Supporters of Dharun Ravi attended a rally in Trenton today, calling for
Supporters of Dharun Ravi attended a rally in Trenton today, calling for the former Rutgers student to receive no prison time for the hate crime conviction he received for using a webcam to spy on his roommate and another man kissing.
The group of about 500 people, mostly Indian Americans, chanted “Free Dharun Ravi” and “We Want Justice” on the Statehouse steps for two hours at the rally.
They carried a variety of signs including a statement former Gov. James McGreevey made that said, “Don’t make Dharun Ravi Our Anti-Gay Scapegoat.”
Ravi, 20, is scheduled to be sentenced by state Superior Court Judge Glenn Berman on Monday on the 15 charges of which he was convicted in March. They include invasion of privacy, witness tampering and bias intimidation. Ravi faces a maximum 10-year-prison sentence and possible deportation.
During the rally, Sandeep Sharma, a friend of Ravi’s father, said he and others met Monday morning with legislative aides to discuss changing the bias law of which Ravi was convicted. He referred to it as a “bad” and dangerous law.
Dharun Ravi, who did not attend the rally, has been shunned from society and has lost 30 pounds as a result, his father said.