Students and others touched by the death of Tyler Clementi turned out for a candlelit vigil at Rutgers University last night in memory of the freshman who killed himself after fellow students streamed video of his sexual encounter with a man to the Internet.
Prosecutors said hate crime charges could be added to privacy invasion charges that Clementi’s alleged tormentors, Dharun Ravi and Molly Wei, face. One New Jersey lawmaker proposed upgrading invasion of privacy crimes to a maximum 10-year penalty.
“Regardless of the legal outcomes, our hope is that our family’s personal tragedy will serve as a call for compassion,” Tyler’s parents, Joe and Jane Clementi, said.
Clementi’s seat in the Rutgers Symphony Orchestra was left open Saturday night for their performance of Beethoven and Berlioz.
