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If proven, should the pair accused of broadcasting Tyler Clementi's sex life ...

Should the pair who broadcast Tyler Clementi's sex life be held liable?

  • Yes, they violated his privacy and drove him to suicide.

    Votes: 3 14.3%
  • No, they should receive punishment for taping him, but they didn't kill him.

    Votes: 17 81.0%
  • Other/I don't know

    Votes: 1 4.8%

  • Total voters
    21
Morally, I think there responsible for his death, but legally they are not.
 
damn near impossible to prove "intent"
 
No. They should be held liable for their use of technology. They should feel the guilt and shame of it. But the individual was neither coerced into suicide nor out of control of his own destiny. Extreme circumstances make it difficult to see through the pain and shame, but it is no one's fault but his own for defaulting on that chance to wait for the tide to subside.
 
I think there's plenty to charge them with regardless of the end result. - that's just a guess. But I am pretty sure they crossed a few legal lines.
 
If the penalties for using a video camera to record a roommate's sexual activities generally range from A-Z, I'd say they should probably get something toward the harsher side of that punishment. For what I'm assuming are first time offenders who probably can't be convicted of anything beyond invasion of privacy, I'd be surprised if there's any jail time.

In cases that get press like this, there's always a huge initial uproar where everyone demands that the perpetrators be thrown in jail for 20 years. The end result is usually something like probation and community service, if there's even a conviction at all. See United States v. Lori Drew - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 
If the penalties for using a video camera to record a roommate's sexual activities generally range from A-Z, I'd say they should probably get something toward the harsher side of that punishment. For what I'm assuming are first time offenders who probably can't be convicted of anything beyond invasion of privacy, I'd be surprised if there's any jail time.

In cases that get press like this, there's always a huge initial uproar where everyone demands that the perpetrators be thrown in jail for 20 years. The end result is usually something like probation and community service, if there's even a conviction at all. See United States v. Lori Drew - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


agreed, they can probably get them on invasion of privacy and maybe a few other minor charges related to broadcasting without the guys permission but it would be almost impossible to prove "intent" neccessary to charge them with the guy's death. It's not like they cut his brake lines or anything. Even if they did intend to embarrass him or cause him emotional distress, it would be very very hard to prove it in court without a confession.
 
agreed, they can probably get them on invasion of privacy and maybe a few other minor charges related to broadcasting without the guys permission but it would be almost impossible to prove "intent" neccessary to charge them with the guy's death. It's not like they cut his brake lines or anything. Even if they did intend to embarrass him or cause him emotional distress, it would be very very hard to prove it in court without a confession.
That would be more of a civil matter than a criminal one.

I suspect that a lawsuit will be the more successful route than a criminal prosecution.
 
If a strong enough criminal case can be made of it, then sure go for it. The civil case will probably be more of a shoe in though. None of that matters though because when the outcome of this prank, or whatever it was, finally hits these two boys that will be a worse punishment than any trial.
 
If a strong enough criminal case can be made of it, then sure go for it. The civil case will probably be more of a shoe in though. None of that matters though because when the outcome of this prank, or whatever it was, finally hits these two boys that will be a worse punishment than any trial.

It was a boy and a girl.
 
Ah, thanks. I didn't know that.

No worries, I had to look it up too. All I could remember from bar studying was that in NY, it was either a crime or it wasn't. :lol:
 
I voted yes. Apparently the only one.

I do think they are liable for driving him to suicide. That **** isn't funny. People need to think before they're douchebags. I want them punished criminally for invasion of privacy. I want them punished civilly for emotional damages.

I also think this is a good case for giving college kids single room dorms. When you're forced to live among a bunch of strangers in a place you know little about, sometimes just staying holed up in your room is the most rational, safest thing a person can do.
 
I voted yes. Apparently the only one.

I do think they are liable for driving him to suicide. That **** isn't funny. People need to think before they're douchebags. I want them punished criminally for invasion of privacy. I want them punished civilly for emotional damages.

From what I understand you have to be able to prove intent that they tried to make him commit suicide, but I don't know what other criminal charges they could use. I 100% agree with you about civil court though.

I also think this is a good case for giving college kids single room dorms. When you're forced to live among a bunch of strangers in a place you know little about, sometimes just staying holed up in your room is the most rational, safest thing a person can do.

I doubt that. It would be really expensive to have to have enough singles for every student. Plus you have to fill out questions so they can determine who you can live with. Also if you have problems with a roommate you can go to the RAs and they will find you some one else.
 
From what I understand you have to be able to prove intent that they tried to make him commit suicide, but I don't know what other criminal charges they could use. I 100% agree with you about civil court though.

Well, the wording of the question just asked if they were liable; it didn't say if it was in criminal court or civil court.

The best way to equate my opinion on this is that if this was a homicide instead of a suicide, these two should be charged with manslaughter rather than murder. I know they had no intent for him to commit suicide; however, they should know by now that webcasting someone having sex is an really bad idea and can have consequences. If they don't understand that, well, they certainly do now.

I doubt that. It would be really expensive to have to have enough singles for every student. Plus you have to fill out questions so they can determine who you can live with. Also if you have problems with a roommate you can go to the RAs and they will find you some one else.

What I would do is have 1 small bedroom, just enough for a bed against one wall and a desk against the other, that would be private and then they share a communal area, kitchen area, and bathroom area with a few other singles. That wouldn't take up that much more space.
 
Well, the wording of the question just asked if they were liable; it didn't say if it was in criminal court or civil court.

The best way to equate my opinion on this is that if this was a homicide instead of a suicide, these two should be charged with manslaughter rather than murder. I know they had no intent for him to commit suicide; however, they should know by now that webcasting someone having sex is an really bad idea and can have consequences. If they don't understand that, well, they certainly do now.

Oh Ok I understand. I agree that whatever they can be charged with they need to be. I just don't know what that would be.

What I would do is have 1 small bedroom, just enough for a bed against one wall and a desk against the other, that would be private and then they share a communal area, kitchen area, and bathroom area with a few other singles. That wouldn't take up that much more space.

We have that here. They are called StuVi I and Stuvi II. They are for Juniors and Seniors though.
 
I don't think it's possible for them to be charged with murder. Remember that one story a few years back about the grown woman pretending to be a teenaged boy on Myspace. The girl she was talking to (as the boy) committed suicide because of whatever "he" said to her. That lady, as evil as she was for what she did, didn't kill the little girl. Just as these two college kids didn't kill Tyler.

Should they be held accountable for taping him and posting it on Twitter. Absolutely. I think they should get jail time.
 
I don't think it's possible for them to be charged with murder. Remember that one story a few years back about the grown woman pretending to be a teenaged boy on Myspace. The girl she was talking to (as the boy) committed suicide because of whatever "he" said to her. That lady, as evil as she was for what she did, didn't kill the little girl. Just as these two college kids didn't kill Tyler.

Should they be held accountable for taping him and posting it on Twitter. Absolutely. I think they should get jail time.

In jail they might get a better understanding of the gay lifestyle-a bit more than they bargained for perhaps.

However, its hard to conceive that this poor boy's suicide was foreseeable and thus its gonna be hard to get a conviction meriting anything remotely resembling hard time.
 
Sadly, it's not illegal to be a prick. So no, they shouldn't be held liable for the actions Tyler took on his life.
 
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