Two college roommates, a webcam, and a tragedy, New Yorker, New York Times, Washington Post

The causes of Tyler Clementi’s tragic suicide are far from known but there can be little doubt that Dharun Ravi, ‘a largely usympathetic character’, acted nastily and broke the law. In the public eye, he failed to show contrition over his gay roommate’s suicide, which was not allowed to figure in the trial. Did Dharun — sentenced to 30 days in jail, 300 hours of community service, counselling about cyberbullying and ‘alternate lifestyles’, and about $11,000 in fees — get away too lightly? Or was the punishment just right for the crime? Whatever be the sound and just answer, the case is ‘a reminder… [that] criminal law is not always the perfect means for reaching political or social goals’:

http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/newsdesk/2012/05/dharun-ravi-tyler-clementi-sentencing.html

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2012/02/06/120206fa_fact_parker?currentPage=all

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/22/nyregion/rutgers-spying-defendant-sentenced-to-30-days-in-jail.html?_r=1

http://bruni.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/05/22/does-dharun-ravi-feel-remorse/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/parents-in-rutgers-webcam-case-choose-their-public-appearances-carefully-ahead-of-sentencing/2012/05/20/gIQA0Xx2dU_story.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/dharun-ravi-sentence-in-rutgers-webcam-case-renews-hate-crime-law-debate/2012/05/22/gIQAui0DiU_story.html