Legal Debate Swirls Over Charges in a Student’s Suicide

[defendandprotect]

Legal Debate Swirls Over Charges in a Student’s Suicide

By WINNIE HU
Published: October 1, 2010

EXCERPT ONLY --

On Sept. 21, the authorities said, Mr. Ravi tried to stream more video and invited friends to watch. But Mr. Clementi apparently discovered the camera and complained to school officials. The next day, he jumped from the George Washington Bridge.

“It is crystal clear that the motive was to intimidate and harass that young man based on his sexual orientation, whether actual or perceived,” said Steven Goldstein, chairman of Garden State Equality, a gay rights group.

Malcolm Lazin, a former federal prosecutor who is executive director of Equality Forum, a national gay rights advocacy group, called on prosecutors to charge the two students with reckless manslaughter. “Clearly, what they did was premeditated,” Mr. Lazin said. “This was not a visceral response. This was something that was well thought out, executed and then put on the worldwide Internet.”


http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/02/nyregion/02suicide.html?src=mv&ref=nyregion


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IMO, this should move as a "hate" crime -- and even if it only adds 3 months to their sentences,

that should be so.

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. It's definitely a hate crime.

Everyone has a roommate story, but they rarely reach this level. There has to be a line drawn and I think this guy crossed.

[TexasObserver]

2. recommend