SECOND ACT

Dharun Ravi Appeals Conviction In Tyler Clementi Case

Former Rutgers student Dharun Ravi—who was convicted in March of tampering with evidence, invasion of privacy and bias intimidation in connection with his secretly taping his roommate, Tyler Clementi—has appealed the court’s ruling this week.

In court papers filed Tuesday, Ravi’s lawyers claim the invasion of privacy charge was not legitimate because the webcam footage he broadcasted didn’t show nudity or actual sexual activity.

Lawyers Steven Altman and Philip Nettl claim their client was unfairly blamed for Clementi’s suicide. Refuting the bias charge, they wrote that “to criminalize a defendant for a victim’s mistaken belief about the defendant’s motive would turn the bias-intimidation statute into a mockery of itself.” Altman and Nettle are asking for either a new trial or an acquittal.

Ravi’s sentencing hearing is May 21, when he could face 10 years in prison and/or deportation.

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