This week, a New Jersey jury handed down its decision in the Tyler Clementi invasion of privacy, bullying, harassment case. The case again Dharun Ravi, Clementi’s roommate, has been in the news for several months. Ravi was found guilty by a jury of his peers on all but one of the counts against him. He is awaiting sentencing that will take place next month. According to New Jersey law, Ravi could possibly receive a ten-year prison sentence. Some believe that this decision by the jury was an important one for young people. Ravi videotaped his roommate in an intimate encounter with another man and then posted that video on a Facebook page, urging his friends to look at it. Was this an anti-gay act?
A number of people agreed with the jury’s verdict and felt that the "kids will be kids" defense put forth by Ravi’s lawyer should not be accepted. It has also been stated by some that “if the verdict had been different, young adults in this country would have gotten the signal that they can hire fancy high-paid lawyers to argue” that their clients were “just being kids and didn't know what they were doing.” Some feel that this defense, if accepted would have given young people “a loophole out of every anti-bullying law in the country." Ravi’s attorney has stated that he plans to appeal the jury’s decision.
What is your opinion on this issue? Did the jury render the correct verdict in this case? Or, is this a case of not one life being ruined, but rather two young lives being ruined? Why do you feel as you do on this issue?
Kids will be kids, this was not a kindergardener posting a video this was a college student - someone who should be looked as an adult not a kid, someone who should know right from wrong fairly well. I think the jury should be harder because there are way to many cyber attacks on people that just get pushed under the carpet so to speak. I feel as if everyone no matter what age needs a lesson in internet ettiquete because there is way to much uploading and posting without thinking going on and how it will effect that person or yourself and your future.
ReplyDeleteIn one respect, I agree with Ravi's lawyer. Kids will be kids. People in this world are simply mean and no matter what anti-bullying laws are put into effect, bullying is still going to take place in one way or another.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this case is exceptional. The victim ended up taking his own life because of the actions of another person. Did Ravi actually "pull the trigger?" No. But his actions led up to it. I feel that the jury's verdict was right -- I think this needed to be an example to other people around America.
I don't think Ravi meant for any of the horrible consequences that occured to happen. Unfortunately for him though he is now feeling the consequences that follow.
I think that Ravi had not completely thought about the full consequences of his actions and wanted to make a joke, but this joke wound up completely humiliating someone to the point of ending their life. It was a severe invasion of privacy that never should have happened.
ReplyDeleteI do agree with the arguments by the people that he does need to be punished for what he has done. The decisions that are made in this case can and will be used in future cases. Bullying is not a growing issue in America, it has always been here, but now it is an issue that more people are becoming aware of. Ravi is a college student; which shows that they are at least some-what educated and they are an adult. As a result of this action, a life was lost.
On the other hand, I do not know if he should receive ten years of prison. People were completely shocked and outraged that bullying would lead to suicide; however I have read and seen cases in the past that where bullying lead to suicide. This is not something new, but there were not policies in place to help protect those students before it was too late and there were also not policies to punish those that were responsible. The Tyler Clementi case is going to be the case that is finally going to bring change and Ravi's sentencing is going to be the message that is sent to show that this is not okay anymore and there will be dire consequences for your actions if you do it.