Student kills self over sex video

A Rutgers University freshman jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge after his college roommate and another student allegedly posted video images on the Internet of him having a sexual encounter with another man, according to authorities and a lawyer for the dead man's family.

"On behalf of the family of Tyler Clementi, I can confirm that Tyler committed suicide last week by jumping from the George Washington Bridge," attorney Paul Mainardi of Woodbury said.

On Wednesday night, authorities reported recovering from the Hudson River a man's body wearing pants and a watch but with no identification.

The Associated Press reported that a law enforcement source said Clementi's driver's license and Rutgers ID were found in a wallet left on the bridge Sept. 22 after two witnesses said they saw someone jump. AP reported that the official spoke on condition of anonymity because Clementi's body had not been positively identified.

Clementi, 18, of Ridgewood in Bergen County, has been described as a gifted violinist who played with the Ridgewood Symphony Orchestra. He played second violin, according to the orchestra's website.

"Tyler was a fine young man, and a distinguished musician," Mainardi said. "The family is heartbroken beyond words."

The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office and Rutgers University police announced Tuesday that two Rutgers students had been charged with invasion of privacy in connection with the secret placing of a camera in what has been identified as Clementi's dormitory room and transmitting a sexual encounter via the Internet.

Dharun Ravi of Plainsboro, N.J., apparently self-described on Twitter as Clementi's roommate, and Molly W. Wei of Princeton, both 18, were each charged with two counts of invasion of privacy for their alleged actions involving Clementi on Sept. 19.

Ravi was also charged with two more counts of invasion of privacy for allegedly trying to view and transmit another encounter involving Clementi on Sept. 21.

Wei was released on her own recognizance after she surrendered to Rutgers police Monday. Ravi surrendered Tuesday and was released on $25,000 bail.

An investigation began after Rutgers police learned the camera had been placed in Clementi's room without his permission, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office and Rutgers police.

Ravi posted on Twitter on Sept. 19: "Room-mate asked for the room till midnight. I went into molly's room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay."

Two days later, Ravi allegedly put up another posting inviting his followers to view iChat, a messaging service with a live video feed.

"Anyone with iChat, I dare you to video chat me between the hours of 9:30 and 12. Yes it's happening again," the message said.

People who knew Clementi and appreciated his gentle nature and ever-present half-smile mourned his passing.

In February, while still in high school, Clementi played in the orchestra pit for a regional-theater production of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.

"He was a phenomenal and extremely talented musician and violinist," said Ryan Pifher, 32, artistic director of Porch Light Productions. "It's such a loss - such a tragic thing to lose someone who was just starting out at the beginning of what was going to be such a beautiful career."

Clementi's ability impressed the New York professional actors in the cast, Pifher said.

"They were supportive and proud to see him taking his playing abilities to the next level," Pifher said.

Ilya Maslov, 57, was a fellow musician with Clementi at Grace Church in Ridgewood. He remembered the pleasant young man who made such beautiful music.

"We are all so sad," Maslov said. "We all miss him."

Rutgers president Richard L. McCormick, in a statement issued Wednesday night, extended "heartfelt sympathies" to Clementi's family and he asked all members of the Rutgers community to respect others' privacy, noting that the university had that day initiated a two-year civility initiative intended to promote respect for its diverse community.

He also acknowledged that two Rutgers students had been arrested and charged with violation of privacy.

"If the charges are true, these actions gravely violate the university's standards of decency and humanity," McCormick said.

Steve Goldstein, chairman of Garden State Equality, an advocacy network for gay and lesbian rights that supports antibullying legislation, did not know Clementi, but he railed against the loss.

"We are outraged at the perpetrators. We are heartbroken over the tragic loss of a young man who, by all accounts, was brilliant, talented, and kind," Goldstein wrote in a statement. "And we are sickened that anyone in our society, such as the students allegedly responsible for making the surreptitious video, might consider destroying others' lives as a sport."

That the victim's roommate was also a freshman, he wrote, "demonstrates once again that our high schools are not doing enough to educate their students that harassment, intimidation, and bullying of other students is unacceptable in every instance."