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Tyler Clementi's Parents Urge Prosecution, But Also Leniency

by Abby Seiff on March 23, 2011 at 01:50 PM

tyler clementiThe parents of Tyler Clementi -- the 18-year-old Rutgers student who committed suicide last year after his classmates secretly recorded and streamed video of him having sex -- said yesterday that they want his former roommate Dharun Ravi's invasion of privacy case prosecuted, though they do not want him to receive "harsh punishment."

His parents hope that the invasion of privacy charges will underscore the seriousness of the crime. Their lawyer said yesterday: "We feel it is important to establish accountability and to further establish that Tyler was subject to criminal acts, not merely a college prank as some may argue."

In November, New Jersey passed an anti-bullying bill of rights intended to combat what many consider to be a growing problem. The legislation, coupled with the charges, may certainly send a stern warning to would-be bullies. While the investigation is still ongoing, NJ.com points out that invasion-of-privacy crimes can carry sentences ranging from probation to five years in prison. Whether or not the parents' call for leniency will have an impact is yet to be seen.

Tags: bullying, CyberBullying, DharunRavi, education, law, NewJersey, news, politics, school, students, teens, top, TylerClementi, Web

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