Trial Begins in Case of Gay Rutgers Student Who Committed Suicide
Rutgers student Dharun Ravi, 19, goes on trial this week for invading the privacy of his gay roommate, Tyler Clementi, who eventually committed suicide.
Ravi is facing 15 charges including bias intimidation, invasion of privacy and tampering with evidence. Prosecutors said he used a webcam to spy on Clementi while he was making out with another man, and then asked people over Twitter to watch Clementi in a private situation.
Clementi, who was a gifted violinist and a freshman, committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge in September 2010.
Before he jumped, Clementi had complained to a resident advisor about Ravi and said he wanted to switch roommates. Ravi had been critical of Clementi even before they had arrived at Rutgers, saying he seemed poor, inept and gay.