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| Apology rejected as Dharun Ravi sta |
| Apology rejected as Dharun Ravi starts jail
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| UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
, 2-June-2012
5:37:6 AM |
| After weeks of obstinate silence, Dharun Ravi finally spoke the words his detractors were waiting to hear - that he regrets his "thoughtless, insensitive, immature, stupid and childish choices."
In a statement, Mr Ravi wrote "My behaviour and actions, which at no time were motivated by hate, bigotry, prejudice or desire to hurt, humiliate or embarrass anyone, were nonetheless the wrong choices and decisions. I apologise to everyone affected by those choices."
Dharun Ravi spied on his roommate, 18-year-old Tyler Clementi, while he was having an intimate moment with an older man in their dorm room. He then joked about the incident in emails and on Twitter and implied that he would spy on Tyler again. 24 hours later Clementi committed suicide, by jumping off the George Washington Bridge outside New York City.
He was criticised in blogs, emails and editorials but even at his sentencing on May 21, 2012, as he stood before the judge potentially facing 10 years behind bars, Dharun Ravi kept a studied silence.
He earned the wrath of the Superior Court Judge Glenn Berman who scolded him in open court saying, "I heard this jury say 'guilty' 288 times and I haven't heard you apologise once."
Still, he was sentenced to only 30 days in prison along with a fine, probation and community service.
The American legal system is often criticised for having de-humanised society, turning a range of human relationships: parent-child, husband-wife, doctor-patient, into contractual obligations. Yet, surprisingly enough, as we saw this week, American lawyers and judges also have hearts and emotions, and what the entire Ravi trial called for, more than anything else, was a human touch.
While many were appalled at the slap-on-the-wrist sentence, the judge explained the thought behind his leniency. Dharun's behaviour was despicable but putting him behind bars with hardened criminals murderers and rapists would not serve the interest of justice.
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