Webcam student guilty of hate crime

A US university student accused of using a webcam to spy on his gay roommate has been convicted of a hate crime after the victim threw himself to his death off a bridge.

Indian-born Dharun Ravi, 20, was yesterday found guilty on all 15 counts against him.

He could now get up to 10 years in prison, according to legal experts, and could be deported to his native India.

Prosecutors said Ravi set up a webcam in his room at Rutgers University in New Jersey in September 2010 and captured roommate Tyler Clementi kissing another man, and tried to catch Mr Clementi in the act again two days later. Half a dozen students were believed to have seen the live video of the kissing.

Within days, Mr Clementi realised he had been watched and jumped from the George Washington Bridge, linking New York City and New Jersey.

Ravi’s lawyer argued that his client was not motivated by any hostility toward gays and that his actions were just those of an immature “kid.” The defence also contended Ravi initially set up the camera because he was afraid Mr Clementi’s visitor might steal his belongings.

In a statement issued after the verdict, the university said: “This sad incident should make us all pause to recognise the importance of civility and mutual respect in the way we live, work and communicate with others.”

The most serious charges – bias intimidation based on sexual orientation, a hate crime – carry up to 10 years behind bars each. But legal experts said the most Ravi would probably get all together at sentencing on 21 May would be 10 years.

Before the trial, Ravi and his lawyers rejected a plea bargain that would have spared him from prison. He was not charged with causing Mr Clementi’s death.

Ravi and Mr Clementi, both 18-year-olds from comfortable New Jersey suburbs, had been randomly assigned to room together at Rutgers, and Mr Clementi had arrived just a few days after coming out to his parents.

A string of students testified they never heard Ravi say anything bad about gays in general or Mr Clementi in particular. But students did say Ravi expressed some concern about sharing a room with a gay man.

On 19 September, according to testimony, Clementi asked Ravi to leave their room so that he could have a guest. Later, Ravi posted on Twitter: “Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into Molly’s room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay.”

His friend Molly Wei testified that she and a few other students also watched the live stream of the men kissing.

Two nights later, Mr Clementi asked for the room alone again. This time, Ravi tweeted: “Video chat me between 9:30 and 12. Yes, it’s happening again.”