Dharun Ravi Receives Sentence

The Advocate’s Julie Bolcer reports that former Rutgers University student Dharum Ravi was sentenced to 30 days in prison and 300 hours of community service on Monday for his role in the webcam spying incident that preceded the death of his roommate Tyler Clementi.

“This individual was not convicted of a hate crime,” said New Jersey Superior Court Judge Glenn Berman. “He was convicted of a bias crime, and there’s a difference. I say this because I do not believe he hated Tyler Clementi. He had no reason to. But I do believe he acted out of colossal insensitivity."

Judge Berman ordered Ravi, 20, to report to the adult correctional center in Middlesex at 9 a.m. on May 31 to serve a 30-day jail term as part of a probationary sentence, with other conditions. The three-year probationary term includes 300 hours of community service and a $10,000 assessment to be paid to a state-affiliated group that assists bias crime victims. The judge also ordered Ravi to attend, in his words, a “counseling program relative to cyber-bullying and ‘alternative lifestyles.’”

Prior to issuing the sentence, the judge said that he did not believe that Ravi, who has no prior record, would commit another offense and that he would respond to probationary treatment. However, he said that the sentence was necessary to deter others, “even if it isn’t a deterrent to you.”

“Nothing I say in any way is intended to disparage or demean you,” said Judge Berman at the start of remarks that lasted about 30 minutes. “I don’t even know you. Whatever I say is said for the purpose of there being a record.”

“I heard this jury say ‘guilty’ 288 times, and I haven’t heard you apologize once,” he said sternly to Ravi who, contrary to custom, did not stand up as he was being sentenced. The judge pointedly noted that he remained seated, but said he was not taking that into account.

“The sentence I am imposing, which both sides may take issue with, in my view needs to constitute a measured response,” said the judge. “It should be balanced, and if possible, constructive, and if possible, providing a measure of closure.”
Attorneys for both sides expressed their displeasure with the sentence to Judge Berman, but he said that he had no intention of granting a stay. The prosecution said it planned to appeal, but the judge said he did not believe that an appellate question exists that needed to be addressed.

Garden State Equality, the statewide LGBT lobbying group that had called for a “balanced” response, issued a statement suggesting that the sentence was too lenient.
Read the full article, “Dharun Ravi Sentenced to 30 Days in Jail” on Advocate.com.