Reply #229: "not particularly a big deal. I know. I know. That's anathema, and it was a crime, and all that." [View All]

[bettyellen]

Sun Oct-10-10 03:52 PM
Response to Reply #160
168. I don't know about all that

First, Mr. Ravi wasn't her roommate, but somebody she knew from high school. It's likely he came to see her because he knew her, and he didn't know a lot of other people on campus, it being only the third week. I can't even tell, from the available articles, why he went to Wei's room specifically. I know I hung out with some high school friends when I first got to college because I was in a new environment and didn't know a lot of people. I also know that for some of them, I never really hung out with them again after first semester. Was she an active co-plotter, or just the person Ravi randomly visited? I don't know, and neither do other posters, AFAIK.

Second, and I think this is the part that's hardest to grok for people, or to think through independently of the suicide, it's entirely possible that the whole thing was viewed, and could be viewed, as not particularly a big deal. I know. I know. That's anathema, and it was a crime, and all that. I'd just suggest that many, many college students might react in a non-interventionist way in the same situation, and might even view the "secret web cam" streaming as mostly a harmless prank. I know. I know. We can't say that. It was cruel and hateful bullying. Yes, I get it.

But I could easily envision a scenario wherein Ravi asks to use Wei's laptop to see the stream he set up. He shows it to her, and she shrugs her shoulders. Whatevs. And I don't really see any information that would dispute such a scenario. And I think it drastically modifies culpability on her part.

I doubt she'll get any prison time. Probably plead to some lesser charge for probation.