PRINCETON AREA: Dahrun Ravi trial is now into its third week

By Staff report
   The case against Plainsboro resident Dharun Ravi continued into the third week this week after the man in the room with Mr. Ravi’s roommate, Tyler Clementi, took the stand in recent days in the cyberbullying and online spying case that has captured the nation’s attention.
   That man has only been identified as M.B. and his image has not been shown on any coverage of the trial.
   According to testimony from inside the courtroom, Mr. Clementi and M.B. met online and had three dates; their first in-person meeting was just days before the spying.
   M.B. also testified the pair had a good relationship, often texting and messaging each other. Reports are that the pair had sexual encounters in Mr. Clementi and Mr. Ravi’s room on Sept. 16, 19 and 21, 2010. The first webcam incident took place on Sept. 19; on Tuesday, Sept. 21, Mr. Ravi attempted to invade Mr. Clementi’s privacy again with the webcam, according to the prosecution.
   Mr. Clementi committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge Sept. 22, 2010. It was not until then M.B. learned the last name of the man he had met online and with whom he had begun a relationship.
   The judge has ordered that M.B. not be photographed or recorded because he is a victim in the case. His testimony was the first time he has spoken publicly about his relationship with Mr. Clementi or what happened.
   On Monday, Michelle Huang, a friend of Mr. Ravi, testified a viewing party was going to take place to watch an additional encounter Mr. Clementi had with a man.
   Last week Raahi Grover, Mr. Clementi’s resident assistant in Rutgers’ Davidson Hall September 2010, gave testimony about a roommate switch that Mr. Clementi requested. In emails to Mr. Grover, Mr. Clementi wrote that he felt his privacy had been violated and he was uncomfortable sharing a room with someone who would take such actions. Mr. Celmenti also asked for some sort of punishment for Mr. Ravi’s actions.
   Last week, Mr. Ravi’s friends testified that he used their computers to access his webcam and check the angles of the camera. Campus police also testified they tried to locate Mr. Clementi.
   Although not charged with Mr. Clementi’s death, Mr. Ravi is facing 15 criminal counts that include invasion of privacy and tampering with witnesses and evidence. He is also being charged with bias intimidation, which is under the hate crime statute and if found guilty in the first degree, can carry up to a 20-year prison sentence.