College freshman commits suicide after Roommate streams his love life over the web

[angelkitty7888]

What is this world coming to? this poor boy was so bright!! he had an amazing future in front of him! i hope the two responsible see jail time!!

Rutgers Freshmen Busted for Spying on Fellow Students Online Sex Session"

 

[John Doe]

And of what crime might they be convicted?

 

[Etoile]

And of what crime might they be convicted?

They're currently charged with invasion of privacy, phrased as"illegal recording and dissemination of a live image" or something like that. I believe the maximum sentence is 5 years. There is a push to get it classified as a hate crime, based on the assumption that they wouldn't have done this if he'd been sleeping with a girl. Whether or not it will be labeled a hate crime is still undecided; if it is, the sentence could double to a maximum of 10 years.

It really is a sad story though. I read an article where investigators found the kid's postings on a forum, where he was upset about what the roommate did. The roommate was bragging on Twitter and the kid was torn up over it. Unfortunately whatever any replies on the forum might have been, they weren't enough to save his life.

I don't see that a manslaughter charge is possible here; to my knowledge that hasn't stuck with any suicide-from-(cyber)bullying cases so far. But if it hadn't been for their illegal spying and broadcasting, he would still be alive, so I do hope they're at least convicted of that. (I think 5 years is too harsh for that particular crime, but that's another story.)

 

[John Doe]

They're currently charged with invasion of privacy, phrased as"illegal recording and dissemination of a live image" or something like that. I believe the maximum sentence is 5 years. There is a push to get it classified as a hate crime, based on the assumption that they wouldn't have done this if he'd been sleeping with a girl. Whether or not it will be labeled a hate crime is still undecided; if it is, the sentence could double to a maximum of 10 years.

It really is a sad story though. I read an article where investigators found the kid's postings on a forum, where he was upset about what the roommate did. The roommate was bragging on Twitter and the kid was torn up over it. Unfortunately whatever any replies on the forum might have been, they weren't enough to save his life.

I don't see that a manslaughter charge is possible here; to my knowledge that hasn't stuck with any suicide-from-(cyber)bullying cases so far. But if it hadn't been for their illegal spying and broadcasting, he would still be alive, so I do hope they're at least convicted of that. (I think 5 years is too harsh for that particular crime, but that's another story.)

I would be surprised if they serve any jail time at all, especially if this is their first offense. They'll probably get a year or two suspended, contingent on the payment of a fine and/or some community service (probably both).

Knowing college students I think they would've done it even if he was having sex with a girl, though he might not have killed himself if that were the case. Either way, I think it would be tough in this case to make the hate crime thing stick and even tougher for manslaughter. I'd be surprised if they even try to charge them with manslaughter.

 

[JuanVato]

This is really sad.
T&P for his family.

 

[kbate]

.....

 

[angelkitty7888]

The best they can get is unauthorised wiretapping, invasion of privacy, and assorted pornography, vandalism and other misdemeanor charges.

Unlikely they can make a hate crime charge stick, and no prosecutor will go for manslaughter or even involuntary manslaughter.

They should be convicted easily on wiretapping and privacy charges and several minor charges (vandalism etc). Both major charges are felonies and even though lengthy prison is unlikely, their college days and dreams of degrees, should be over.

the college had just started making the rules for bullying and such stricter when it happened...

Rutgers, which launched a program to promote civility on campus just this week, said if the allegations are true, the duo violated the school's "standards of decency and humanity.

which is so true!!

even if they don't get jail time they shouldn't be allowed at the college anymore

 

[AmberMoore]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgxNItGmiC4&feature=player_embedded

Last night Anderson Cooper talked to Dr. Phil about this situation, honestly I didn't know why he was talking to Dr.Phil about it but it was actually quite good.

I understand the emotion that this boy probably experienced, this changed his life in an instant he had zero control over it. He got to make no choices regarding his coming out and that can make any of us feel helpless. I didn't get to come out either, I was outed too. Not in as dramatic a fashion as this young man, if this had happened to me when I was his age I couldn't promise that I wouldn't have broken either.

I don't know that they should be charged with his death but they did contribute to it, of course now they're feeling a little bit like he did. Their faces are all over the news, the entire country believes them to be horrible despicable people. They'll get thrown out of school and probably some jail time, they'll have criminal records that will follow them the rest of their lives just like that video would've followed this boy.

 

[JMohegan]

i hope the two responsible see jail time!!

Two?

I agree with this guy.


"We haven't heard from the kids who some say caused Clementi's suicide, for whom some are calling for murder charges, at whom society can point fingers and say: You. You are responsible for this tragedy. In this, we had no part. But I can't blame those two teenagers for Clementi's death. They unthinkingly caused him far more pain than I suspect they could have imagined. They should be expelled from their dorms, and perhaps from their school, for the gross and intense violation of his privacy. But jail time?

There is no evidence that they intended for Clementi to end his life. They probably didn't think beyond the moment of their foolish prank. To blame them alone is to take away a very limited lesson: Don't secretly film your roommate having sex, and certainly don't broadcast it on the Internet. That lesson alone will do nothing to address the problem of LGBT youth suicide.

In contrast, you don't have to look far to find people whose every day actions, whose very careers, are designed -- specifically intended -- to drive LGBT youth to extinction. Here are some people I would like to see in jail for Clementi's suicide: George Rekers, who is still pushing "conversion therapy" for gay teens, essentially normalizing self-hate. His methods are still used by Louisiana mental health workers who treat adolescents. James Dobson, head of Focus on the Family, whose bloated multi-million dollar budget is both spent and made on the spreading of gay-hate. Candi Cushman, whose entire career is focused on destroying gains made by anti-bullying campaigns in public schools.

The list of the guilty could go on forever: Every elected public official who has ever voted for anti-gay ordinances, marriage bans, adoption bans, prohibitions on health care for same-sex spouses. Every two-bit lobbyist who bargains with these public officials to seal the deal. Every religious nut with a pulpit who weekly tells the congregation, full of kids and teens, that they will burn in hell for being gay. Every psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker who has ever suggested to a teen that being gay is shameful, abnormal, and a disease to be cured. Every teacher who has turned a blind eye or, worse, joined in the anti-gay harassment of a young student.

Clementi's suicide is that simple, and that complicated. In order to address the unbearably high rate of LGBT youth suicide, look beyond the secret videotape and the two kids who made a stupid, tragic, callous mistake. There are guilty parties everywhere."

 

[Wolfman1982]

I would gladly pay a few months in a state owned "hotel" for beating some sense in to fuckers like those people, if it happened in Denmark, since either this case, or the other one which I posted about has reached "Danish shores". Yeah I know violence is NOT the answer, but sometimes every body feels, that enough is enough. And I believe a lot of people have had it with this stuff.

 

[angelkitty7888]

Two?

I agree with this guy.


"We haven't heard from the kids who some say caused Clementi's suicide, for whom some are calling for murder charges, at whom society can point fingers and say: You. You are responsible for this tragedy. In this, we had no part. But I can't blame those two teenagers for Clementi's death. They unthinkingly caused him far more pain than I suspect they could have imagined. They should be expelled from their dorms, and perhaps from their school, for the gross and intense violation of his privacy. But jail time?

There is no evidence that they intended for Clementi to end his life. They probably didn't think beyond the moment of their foolish prank. To blame them alone is to take away a very limited lesson: Don't secretly film your roommate having sex, and certainly don't broadcast it on the Internet. That lesson alone will do nothing to address the problem of LGBT youth suicide.

In contrast, you don't have to look far to find people whose every day actions, whose very careers, are designed -- specifically intended -- to drive LGBT youth to extinction. Here are some people I would like to see in jail for Clementi's suicide: George Rekers, who is still pushing "conversion therapy" for gay teens, essentially normalizing self-hate. His methods are still used by Louisiana mental health workers who treat adolescents. James Dobson, head of Focus on the Family, whose bloated multi-million dollar budget is both spent and made on the spreading of gay-hate. Candi Cushman, whose entire career is focused on destroying gains made by anti-bullying campaigns in public schools.

The list of the guilty could go on forever: Every elected public official who has ever voted for anti-gay ordinances, marriage bans, adoption bans, prohibitions on health care for same-sex spouses. Every two-bit lobbyist who bargains with these public officials to seal the deal. Every religious nut with a pulpit who weekly tells the congregation, full of kids and teens, that they will burn in hell for being gay. Every psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker who has ever suggested to a teen that being gay is shameful, abnormal, and a disease to be cured. Every teacher who has turned a blind eye or, worse, joined in the anti-gay harassment of a young student.

Clementi's suicide is that simple, and that complicated. In order to address the unbearably high rate of LGBT youth suicide, look beyond the secret videotape and the two kids who made a stupid, tragic, callous mistake. There are guilty parties everywhere."

i'm not saying charge them with manslaughter or the suicide itself. i'm saying they need to pay the time that they screwed up someone's life! even if it wasn't a GLBT or a suicide if someone streamed you in an intimate moment over the internet wouldn't you want them to pay for it? they need a lesson because they were stupid, not because they were hateful.

i agree with who you quoted though! there are so many people at fault here... this is one example where we need a federal law, not just a state to state law system that is very different everywhere you go.... we were founded on everyone being equal... that includes the kids and teens that get bullied for anything!!

 

[JMohegan]

i'm not saying charge them with manslaughter or the suicide itself. i'm saying they need to pay the time that they screwed up someone's life! even if it wasn't a GLBT or a suicide if someone streamed you in an intimate moment over the internet wouldn't you want them to pay for it? they need a lesson because they were stupid, not because they were hateful.

i agree with who you quoted though! there are so many people at fault here... this is one example where we need a federal law, not just a state to state law system that is very different everywhere you go.... we were founded on everyone being equal... that includes the kids and teens that get bullied for anything!!

My point was that more than two people are responsible here. The shrewd, malicious, and powerful remain unprosecuted and largely uncensured, while the petty foot soldiers of bigotry take the heat.

I'm not arguing that Ravi and Wei should get off with a slap on the wrist. I agree that a privacy violation of this magnitude should be considered a criminal offense.

 

[Wolfman1982]

If I had known, I was bi when I was in school. I would have hidden it extremely well. But now I am 28 but still in the closet, because of where I live.
But I realised, when I was 18, that I was bi. So at least I was an adult when it dawned upon me. But thinking back of the 5 years of pure hell I was through as a child, then I do not know what I would have done, if I was outed like that.
Now we have an anti bully law at the Danish schools, but I still remember a case some years ago, where a kid had strangulation marks and what not. And that case went to trial, but it was "deemed" as extreme bullying, but if you ask me. Then I would love to "bully" the bullies the same way. But I think, since I am at an age, where bullying is rare. Then I would spend some times in prison for VIOLENCE, even though it is the same exact shit, the guy went through. And then the mother of one of the bullies said to the news "I think my son has learned from this", and if you ask me. Then that fucking little inbred Jude (people from Jutland are also known as either Jutlanders or Judes) wanker, should have gotten a REAL punishment, and not this (excuse me for cursing extremely now) motherfucking case being deemed "extreme bullying".

 

[Somehowyou]

I feel really bad about this kid. I am puzzled to this day about homophobia. On another site I hang out at for hobbyists I couldn't believe that attitude some of the guys have about hobbyists that see shemales? There seems to be a hostility toward this activity because they interpreted sex with a shemale as gay? TI don't agree with this but thats not the point. The point is that a damn label was more important than the enjoyment and stimulation you could recieve from a shemale? Haven't we got passed this yet?

Anyway there should be no jail time for these two little bastards. Maybe the 2 should be expelled. I wish the kid that committed suicide could have laghued it off. He could have posted the following:

YOU SUCK ONE COCK AND YOUR A COCK SUCKER? YOU DRIVE ONE TRUCK YOUR NOT A TRUCK DRIVER?

Isn't the college campus a place for experimentation?

 

[Wolfman1982]

Somehowyou: I hate to educate any one, but a shemale is the porn term. But a transsexual/transgendered is the common term. Basically you are a calling a Male to Female transsexual for a hooker/whore whether the person is a prostitute or not. But tranny/trannie is more accepted. But I agree with what you are telling.

 

[Somehowyou]

Somehowyou: I hate to educate any one, but a shemale is the porn term. But a transsexual/transgendered is the common term. Basically you are a calling a Male to Female transsexual for a hooker/whore whether the person is a prostitute or not. But tranny/trannie is more accepted. But I agree with what you are telling.

OK but I was talking about hobbyists (men who frequent prostitutes) so Shemale in this instance is probably appropriate. But yes Transgendered is probably the better term overall.

 

[Etoile]

Last night Anderson Cooper talked to Dr. Phil about this situation, honestly I didn't know why he was talking to Dr.Phil about it but it was actually quite good.

I think he's talked to Dr. Phil about bullying before. I dunno.

I know Anderson wants to remain neutral and not let his orientation influence his journalism, but I really wish he would make a PSA for the It Gets Better project or something like that. He's a good role model, and he could make a difference.

 

[glamorilla]

i never get enough time to pay attention to news stories anymore. i don't know all the details.

i think its a safe bet to say the roommate and his girlfriend did not want this to happen but happen it did. they're going to be paying for this for the rest of their lives.

that works for me.

 

[AmberMoore]

I know Anderson wants to remain neutral and not let his orientation influence his journalism, but I really wish he would make a PSA for the It Gets Better project or something like that. He's a good role model, and he could make a difference.

Anderson's not even really officially out yet though, I mean we all know that he's one of us but the average straight viewer doesn't. He hasn't talked about his sexuality at all. I wish he would, he's an amazing role model and someone that should be looked up to in the Gay and straight community. I respect his right to choose when and to who he shares his sexuality with but he could do some fantastic things if he just came out to the world already.


Also, this was just posted over at JoeMyGod but Focus on the Family is just disgusting, they just started pushing this new things claiming that the real bully's in our schools are the homosexuals.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e-7f7iK-lY&feature=player_embedded

 

[Missouribiguy]

I don't agree with you all about what's being said. The fact is that the guy alone made the decision to kill himself, not anybody else. Yeah, maybe the whole "prank" screwed him up, and probably the whole "people hated him for being gay" stuff as well.

But, when you feel like killing yourself is the only answer is pretty sad, and I should know. I have gotten depressed to the point that, yeah, I have thought about killing myself. Not due to my sexuality either. Suicide is pretty fucking selfish if you really think about it.

I feel sorry for the guy for not being able to have the strength to face his demons, and resorting to killing himself to escape.

 

[AmberMoore]

I feel sorry for the guy for not being able to have the strength to face his demons, and resorting to killing himself to escape.

The guy made the final choice but would this have happened without the video? Would this have happened without the bullying? Last month 9 Gay teenagers committed suicide in the united states and the fact that they were constantly bullied played a factor in this. Also the fact that there's an organization out there actively trying to stop any Anti-Bullying programs is a sad and depressing fact.

This deserves to be talked about. Especially since it's now Gay History month. Yay.

 

[Missouribiguy]

The guy made the final choice but would this have happened without the video? Would this have happened without the bullying? Last month 9 Gay teenagers committed suicide in the united states and the fact that they were constantly bullied played a factor in this. Also the fact that there's an organization out there actively trying to stop any Anti-Bullying programs is a sad and depressing fact.

This deserves to be talked about. Especially since it's now Gay History month. Yay.

It's probably why the guy felt like taking him life. Despair is a ugly emotion. My point is that, these teenagers are killing themselves. Have they even try to reach out to anybody they could trust? I would say no, and the whole hate-filled homophobia they were exposed to made things even worst. I do sympathized, but I don't condone suicide.

With that said, I do think my above statement was a bit harshed.

 

[Stella_Omega]

It's probably why the guy felt like taking him life. Despair is a ugly emotion. My point is that, these teenagers are killing themselves. Have they even try to reach out to anybody they could trust? I would say no, and the whole hate-filled homophobia they were exposed to made things even worst. I do sympathized, but I don't condone suicide.

With that said, I do think my above statement was a bit harshed.

I think you can only speak for you. You do not know if they tried to reach out, if there was anyone they could trust. Your guesses aren't good enough to make a judgement on them.

And a dead man won't give a fuck about whether or not you condone suicide.

 

[Missouribiguy]

I think you can only speak for you. You do not know if they tried to reach out, if there was anyone they could trust. Your guesses aren't good enough to make a judgement on them.

And a dead man won't give a fuck about whether or not you condone suicide.

Yes, I don't really know. No one knows what goes on in people's heads at time. One day, you can be a perfectly good person, the next a homicidal maniac.

However, I do admit that my judgement was wrong. Lately, I've been bitchy...

As for "a dead man won't give a fuck about whether or not you condone suicide".....

I don't really anything to say about it. I have my core beliefs. That doesn't mean I don't have sympathy for these people.

 

[Missouribiguy]

I think I did make a snap judgement. I feel really bad for it, and i shouldn't have said anything.

Sorry all.