Ex-Rutgers student gets 30 days for bullying gay roommate

As I watched IN SESSION the judge spoke, the defense spoke, members of Tyler's family spoke and Ravi's parents spoke. In retrospect it all was unnecessary. The sentence seemed determined before court convened. Judge Berman gave the convicted man less than a slap on the wrist. The prosecution made it clear they would appeal  the non punishment. 

So NJ college kids listen up. Use those web cams to spy on your room mates and share what should be private. Even lie about it and do your best to cover up and destroy evidence if you should get caught..Nothing bad is really going to happen. Just ask Tyler's family. I JUST DON'T GET IT! How did the judge in this case go against the sentencing guide lines? Who does he answer to? From my vantage point no one is held responsible in this case.

(CNN) -- A New Jersey judge on Monday sentenced Dharun Ravi to 30 days in jail for spying on and intimidating his gay Rutgers University roommate, Tyler Clementi, who then killed himself by jumping off New York's George Washington Bridge in September 2010.

Ravi will serve three years of probation and must complete community service aimed at assisting victims of bias crimes, according to Superior Judge Glenn Berman. He also must pay more than $11,000 in restitution.

However, Berman stayed the jail sentence for 10 days in case of an appeal at the request of defense attorneys.

The September 2010 death of Tyler Clementi, and Ravi's trial this year, thrust the issue of cyberbullying and prejudices against homosexuals into the national spotlight.

Clementi, an 18-year-old freshman, plunged to his death in the Hudson River after learning that Ravi had secretly spied via a webcam as Clementi kissed another man.

"I haven't heard you apologize once," Berman told Ravi, 20. He said Clementi "placed his trust in you without any conditions, and you violated it."

Ravi, he said, acted out of "colossal insensitivity."

Berman took factors including Ravi's youth and his lack of a criminal record into consideration.

Ravi could have faced 10 years in prison and deportation to his native India.

In the months that followed Clementi's death, President Barack Obama released a videotaped message condemning bullying, while New Jersey legislators enacted stricter laws to protect against it in schools.

Ravi's sentencing hearing stretched to nearly four hours Monday and was punctuated by emotional victim impact statements offered by Clementi's parents and brother.

"My son Tyler was a kind and gentle soul," Joe Clementi said of his son. "... Nobody other than Tyler understood how vulnerable he was, but the fact is that he was very vulnerable -- and he was shaken by the cold, criminal actions of his roommate."

James Clementi recalled his brother was excited about attending college. "He could never have known the viper's nest he was walking into," he said.

Family members blasted Ravi for showing no remorse. "I have often found myself wondering if Dharun Ravi is even capable of empathizing with another person," James Clementi said.

Jane Clementi said that when her son died, "My world came crumbling apart."

A victim impact statement was also read on behalf of the man involved in the videotaped encounter, identified only as "M.B."

"I do not mind that Mr. Ravi has never apologized to me for what he did and said, but I do wonder if it ever has entered his mind that he has caused me a great deal of pain and yet he knows nothing about me," the statement said.

Ravi's parents also addressed the court, although he chose not to speak.

"Not a single day goes by we don't think about Tyler," said his father, Ravi Pazhani. But he said his son had been demonized and "dragged through the mud."

"How can a person who never acted as a bully ... go from a passive child to hardcore bully overnight?" he asked.

His mother, Sabitha Ravi, cried as she related the stress and pain her son has experienced since Clementi's death. "He has been living in hell for the past 20 months," she said.

Listening to her statement, Ravi grew tearful for the first time during the hearing. After his mother finished speaking, the two embraced as she sobbed.

Before the statements were offered, Berman denied defense motions for acquittal and requesting a new trial.

Though Ravi and Molly Wei -- a fellow student who admitted to joining Ravi to watch the surreptitious encounter that others were alerted to via social media -- were charged in the wake of Clementi's suicide, they were not charged directly with his death.

Facing two counts of invasion of privacy, Wei reached a plea deal that required her to testify against her friend and former high school classmate as well as to complete a three-year program on cyber bullying and do 300 hours of community service.

Prior to sentencing Ravi, Berman said he was planning to terminate Wei's program early, noting that she testified candidly against Ravi although "it was clear she didn't want to be here." He said she had completed 250 hours of community service before her testimony.

Clementi family reacts to verdict

Juror 'satisfied' with Ravi verdict

Ravi, who was studying on a visa at the New Jersey university at the time of the incident, turned down a plea deal offered by Middlesex County prosecutors.

Under the terms of that offer, he would have avoided jail time in exchange for undergoing counseling, doing 600 hours of community service and disposing of any information that could identify the man who appeared in the Web video with Clementi.

Prosecutors also offered to help Ravi avoid deportation, though they said they could not guarantee it.

That set the stage for the trial, during which prosecutors argued that Ravi tried to embarrass Clementi because he was gay and that his actions were motivated by a desire to intimidate the Ridgewood, New Jersey, native expressly because of his sexual orientation.

"These acts were purposeful, they were intentional, and they were planned," prosecutor Julia L. McClure told the jury on the first day of the trial. Ravi "was bothered by Tyler Clementi's sexual orientation," she later said more bluntly.

Ravi's attorneys countered by saying that their client acted thoughtlessly, portraying him as an immature college student who made a mistake, and that his actions were not based on homophobia.

After more than three weeks in court, a jury on March 16 convicted Ravi of invasion of privacy, bias intimidation, witness tampering, hindering apprehension and tampering with physical evidence.

Days after his conviction, Ravi told ABC television's "20/20" that he thought Clementi understood he "wasn't trying to intimidate him and scare him because he was gay." He also criticized how the story of what happened was portrayed.

"I felt like I was being used by everybody," said Ravi, who did not testify on his own behalf. "They were taking revenge on me, even though what they think happened isn't what happened."

Tebow At Easter Celebration In Texas...Cause the Pope was Busy

Someone needs to tell Tebow's followers he is not the first football player to strike the "prayer poise". Going back as far as I can remember there have been players who have done the same thing. No big deal was made of it. But maybe back then this country was not as obsessed with religion.  And while we are on the subject the players I referred to were black or hispanic.

So Tim wants to talk to the people and he picks up the phone and bingo! He's got a gig!

Spectators came in droves wanting to hear what the quarter back had to say. His popularity that morning rivaling the Easter bunny. And the best part...When he was done talking a numbers of them left before the end of the service. Like a concert when the main act finishes fans head for the door wanting to be the first out of the parking lot.

They didn't stay for the sermon by Champion. In retrospect I wonder if Joe Champion regrets taking Tebow's call. My guess is he wouldn't admit it even if he did.

I think Tebow is going to become a cottage industry. Books, a movie deal about his life and speaking engagements. Maybe he will be on the Bachelor. Now that would be interesting. Does he drink because that show is like a continuous Happy Hour.  And the bucks will start rolling in. He will create a charity, right?

If a sports figure can become the main attraction on what Christians say is the most important day for them but go to hear a football player, well, I JUST DON'T GET IT


 GEORGETOWN, Texas -- Tim Tebow drew a crowd of about 15,000 to an outdoor Easter church service Sunday, telling the gathering it's important to be outspoken about faith while admonishing athletes about not being better role models.

"In Christianity, it's the Pope and Tebow right now," Celebration Church pastor Joe Champion he said. "We didn't have enough room to handle the Pope."

 Tebow – devout Christian, backup NFL quarterback and cultural phenomenon – has a flock of admirers drawn as much to his religious leanings as his Heisman Trophy skills.

Tebow told them he welcomed the attention on his convictions as well as the "Tebowing" prayer pose he often strikes on the field because it puts his faith and prayer in the public conversation.
"It's being talked about," he said. "That's exciting."

 Some at the "Easter on the Hill" morning service under sunny skies about 20 miles north of Austin drove more 100 miles to hear Tebow speak. The service took on the feel of a rock concert with more than a 100 school buses shuttling people to the sprawling mega-church campus from local shopping centers and the nearby college.

 The service was peppered with lively Christian rock songs and Tebow took the large stage to cheers from those who could see him while others toward the back watched on massive video screens. He sat for a 20-minute interview with Champion to talk about his faith and its role in his public life.

"It's OK to be outspoken about your faith," Tebow said.

He also took a shot at professional athletes who insist they are not role models.

"Yes you are. You're just not a good one," Tebow said.

Champion asked Tebow what he thought needed to change culturally in America.

 "First and foremost is what this country was based on: one nation under God. The more that we can get back to that," Tebow said to applause.

Although church officials had said they typically get their biggest crowds on Easter, Tebow was clearly the big draw Sunday. Several hundred started heading toward the exits after Tebow spoke, not waiting for Champion's main Sunday sermon so they could avoid the 80-degree heat and beat the traffic.

Some couldn't wait for the official 8 a.m. opening to the church grounds and showed up hours early.
Debbie Sandoval and her husband and two sons arrived before sunrise. They wore Tebow's Jets jerseys and set up camp close the large soundstage with a row of chairs.

"I love that boy. ... He's like my third son," said Sandoval, who is not a regular member of the church but wasn't going to miss a chance to hear Tebow speak. A self-described "lifelong Broncos fan," Sandoval said she became a Jets fan because of Tebow. The quarterback led the Broncos to the playoffs last season and was acquired by the Jets in a trade March 21.

"Everything about this young man's extraordinary life is special," Sandoval said.
Amanda O'Hara drove about 100 miles from San Antonio on Saturday and got to the church about 4:30 a.m. "to be one of the first ones here."

"I only got about four hours sleep, I was so excited," O'Hara said. "He doesn't hide who he is. Parents should see him as a role model."

The crowd included people dressed in Easter bunny costumes and one person dressed as the Sesame Street character Elmo. About an hour before the service, Elmo dropped to a knee with a toddler boy to mimic Tebow's prayer pose.

Media access to the event was tightly controlled inside the roped off field. Reporters and photographers were required to have an escort when walking through the crowd before the service. Television cameras were allowed to record only a portion of Tebow's speech and no live video streaming of the service was permitted.

Church officials initially expected up to 20,000 and said Tebow's appearance on Easter Sunday was coincidental. Church spokeswoman Tara Wall said it was Tebow who reached out to Champion with a request to appear and Sunday was the best date available.

Mike Benaglio and his wife, Debbie, sat on a blanket.
"I'm a fan of any pro athlete who stands up for his faith," he said. "We're thrilled to be part of this. It's not about football. Whatever gets more people over to the cross, I'm in favor of."

Another Man In Israel Charged With Harassment After Spitting On A Woman

Jerusalem resident Ze'ev Frank, 29, accused of spitting on woman in Mea Shearim, calling her 'slut'. According to indictment, in previous incident he called policeman 'Nazi' 

The Jerusalem District Prosecutor's Office on Sunday filed sexual harassment charges with the city's Magistrate's Court against Ze'ev Frank, a 29-year-old ultra-Orthodox man.

The indictment comes two weeks after a precedent decision to file the same charges against Shlomo Fuchs, another haredi Jerusalem resident. Frank is accused of calling a woman a "slut" and spitting on her in the Mea Shearim neighborhood.  

According to the indictment, the woman was walking on the street last Thursday at around 8:30 pm. Frank, who was unhappy with the way she dressed, approached her with threatening body gestures and called her a "slut". He then allegedly spat on her and ordered her to "get out of here"

Three policemen who were in the area emerged from an unmarked police car and arrested him. They were attacked by many haredim who demanded that Frank be arrested. 

The indictment also claims that Frank began physically resisting his arrest, while kicking two of the policemen. As he was placed inside the car, the haredim encircled the policemen and began throwing stones and iron rods at the car. They also tried to remove its doors.

   
One of the policemen was injured in the commotion, and the car's rear windshield was smashed. Frank is accused of sexually harassing and assaulting the woman, as well as assaulting a policeman under aggravating circumstances. 


The indictment mentions another incident from March 2011, when Frank entered a store in Mea Shearim and shouted at a woman and her daughter.

In response, the store manager forcibly removed Frank from the shop. Frank returned to place several minutes later with his friends, who tried to stop people from entering the store and shouted at the workers and customers, "Why are you shopping in a store with immodest people?" In this case Frank is accused of wrongful behavior in a public place.
According to another clause in the indictment, about four months ago Frank said to a police officer, "Nazi, get out of here. You have no business being here." In this case he is accused of insulting a public officer.
The Jerusalem District Prosecutor's Office asked the court to keep Frank in custody until the completion of the legal proceedings, saying that there was reason to suspect that his release would put the public in danger.


Frank's lawyer, Attorney Yair Nehorai, said in response to the indictment: "The State's use of the sexual harassment clause does not match the goal of the law and the broad interpretation given to it by prosecution elements.

"On Friday we presented the court with a tape raising doubts in regards to the suspicions directed at Mr. Frank."

A trend is forming among "religious" men to spit whenever they view females not wearing proper attire. How vile! And those who behave in such a manner demand to be treated as the moral police, not as the criminals they are.

Rioting ,when police are doing their job, in such a way as to cause bodily harm or even death is unconscionable.

The  assaults  against an 8 year old little girl and woman are making headlines around the world.

Religious extremism can be found here as well. Reasonable people know that no good can come from it.

I JUST DON'T GET IT...Israel, give all involved in this melee the stiffest penalty allowed.  And lets us hope this craziness does not escalate to someone dying.