Former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi was found guilty of invasion of privacy and bias intimidation for spying on his roommate Tyler Clementi, and the dynamic between the two roommates were a big part of the trial. But Ravi was also found guilty of invading the privacy of Clementi's guest, M.B., whose intimate encounters with Clementi were observed by Ravi and one of his friends. After the verdict against Ravi was announced, M.B. issued a statement: "I am pleased that the jury returned a just verdict in this case. I had hoped for all concerned that a trial could have been avoided but that was not my choice. It was Mr. Ravi’s decision, and now he will have to live with it."
Ravi and Clementi were freshman year roommates in fall of 2010. Clementi, who was gay, found out that Ravi had been streaming his private moments in their room—Ravi was in a friend's room—and even Tweeted about them, inviting his [Ravi's] friends to watch. Clementi later jumped off the George Washington Bridge. Clementi's death galvanized LGBT activists and raised questions about bullying.
M.B.'s identity has remained protected, even while testifying for prosecutors, because he is also considered a victim. Ravi's defense tried to emphasize that when M.B. appeared in the dorm (Clementi and M.B. had never met physically before, having met online; M.B. didn't know Clementi's last name), he looked "shady" and "scruffy" and Ravi was concerned about his belongings so he turned on the computer webcam. M.B.'s lawyer, Richard Pompello, told the Star-Ledger, "The jury found this guy guilty, which validates my client’s testimony. That was helpful to him."
Pompello added that M.B. had spoken to his family about the case, "So the path he’s on is a healing path." The jury didn't find Ravi guilty of bias intimidation toward M.B. and Pompello said, "It was the right verdict. Ravi didn’t know anything about our client. He wasn’t even sure who was going to be in the room when he set up his camera."
Here's M.B.'s full statement:
I am pleased that the jury returned a just verdict in this case. I had hoped for all concerned that a trial could have been avoided but that was not my choice. It was Mr. Ravi’s decision, and now he will have to live with it.
There has been so much hurt caused to too many innocent people. Tyler was a good person and seeing his family go through the tortures of the trial was painful. For all of my life I have been known to the world by my name. That simple luxury was taken away from me as my identity became reduced to simply, M.B. in order to protect the privacy of myself and my family.
When I learned of Tyler’s death, it bothered me terribly that perhaps there had been something I could have done or said to him that would have changed the course of events. I will never have that chance nor will his family or other friends who saw him differently than Mr. Ravi did.
I testified in this case because I was required to do so. I bore no malice or hatred toward Mr. Ravi; however, having to come to court and testify under very intimidating circumstances reopened the wounds that will take a very long time to heal. Nevertheless, I will heal and I attribute much of my optimism to the way I was treated by the members of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s office. Julia McClure and her prosecution team gave to me the respect and dignity that will enable me to move forward.
As far as punishment for Mr. Ravi is concerned, I have always believed that for him to heal within and be a better person the redemption would have to begin and end within his own mind and heart. But we must be mindful that when one person truly hurts another, society must have the right to demand justice for all. And if that means that Mr. Ravi should be reminded that his type of conduct must be deterred, then so be it.
Ravi faces up to 10 years in prison; his sentencing is on May 21.
