<p>I agree that I’m not sure how much we can indict the girl. She may have not even been there when he used her computer. She may have been; we just don’t know.</p>
<p>Here’s an example of what I am finding so objectionable, from the piece linked by CTTC:</p>
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<p>Well, I find that I can’t be sure of ANY of that. No one filmed any sex scene. There was no automated video of any sex scene. I don’t know why Tyler Clementi isn’t alive today, but I have trouble believing it’s solely because his roommate was being an immature jerk. It doesn’t add up. I would love to have a good, morally satisfying explanation every time a young person kills himself, so I can’t blame people for trying here, but you have to distort the facts so much to make things fit that it doesn’t work for me.</p>
<p>"Clementi knew that no one saw it, because he, personally, turned off the webcam. There was no video recorded for anyone to see. "</p>
<p>IIUC there were two occasions, and that is what happened on the second occasion, after the tweet about the first occasion alerted him to what was going on. </p>
<p>Look I agree that this is complex, and that Clementi may have been vulnerable before any of this happened. And I think that Ravi first acted on impulse, and probably did not think it was a big deal. </p>
<p>I find the Saletan piece interesting. I think the ability of the technology to magnify a prankish impulse is significant.</p>
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<p>If that were the case, it would seem odd that the police would charge her as well. If she was not present or had no knowledge of the events, I’m sure any competent lawyer will get the charges dropped.</p>
<p>As it stands, I’m not sure that any of these charges will stick. Of course, we have no idea what sort of evidence the police have either.</p>
<p>…probably did not think it was a big deal…</p>
<p>Really? He couldn’t imagine how he would feel if anyone suggested to broadcast HIS intimate act for 2 and a half hours? Not to mention this incident becomes far more sensitive for being gay. We can go on forever about the details. But the fact that Ravi set the camera up and advertised what he would be showing seems solid. Gross violation however one slices it.</p>
<p>She’s charged because her computer was used, I think, to access the webcam feed. And, of course because if you charge someone who actually shouldn’t be, you can get some leverage in extracting information about what happened. </p>
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<p>I think there is a difference, especially depending on the content of the pictures. But I’m saying that a defense attorney would likely put this information and content out there and let a jury decide how it should influence a prosecution. Its this type of thing that I think will prevent a trial from occurring. I doubt anyone wants to go into this type of stuff. The website on which the victim was posting is also not safe for work, to put it mildly.</p>
<p>"Really? He couldn’t imagine how he would feel if anyone suggested to broadcast HIS intimate act for 2 and a half hours? "</p>
<p>i dont know what he was capable of imagining. I am guessing from what little I have read, that the decision to send out the initial tweet was on impulse. Didnt stop to imagine anything, really. </p>
<p>The second tweet, after he had time to think about it, would be more serious in that sense.</p>
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<p>Although it seems quite plausible that Clementi was the poster on the gay men’s web site, that is not known for a fact.</p>
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<p>I can’t “see” that as any more amusing. Call me weird.</p>
<p>Since some people are calling this just prank, shall we ask Ravi and his girl friend do it and broadcast live? Let them be amused this time.</p>
<p>I think the actions of the Ravi are inexcusable, but I agree with JHS’s postings. From the writings of Tyler, we know that he aborted the second attempted taping and knew that the first one only showed a kiss. It just doesn’t add up that he would be taking his life due to the second taping. Unfortunately, young adults commit suicide for lots of reasons… and I think the Police need to talk to Tyler’s male partner. There could have been other precipitating factors… maybe partner was breaking up with him, or - who knows? Again, I think it is horrible and mean-spirited and inexcusable what Ravi was attempting to do, but (like the situation with the Duke Lacrosse players vs. stripper who alleged rape), the rush to judgment sometimes leads to a miscarriage of justice. If you remember, those young men were vilified in papers and on the news, expelled from their college and they received horribly unfair treatment. (not that I’m a fan of people hiring strippers!!:eek:, but still…) Turns out, they were innocent of all charges.</p>
<p>I think that’s a fair reply, anxiousmom. I think that the truth will come out, if it can be established there was no direct link to the invasion of privacy and the suicide.</p>
<p>Separately, however, I think such invasions of privacy should always be punished, and swiftly, even when there are no extremely tragic events which happen to follow. On principle. Invasions of privacy that are subject to broadcast and multiplication should not be categorized as “pranks.” That should be college policy. And there shouldn’t be different standards depending on one’s sexual orientation. It should be the same standard. And I guess it’s too much to encourage some parents to make that part of family education.</p>
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<p>I don’t think we can apply rational arguments to people who kill themselves. It’s so not a rational act. We can’t say, well, if the boy weighed the situation carefully, and considered possible actions, then he wouldn’t have killed himself for that reason. If he weighed the situation carefully, he wouldn’t have killed himself for any reason. And yet, for some (inadequate) reason, he did. Suicide is (almost) never rational, it’s an emotional act.</p>
<p>The tapers deliberately did something they surely knew would humiliate Clementi. Sometimes humiliation is the last straw leading to suicide. Did the tapers intend for him to die? Almost certainly they didn’t, but their humiliating, callous, mean-spirited actions nevertheless led to his death. Now they have that on their conscience.</p>
<p>I agree that regardless of the fact that Tyler committed suicide, the taping of him during a private intimate time without his knowledge or consent is unacceptable and deserves consequences. The humiliation is deplorable. And this is not a prank in my view. And it doesn’t matter the sexual orientation of who is being taped. I happen to believe that this young man’s sexual orientation was part of the motivation to tape him and publicize it, however. </p>
<p>I also think there is no way to rationalize his suicide as it isn’t a rational act. This humiliating incident could have been the last straw or just such a horrible feeling from this incident alone that overwhelmed someone who was sensitive to it and could not cope and found it too difficult to bear. </p>
<p>I’m sure the students who taped him never expected him to kill himself but they surely should have known it was wrong and would humiliate the young man. And what they did, even if he didn’t die, is against the law. Typically, “pranks” are not against the law (ie., toilet papering a room). This violation went well beyond a mere “prank.”</p>
<p>Also, sexual harassment and cyber bullying are not pranks.</p>
<p>Is anyone aware of any statement from the other man who was victimized by the taping?</p>
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<p>Again, there is no definitive record of Tyler’s “writings” about this incident. We have a gay men’s web site, postings from a “city2mo” which seem to correspond to these events. However, I’ve not read anywhere that these writings have been determined to have been written by Tyler Clementi. I won’t be surprised at all to learn that he did indeed write them, but as of right now, this is speculation, NOT fact.</p>
<p>While it is not a fact that cit2mo was Tyler, a lawyer for the gay message board has said that the posts came from Rutgers. </p>
<p>[Rutgers</a> president to meet with gay community after student’s suicide - CNN.com](<a href=“Rutgers president to meet with gay community after student's suicide - CNN.com”>Rutgers president to meet with gay community after student's suicide - CNN.com)</p>
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<p>Even if Ravi invasion of Clementi’s privacy didn’t contribute to his suicide, it is an illegal act that should be punished. Whether Wei actually did anything illegal is uncertain. I think it’s possible that charge against her might eventually be dropped or reduced, but this is certainly something that will affect her life forever, regardless of the legal outcome.</p>
<p>We may never know the exact reason why Clementi took his own life, but at least this harassment should be dealt with appropriately.</p>
<p>[Rutgers</a> Suicide Raises Difficult Legal Questions --FanHouse](<a href=“http://www.fanhouse.com/2010/10/01/rutgers-suicide-raises-difficult-legal-questions/?icid=main|main|dl1|sec1_lnk3|174827]Rutgers”>http://www.fanhouse.com/2010/10/01/rutgers-suicide-raises-difficult-legal-questions/?icid=main|main|dl1|sec1_lnk3|174827)</p>
<p>I am not sure labeling it as cyber crime is good or bad. Computers are used as an effective tool. The real crime in my opinion is that someone decided to make public something highly private to anyone.</p>