some hatred because of his orientation. He can abandon his friends, family, and church if they don't accept him: there are accepting, beautiful, and brilliant people, both gay and straight, elsewhere.
@Joey, beautifully worded and incisive. If people can only embrace the concept of not caring about what others think, there would be much less inner pain and self acceptance.
@ dazzle©:
Thank you very much.
His orientation shouldn't even be brought up. They were SPYING on him. Uncool.
This kid probably died a thousand deaths before he actually physically offed himself. And, I agree,JIF, being gay isn't the end of the world. Plenty of successful, productive gays have been targets of hatred. Still, they had no right to secretly watch him.
@ raven, That's the reason why they were spying on him in the first place; his orientation.
@niki: I know. And thats my point. What business was it of theirs?? And JIF, my friend, how are you? Think of you every time I listen to my Grieg cd. And it makes me happy.
@ raven: hello. I don't run into you often here.
We both stay busy, I guess.
Sometimes suicide follows a person's being shamed about nothing.
A woman in my hometown killed herself because her daughter found the parents' wedding dates counted from her birthday, and discovered that she had been conceived–not born–out of wedlock.
That's a true story.
"Excuse me, please...I'm so embarrassed that I think I'll just go to the powder room and blow my brains out."
Thousands of college kids should go to court. This stuff all the time in college and local college bars serving underage students. No one killed this kid. Why a trial? BS, I should sue people from my college so I can pay the loan off like the patents in thus trial.
@Bill, I guess voy-eur- ism is okay with you?
gay 6xx and suicide, peeping toms and middle6xx county location with middle6xx prosecutors...when will the puns end?