Rutgers University student kills self after sex tape airs online
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PISCATAWAY, N.J. – A college student jumped to his death off a bridge a day after authorities say two classmates surreptitiously recorded him having sex with a man in his dorm room and broadcast it over the Internet.
Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi jumped from the George Washington Bridge last week, said his family's attorney, Paul Mainardi. Police recovered a man's body Wednesday afternoon in the Hudson River just north of the bridge, and authorities were trying to determine if it was Clementi's.
ABC News and The Star-Ledger of Newark , N.J., reported that Clementi left on his Facebook page on Sept. 22 a note that read: "Jumping off the gw bridge sorry." On Wednesday, his Facebook page was accessible only to friends.
Two Rutgers freshmen have been charged with illegally taping the 18-year-old Clementi having sex and broadcasting the images via an Internet chat program.
One of the defendants, Dharun Ravi, was Clementi's roommate, Mainardi told The Star-Ledger. The other defendant is Molly Wei. Ravi and Wei could face up to five years in prison if convicted on the invasion of privacy charges.
A lawyer for Ravi, of Plainsboro, did not return a message seeking comment. It was unclear whether Wei, of Princeton, had retained a lawyer.
The Middlesex County prosecutor's office charged that the pair, both 18, used a webcam to view and transmit a live image of Clementi on Sept. 19. Ravi was also charged with two more counts of invasion of privacy alleging he tried to transmit another Clementi encounter on Sept. 21.
Ravi sent a message on Twitter on Sept. 19: "Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into molly's room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay."
Two days later, he wrote on Twitter: "Anyone with iChat, I dare you to video chat me between the hours of 9:30 and 12. Yes it's happening again."
Clementi's driver's license and Rutgers ID were found in a wallet left on the bridge on Sept. 22 after two witnesses saw someone jump from it, an official said.
Mainardi issued a statement Wednesday confirming Clementi's suicide.
"Tyler was a fine young man, and a distinguished musician," Mainardi said. "The family is heartbroken beyond words."
Ed Schmiedecke, the recently retired music director at Ridgewood High School, where Clementi graduated earlier this year, said he was a violinist whose life revolved around music.
"He was a terrific musician, and a very promising, hardworking young man."
hxxp://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/nation/stories/DN-rutgers_30nat.ART.State.Edition1.4791d7d.html
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I can only hope that the local prosecutor is creative enough to make this a manslaughter case at the very least.
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This would have been a non issue for the young man, except for the way society views and treats gays.
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I'm an American living overseas, but I use 'Yahoo' for my email, and this morning when I logged in this was one of the top stories. Of course, I was shocked and saddened to read it. So much pain caused by such a stupid prank.
What disgusted me, however, was the 'Comments' section. I know the anonymity of the internet generally brings out the worst in people, but I could only stomach about 10-15 comments before I had to turn the computer off and walk away. I used to think I would live abroad for about 2 more years and then eventually move back to the United States, but more and more I think that I just don't have a home there. I know you can find bigotry and hatred in many places, but it seems like persecuting gays/lesbians/queers is becoming more and more accepted in America.
I feel… terrible.
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i saw it on bbc this morning at work. absolutely horrific
on a lighter note, it's my 200th post
![😕](https://community.gaytorrent.ru/assets/plugins/nodebb-plugin-emoji/emoji/apple/1f615.png?v=hvqg2qn0nb4 ":-\")
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What disgusted me, however, was the 'Comments' section. I know the anonymity of the internet generally brings out the worst in people, but I could only stomach about 10-15 comments before I had to turn the computer off and walk away. I used to think I would live abroad for about 2 more years and then eventually move back to the United States, but more and more I think that I just don't have a home there. I know you can find bigotry and hatred in many places, but it seems like persecuting gays/lesbians/queers is becoming more and more accepted in America.
I feel… terrible.
So do I.
I am so fed up with the intolerance and bigotry of this country that I'm considering moving out of it myself.
So much hatred. So much hurt. It's not going to change any time in the next hundred years, I'm afraid.
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Warning- rant ahead. sigh
Years ago, I was living in New York with a roommate who is also gay. This was near the beginning of the whole 'Defense of Marriage' movement, and he said, 'Gays should just give up this fight. We're never going to change people's opinions on the word marriage, so we should fight for having domestic partnerships raised to the same level of benefits and rights that marriage has, and just let it be.' And I told him, 'It's not about the word marriage, it's about the IDEA that one group of people is somehow LESS than everyone else and therefore doesn't deserve the same opportunities as everyone else. When people say 'Marriage should only be between a man and a woman because if you let two men marry, or two women marry, then you have to let men marry children, or women marry dogs and horses, or three people get married', it subconsciously equates homosexuality with pedophilia and bestiality and other things that society deems 'abnormal', and then gays and lesbians unconsciously feel 'wrong' for being who they are.'
And this kind of thinking directly leads to a young man feeling like he'd rather jump to his death than have people know that he's had sex with a man. Not even that he's gay- this could've been a college-aged experimentation that everyone talks about, or he could've been attracted to men AND women… we'll never know. All we know is that Americans still feel overwhelmingly that it's better that gays and lesbians hide who they are. And that's wrong.
I often wish there was a way- even for a day- to take away everything that was directly produced or created by homosexuals. Straight people certainly enjoy watching the TV shows and movies that were written, directed, produced by and feature gays and lesbians. They certainly don't mind using technology that was directly influenced by Da Vinci or Alfred Nobel. They don't mind taking aspirin when they have a headache, even though the man who invented it was gay. I'd like them to see just how much gays and lesbians have contributed to their lives before they start saying, 'It's good that he killed himself. One less f****t...'
I know it's petty and we should always try to counter hate with love, but sometimes it's hard to take the high road. Ugh. I hate focusing on such negative things. I should let it go but it's been really bothering me the last day...
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i mourn the loss of a person and hope that it will be a reminder to everyone that there are people who will invade our privacy if we are not careful with safeguarding it.
punishment will not undo the damage caused by the transgression. -
What disgusted me, however, was the 'Comments' section. I know the anonymity of the internet generally brings out the worst in people, but I could only stomach about 10-15 comments before I had to turn the computer off and walk away. I used to think I would live abroad for about 2 more years and then eventually move back to the United States, but more and more I think that I just don't have a home there. I know you can find bigotry and hatred in many places, but it seems like persecuting gays/lesbians/queers is becoming more and more accepted in America.
I feel… terrible.
So do I.
I am so fed up with the intolerance and bigotry of this country that I'm considering moving out of it myself.
So much hatred. So much hurt. It's not going to change any time in the next hundred years, I'm afraid.
Canada?
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on a lighter note, it's my 200th post
Since you are an uploader, I've given you a little of my "seed" in your most recent torrent upload at London Symphony Orchestra - Kashmir - The Symphonic Led Zeppelin. I've never downloaded a music torrent, yet I really value your membership, my brother.
Hugs,
Tim -
on a lighter note, it's my 200th post
Since you are an uploader, I've given you a little of my "seed" in your most recent torrent upload at London Symphony Orchestra - Kashmir - The Symphonic Led Zeppelin. I've never downloaded a music torrent, yet I really value your membership, my brother.
Hugs,
TimI'm truly touched :hug:
It's a must have album too
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… When people say 'Marriage should only be between a man and a woman because if you let two men marry, or two women marry, then you have to let men marry children, or women marry dogs and horses, or three people get married', it subconsciously equates homosexuality with pedophilia and bestiality and other things that society deems 'abnormal', and then gays and lesbians unconsciously feel 'wrong' for being who they are.'
My comment is probably a bit off topic, but…
haven't you done the same thing a bit in your list. polygamy is an accepted practice in many world cultures, and if all the people involved are consenting legal adults, what's so wrong about it? To put it in the list with pedophilia and beastiality is to marginalize polygamists the same way gays are marginalized. I think gays who want gay marriage should acknowledge that if we can question the "gender" part of the marriage definition, then other parts of the definition can also be questioned, like the "number" requirement.
being gay is "abnormal" in the sense that it is a minority condition. That doesn't make it wrong, but we will always have a bit of the sense of the odd/strange/abnormal, just like any other minority tribe/group/belief. The key issue is being treated fairly and equally under the law, and not equating abnormal with bad. I don't want to be married to one person, let alone several, but I can see no reason that my personal dislike should cause a law to limit those who do.
As for the main thread topic, it is of course a tragedy that this young man took his life for a perceived shame. Are the two jerks who taped and broadcast him bad people? Yes. Should they be charged for unauthorized taping? Yes. Are they morally responsible for his death? Mmmm... Maybe. Should they be held LEGALLY responsible? I don't think so. In this day and age of so many young people living a complete internet and voyeuristic life, putting a tape of your roommate having sex online could easily be considered a prank, albeit one that has had tragic consequences. Heck, there are spycam videos on this very site. Are we so sure that those guys want their nakedness being spread around? This is not to blame the victim or to minimize the tragedy, but sometimes shitty things happen in our lives, gay or straight. Dealing with it and moving on is a must, not suicide.
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I would be devastated if someone outed me like this when I was young and closeted.
I think it would be tough to set a legal precedent specifically regarding to revealing someone's homosexuality under a malicious pretense. That being said, I hope the two get a comeuppance that sends an appropriate message to the public.
I wonder if this story even made it on Fox News?
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haven't you done the same thing a bit in your list. polygamy is an accepted practice in many world cultures, and if all the people involved are consenting legal adults, what's so wrong about it? To put it in the list with pedophilia and beastiality is to marginalize polygamists the same way gays are marginalized. I think gays who want gay marriage should acknowledge that if we can question the "gender" part of the marriage definition, then other parts of the definition can also be questioned, like the "number" requirement.
being gay is "abnormal" in the sense that it is a minority condition. That doesn't make it wrong, but we will always have a bit of the sense of the odd/strange/abnormal, just like any other minority tribe/group/belief. The key issue is being treated fairly and equally under the law, and not equating abnormal with bad. I don't want to be married to one person, let alone several, but I can see no reason that my personal dislike should cause a law to limit those who do.
As for the main thread topic, it is of course a tragedy that this young man took his life for a perceived shame. Are the two jerks who taped and broadcast him bad people? Yes. Should they be charged for unauthorized taping? Yes. Are they morally responsible for his death? Mmmm… Maybe. Should they be held LEGALLY responsible? I don't think so. In this day and age of so many young people living a complete internet and voyeuristic life, putting a tape of your roommate having sex online could easily be considered a prank, albeit one that has had tragic consequences. Heck, there are spycam videos on this very site. Are we so sure that those guys want their nakedness being spread around? This is not to blame the victim or to minimize the tragedy, but sometimes shitty things happen in our lives, gay or straight. Dealing with it and moving on is a must, not suicide.
You're right, but in the United States polygamy is NOT an accepted practice and therefore people equate it with being 'wrong', and those are the three main arguments proponents of laws like Prop 8 always use when they talk about keeping marriage 'safe' from deviant lifestyles.
I should have been more careful in my post, but the emotion of this story has really gotten to me. As long as the people are consenting adults, I don't care if ten people want to be 'married', but here's where (at least in the United States) it would cause problems. With marriage comes many tax breaks and legal provisions. If you have multiple spouses it then creates legal issues such as: if a man has three wives does he then have three times as many deductions he can take? If he dies without drawing up a will, do the wives have equal share to his assets, even if one woman was married to him for 30 years and the other two married him yesterday? If he goes into a coma, do all three wives have to agree on the course of action, or can 2 of the three vote to pull the plug, even if one of them is convinced he wouldn't want that?
But aside from that- I don't think Tyler's roommate targeted him in the sense of, 'He's gay! I'm going to make him suffer!', but I do believe his being gay was the primary reason his roommate posted it. And even if Tyler had been caught having sex with a woman, I doubt he would have killed himself as a result.
I do think if you pull a prank in which there's a REASONABLE chance that something negative can happen as a result, you should be held legally responsible. If I throw a water balloon at someone, and they have a panic attack because when they were 5 they almost drowned, there's no way I could have known that would happen. But if you know that your roommate is not comfortable with his sexuality and you secretly tape him IN HIS ROOM and broadcast it on the internet TWICE, then I do think you are responsible for more than just 'invasion of privacy'.
As for the 'spy-cam' videos, if you're talking about the 'locker room' videos where guys are simply walking around naked, I don't think those are particularly popular or, for that matter, damaging. Any 'secret video' where people are masturbating or having sex in a public place- well, that's a different story. If you're willing to risk exposure for the thrill of sex in public, then you don't really have a right to complain if someone catches you. Tyler wasn't having sex in a locker room. He was in his dorm room, where he had a right to believe that he was safe.
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As tragic as this was there is another issue that should be addressed. The American Government has been looking at was to tax and regulate the internet for years. Examples like this gives them plenty of ammo to "protect the children".
I think a fitting punishment for these pranking losers is to be required to have their entire life filmed until they graduate college. Having all the "highlights" sent to their parents and the prosecutors office weekly. Showers, frat parties, dates, "bathroom time" etc. Let them see how having your life exposed for all to see can be "inconvenient" whether you are gay or not.
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Thats the problem with bullies (and similar people) , they don't think what might happen because of their actions. Everyone is responsible for their actions. And this clearly was a mean action, made to hurt someone. I don't think they wanted this to end in such a way, but how can you make people like that realize that they ARE hurting someone and then someone is hurting bad enough they might consider and even act on suicide (and even if it isn't so extreme, nobody has the right to hurt another).
Even a bad word said to someone might be like that last little push for someone of the edge. And I am pretty sure, many of these bullies don't want that. They don't think that far.Does a few laughs, showing of worth another's life?
It is a very serious issue in my country and it clearly shows in our suicide statistics. There are help lines for people in need, but I think there should be some programs for the aggressors. To make them realize their actions. -
So a guy videotapes an encounter, sending another man on a suicidal fit and all it constitutes is "invasion of privacy"? Seriously?!?! THAT'S IT?!
That goes far beyond just invasion of privacy as far as I'm concerned. What about the guy's family? Anybody ever put a thought into what it puts them through? Not to be blunt, but WTF is that bull****? At the very least it could be upgraded to criminal neglegence causing death, or better yet… MURDER!
The little slime balls had better hope that they get a good long sentence in with Bubba! Screw the whole PC (Protective Custody) system... They should only be worthy of GP (General Population).
Pardon the language, but I just don't understand how such a "sophisticated" country can take something of this magnatude so lightly
As tragic as this was there is another issue that should be addressed. The American Government has been looking at was to tax and regulate the internet for years. Examples like this gives them plenty of ammo to "protect the children".
I think a fitting punishment for these pranking losers is to be required to have their entire life filmed until they graduate college. Having all the "highlights" sent to their parents and the prosecutors office weekly. Showers, frat parties, dates, "bathroom time" etc. Let them see how having your life exposed for all to see can be "inconvenient" whether you are gay or not.
I like the way you think. It's so….. FITTING given the nature of the issue at hand.
