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Ravi Not Antigay, Witnesses Say

Ravi Not Antigay, Witnesses Say

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Witnesses said Friday that Dharun Ravi, the roommate of Tyler Clementi, never expressed antigay views, but apparently the subject never came up at all.

Ravi and Clementi were roommates at Rutgers University in New Jersey, and Clementi committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington Bridge in September 2010 after finding out that Ravi used a webcam to view him in a romantic encounter with another man. Ravi is now being tried on bias intimidation, invasion of privacy, and other charges.

Whether Ravi voiced antigay sentiments "is key to the prosecution's contention that Ravi targeted his roommate ... because Clementi was gay," reports the New Jersey paper The Record. Ravi's attorneys say he used the webcam for security purposes. The prosecution rested its case Thursday, and the defense began calling witnesses Friday.

Seven friends of Ravi's family testified in Middlesex County court Friday that they never heard the young man say anything negative about gay people. But they "never had any discussions with Ravi about it either, they said when cross-examined," according to The Record.

The trial will continue Monday. Read more here.

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Trudy Ring

Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
Trudy Ring is The Advocate’s senior politics editor and copy chief. She has been a reporter and editor for daily newspapers and LGBTQ+ weeklies/monthlies, trade magazines, and reference books. She is a political junkie who thinks even the wonkiest details are fascinating, and she always loves to see political candidates who are groundbreaking in some way. She enjoys writing about other topics as well, including religion (she’s interested in what people believe and why), literature, theater, and film. Trudy is a proud “old movie weirdo” and loves the Hollywood films of the 1930s and ’40s above all others. Other interests include classic rock music (Bruce Springsteen rules!) and history. Oh, and she was a Jeopardy! contestant back in 1998 and won two games. Not up there with Amy Schneider, but Trudy still takes pride in this achievement.
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