Suicide of Tyler Clementi

Suicide of Tyler Clementi
Clementi's Facebook profile picture[1]
DateSeptember 22, 2010; 14 years ago (2010-09-22)
LocationManhattan, New York City, U.S.
TypeTeenage suicide, suicide by jumping, drowning
MotiveHomophobia (Ravi)
DeathsTyler Clementi, aged 18
Accused
  • Dharun Ravi
  • Molly Wei
ConvictedDharun Ravi
ChargesRavi:

Wei:

  • Invasion of privacy (2 counts; dropped in exchange for community service and testimony against Ravi)
TrialNew Jersey v. Dharun Ravi
VerdictRavi:
Guilty on all counts (2012; overturned in 2016)
Pleaded guilty to one count of attempted invasion of privacy (2016)
SentenceRavi:
30 days in jail (paroled after 20 days), plus 3 years probation and 300 hours of community service
Wei:
300 hours of community service

Tyler Clementi (December 19, 1991[3] – September 22, 2010) was an American student at Rutgers University–New Brunswick who jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge over the Hudson River on September 22, 2010, at the age of 18. On September 19, 2010, without Clementi's knowledge, his roommate, Dharun Ravi, used a webcam on his dorm room computer and his hallmate Molly Wei's computer to view Clementi kissing another man. Clementi found out after Ravi posted about the webcam incident on Twitter. Two days later, Ravi urged friends and Twitter followers to watch a second encounter between Clementi and his companion, though the viewing never occurred.

Ravi and Wei were both indicted for their roles in the webcam incidents, though they were not charged with a role in the suicide itself. On May 6, 2011, Wei entered a plea agreement granting her immunity and allowing her to avoid prosecution. Ravi went to trial in early 2012, and was convicted on May 21, 2012, on all charges related to the webcam viewing, with the jury additionally finding that Clementi reasonably believed that Ravi had targeted him for his romantic orientation, thus making Ravi guilty of committing hate crimes against Clementi. After an appeals court overturned parts of the conviction, Ravi pleaded guilty to one count of attempted invasion of privacy on October 27, 2016.

Clementi's death brought national attention to the issue of cyberbullying and the struggles facing LGBTQ youth.

  1. ^ "Photos: Tyler Clementi; Rutgers Suicide". CBS News. October 1, 2010. Archived from the original on October 1, 2010. Retrieved October 1, 2010.
  2. ^ "STATE OF NEW JERSEY v. DHARUN RAVI".
  3. ^ "Vander Plaat Funeral Home". Archived from the original on May 27, 2013. Retrieved March 26, 2012.