Crime & Safety

Clementi Family: Indictment Spells Out 'Cold and Calculated' Acts of Accused

Dharun Ravi was indicted on 15 charges including bias intimidation, witness tampering, destroying evidence, invasion of privacy.

The man accused of triggering the chain of events that – which on gay rights, privacy issues and cyberbullying – has been indicted on 15 counts by a Middlesex County grand jury.

Dharun Ravi, 19, of Plainsboro, of using a webcam to videotape former roommate Tyler Clementi and a male identified only as "M.B" engaging in intimate acts on multiple occasions in September 2010 at Rutgers University without the individuals' consent or knowledge.

Ravi is alleged to have made the contents of the webcam publicly available for others, as well as attempting to do the same on a separate occasion. Prosecutors say Ravi posted a tweet, inviting others to watch.

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Clementi's parents, Ridgewood's Jane and Joe Clementi, released a statement through their attorney Paul Mainardi shortly after the indictment was handed down.

"The grand jury indictment spells out cold and calculated acts against our son Tyler by his former college roommate. If these facts are true, , then it is important for our criminal justice system to establish clear accountability under law," they wrote.

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"We are eager to move forward for justice in this case and to reinforce the standards of acceptable conduct in this society."

Clementi, a promising violinist and freshman at Rutgers, leapt to his death days after the alleged cyberbullying and harassment that the Grand Jury determined were likely caused by his sexual orientation.

Steven Goldstein, , the largest gay rights organization in the state, wrote in a statement that the indictment sends a clear message to bullies across the state and Ravi's actions were anything but a college prank gone awry.

"Today’s indictment, when combined with the recently enacted anti-bullying law which Garden State Equality steered to enactment – widely considered the strongest anti-bullying law in the country – will have an appropriate chilling effect on bullies everywhere," he wrote.

"We continue to mourn the loss of Tyler Clementi deeply. Today is a day of justice," he added.

 The 15 charges Ravi now faces are as follows:

  • Two counts of invasion of privacy (one count in fourth degree; one in third degree)
  • Four counts of bias intimidation (two counts in second degree; two in third degree)
  • Two counts of attempted invasion of privacy (third degree; fourth degree)
  • Three counts of tampering with physical evidence (fourth degree)
  • Three counts of hindering apprehension or prosecution (third degree)
  • One count of witness tampering (third degree)

Although Ravi and Clementi did not become roommates at Rutgers University until late August, Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan said in a written statement Wednesday that the criminal activity began on August 6, when Ravi learned the identity of Clementi and targeted him from then on.

The grand jury panel, according to the prosecutor, concluded that Clementi and "M.B." were harassed because of sexual orientation, and the bias charges would effectively double sentences to a maximum of five to ten years in prison. Third and fourth degree charges could carry a sentence of anywhere from probation to five years of incarceration.

Attorney General Paula Dow released a statement, calling the alleged actions "a hate crime."

"New Jersey's Bias Crimes Law recognizes the terrible harm caused by acts of bigotry and hatred and imposes harsher punishment on those who commit such crimes. This indictment is an important step in this heartbreaking case," Dow said.

Ravi, according to the prosecutor's statement, also "attempted to mislead investigators and witnesses in various ways," in addition to tampering with evidence.

The Prosecutor's Office says Ravi deleted a Tweet, in which he wrote, "Roommate asked for the room till midnight. ... Yes it's happening again." He's also alleged to have attempted to compel witnesses not to testify against him while providing false information to investigators.

Ravi’s lawyers the webcam was only viewed on a single computer and there was no intercourse seen on tape. His attorneys were not immediately available for comment Wednesday.

Molly Wei, originally considered to be an accomplice by police and prosecution, did not have a case presented to the grand jury. Her case remains active, however, prosecutors say.

Wei's attorneys have claimed the former Rutgers student was innocent and did absolutely nothing wrong. She and Ravi both withdrew from Rutgers within weeks of the Clementi's death.

Clementi's body was found in the Hudson River after he jumped from the George Washington Bridge.

Groups from around the world used it as a rallying point to discuss the dangers of the Internet, as well as bullying, specifically for the lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender community.

The Clementi family has said it's their hope that Ravi is prosecuted but that sentences are light. Numerous as a direct result of Clementi's death and have been established.


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