Former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi texted friends about spying on roommate Tyler Clementi's hookup via a webcam and said, "Keep the gays away" , according to testimony revealed in court today reports the NY Daily News.
Dharun Ravi, who is on trial for bias intimidation, was gossiping with pal Michelle Huang about his webcam peeping when he made the comment. "Did you really see him make out with some guy lmao?" Huang asked in a Sept. 21, 2010, text.
"He was older and creepy and def from the internet," Ravi replied. "That's so nastyyy," Huang responded. "Ew watch out he might come for you when you're sleeping."
Ravi went on to say that he set the webcam to check his bed in the Rutgers University room he shared with Clementi. "I got so creeped out after Sunday," he wrote. "Keep the gays away."
And:
The text could bolster the prosecution contention that anti-gay sentiment spurred Ravi to spy on Clementi — who committed suicide a few days after learning his intimate moments were being watched.
In the texts, Ravi also says a “viewing party” — replete with Bacardi and beer — had been organized for Clementi’s second date with the man, scheduled for later that night. The webcam didn’t turn on the second time. "It got messed up and didn’t work lol," Ravi texted Huang the afternoon of Sept. 22.
Later that night, the 18-year-old Clementi jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge after learning that he had been spied upon.
Dharun Ravi faces up to ten years and 15 criminal counts—including invasion of privacy, bias intimidation, witness tampering, hindering arrest and hate crime charges. Ravi has not been charged in Clementi's death.
Clementi’s date testified on Friday that he noticed the webcam during their tryst. The 32-year-old man,identified only by his initials "M.B.", was described as "slim" and "attractive."
Former Rutgers University student Molly Wei testified last week that Ravi was "freaking out" when he spied on his roommate kissing another man in their Rutgers dorm room via a webcam. Ravi was in Wei's room across the hall and activated the webcam using Skype from Wei's computer.
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"keep the gays away" is cold cut proof of him being a homophobe. How this young man can be found innocent after this is beyond belief.
Posted by: Larry | 05 March 2012 at 18:30
yeaaaah umm closet case..... really, who does this??? the more i see of this case the more i am absolutely disgusted. this dude has caused so much pain he should be put away to think about that for awhile...
Posted by: Ken | 05 March 2012 at 23:00