Dharun Ravi Sentenced in Tyler Clementi Gay Bullying, Suicide Case

Landmark case sets precedent for prosecution of bullying and bias intimidation case

A New Jersey judge has sentenced Dharun Ravi, the foreign student found guilty of spying on his gay roommate’s sexual encounter via webcam and then attempting to cover it up, to 30 days in a Middlesex County jail.

Upon his release, Ravi will serve three years probation and 300 hours of community service. 

A jury convicted Ravi on several charges of bias intimidation and witness tampering after his roommate, Tyler Clementi, committed suicide over the incident. The judge said ravi was not being convicted for his roommate's death, but for his conduct and insensitivity around Clementi's sexual orientation. 

Members of Ravi's and Clementi's families spoke at the sentencing.

“I felt like a piece of me died in September 2010,” said Jane Clementi, Tyler's mother. “The pain and the anguish that I felt during the trial was overwhelming at times.”

“The media was ripping (Ravi) apart with their misleading facts and wrongful statements of the prominent people, he was absolutely devastated and broken into pieces,” said Sabitha Ravi, seated next to Dharun.

[ALSO READ: Former Rutgers Student Found Guilty Of Hate Crime]

The landmark conviction sets a precedent for prosecution of these types of cases, in a state with the nation’s toughest anti-bullying laws on the books.

In March, Ravi spoke out about his conviction. He faced up to 10 years in jail and possible deportation after his release, according to reports.

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