One-time Rutgers student Dharun Ravi was sentenced Monday to 30 days in jail for his role in the suicide of his former roommate, Tyler Clementi. Ravi was found guilty of invasion of privacy and hate crimes in March. The 20-year-old did not speak at his sentencing this morning. He will begin serving jail time May 31. Ravi cried as his mother spoke in court. “The media was ripping him apart with their misleading facts … He was absolutely devastated and broken into pieces,” Sabitha Ravi pleaded. “I do not believe he hated Tyler Clementi,” Judge Glenn Berman told the packed courtroom in announcing his decision. “He had no reason to.” “But, I do believe he acted out of colossal insensitivity.” Dharun Ravi was convicted of bias intimidation, witness tampering, hindering arrest and numerous other charges in connection with the case. This all stemmed from his role in using a webcam to observe Clementi’s date with a man in their dorm room in 2010, then Tweeting about it. Ravi (above, left) Tweeted about what he’d witnessed and invited others to watch Clementi (above, right) make out with his male love interest. That man’s name has not been revealed. Prosecutors said Ravi was motivated by a hatred. Ravi consistently has denied hatred of gays . In any case, Tyler Clementi killed himself. He jumped off the George Washington Bridge on Sept. 22, 2010, after leaving a note on Facebook reading, “Jumping off the gw bridge. Sorry.” He was 18. In the days leading up to his sentencing, several prominent gay activists made public pleas for Ravi not to be sent to prison, reports ABC News. But the man captured on the webcam with Tyler Clementi did not agree. His attorney, Richard Pompelio, read his statement in court Monday. It said, “While I bear no anger towards Mr. Ravi, after much thought and many sleepless nights, I must say that Mr. Ravi should serve some type of confinement so that he can reflect on the serious harm he has caused.” “I do not believe that he has taken responsibility for his conduct, and to this day he seems to blame me for the actions he took.” Tyler’s father, Joseph Clementi, also said of Ravi: “He had no call to do what he did. Tyler never did anything to Mr. Ravi to cause him harm.” Ravi’s actions, said Joseph Clementi, were purely as a result of his seeing Tyler “as someone not deserving basic human decency and respect.” “All because my son was different from him [and] because he was gay.” In her own message, Jane Clementi, Tyler’s mom, called Ravi’s actions “mean-spirited, they are evil and, most important, they are against the law.” Before trial, Ravi had rejected a plea deal that would have placed him on probation and required community service – and spared him any time behind bars or the threat of deportation to his native India. He chose instead to face a jury. It’s unclear if he faces immigration issues after his 30-day sentence is complete. What do you think? Does he deserve to spend time in jail?
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Dharun Ravi Sentenced to 30 Days in Jail For Role in Tyler Clementi Suicide
