Dharun Ravi Indicted: When Bullying Becomes a Crime

UPDATE, March 16, 2012: Dharun Ravi Found Guilty in Rutgers Trial

A New Jersey jury today 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.

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Dharun Ravi, the college roommate from hell, was indicted today.

From the New York Daily News:

A former Rutgers University freshman was indicted Wednesday for secretly viewing a same-sex encounter involving his roommate - who later jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge.

Dharun Ravi, 19, of Plainsboro, N.J., could face up to 5 years in prison if convicted of the top charges in the 15-count indictment announced by Middlesex County prosecutor Bruce Kaplan.

Ravi was charged by a grand jury with bias intimidation, invasion of privacy and witness and evidence tampering for using a webcam to spy on Tyler Clementi's dorm room date with another man.

Once Clementi's Sept. 22, 2010, suicide became public, Ravi asked witnesses not to implicate him and gave misleading information to investigators, Kaplan said.

According to the indictment, Ravi also knew the target of his webcam would be intimidated because of his sexual orientation.

"The grand jury indictment spells out cold and calculated acts against our son Tyler by his former college roommate," the Clementi family said in a statement.

"If these facts are true, as they appear to be, then it is important for our criminal justice system to establish clear accountability under law. We are eager to have the process moved forward for justice in this case."

What Ravi did (allegedly) to Tyler Clementi was beyond cruel. It was criminal.

If Ravi is convicted, he could spend 5 years in prison.

I think the odds of him serving that sort of sentence are slim. But hopefully, he will be held accountable under the law and given more than a slap on the wrist.

It seems inadequate to use the term "bullying" for what Ravi did to Clementi. Clearly, Ravi took bullying to new heights.

How does it get to the point where bullying becomes a crime? How could Ravi, an adult, be so callous and inhumane and lacking in conscience?

Somewhere along the line, Ravi wasn't reined in. I don't believe this was the first time Ravi bullied someone. I doubt that he suddenly turned into a thug. I suspect it was a life-long pattern with him.

Bottom line: People in positions of authority - teachers, coaches, parents, adults - cannot look the other way when they see a child being victimized. They must intervene and take bullying seriously. The bullies must face consequences. They must be punished for their anti-social behavior.

No happy, healthy individual would torture another innocent human being.

Authority figures must NOT blame the victims. When the adults ignore the sadistic behavior of bullies, they passively condone it. That is unacceptable. It is unconscionable.

The bullies are empowered and their hate-filled habits escalate.

It is inexcusable.

When people in positions of authority fail to stop bullying, they create monsters like Ravi.