'Found out my roommate is gay': S3X film student 'was outed on Twitter just weeks before he killed himself'
- Calls for students to be charged with hate crimes
- Emails reveal teenager's private torture
- University friends charged with invasion of privacy
- Police find body near George Washington Bridge
The student who killed himself after being secretly filmed having S3X was outed on Twitter by his roommate just four weeks before his death, it was claimed today.
Tyler Clementi, 18, is thought to have jumped to his death from a bridge after discovering his sexual encounter with another man had been streamed live to other students by a roommate at Rutgers University in New Jersey.
Police have charged two students with cyber-voyeurism and yesterday confirmed a body found near George Washington Bridge is that of the student.
Today it was claimed that his roommate, Dharun Ravi, 18, revealed Mr Clementi's sexuality on his Twitter account on August 22, a month before the teenager killed himself.
According to Forbes.com, the tweet simply said: 'Found out my roomate is gay'.
Student: Tyler Clementi (pictured) is thought to have committed suicide after discovering his sexual encounter had been streamed online
Clementi added a link to a posting on a gay website that he appeared to believe was from his roomate, Tyler Clementi.
It was the same website where Clementi, 18, is believed to have made a desperate cry for help after discovering Ravi had streamed his sexual encounter live to other students - twice.
Clementi posted to the forum on September 22, just hours before throwing himself off the George Washington Bridge.
He and Ravi had only known each other a few weeks, police have said.
Ravi and another student have been charged with cyber-voyeurism but there are now calls for them to face a more serious charge of hate crimes.
If the state of New Jersey does not charge them with hate crimes it is possible - though unlikely - that the federal government could step in with a similar charge.
The messages on the gay chat forum - written by someone calling themselves 'cit2mo' - describe his anger at being filmed by his college roommate.
He also expressed his frustration at people who expressed sympathy with his roommate for having to share with a gay man.
He wrote: 'People have commented on his profile with things like 'how did you manage to go back in there? are you okay?' and the fact that people he was with saw my making out with a guy as the scandal, whereas I mean come on... he was SPYING ON ME... do they see nothing wrong with this?'
Charges: Dharun Ravi (left) and Molly Wei (right) have been charged with two counts each of invasion of privacy.
The emails, revealed yesterday by Gawker.com, show that the teenager posted to a chat forum on the morning of his death on September 22, warning that he had written to his dorm's resident advisor about the incident.
Mr Clementi was said to be distraught before plunging from the George Washington Bridge into the Hudson River in New York. He left a post on his Facebook page saying 'jumping off the gw bridge sorry'.
Ravi has been charged with cyber-voyeurism along with Molly Wei, 18. They are alleged to have hidden a camera inside Clemente's bedroom and streamed his S3X session live over the internet.
Musician: Mr Clementi performing with the Ridgewood High School Orchestra at a charity dinner last year
The pair were charged with two counts each of invasion of privacy.
The incident took place at Rutgers University in New Jersey, less than a month into the start of the new term.
An investigation began after another student alerted the campus police that the camera had been placed in the student's dorm room without permission.
The S3X session was broadcast on September 19. A second broadcast was made two days later.
Soon after Mr Ravi is alleged to have axed his Twitter account where he made a cryptic September 22 reference to his roommate asking to have their room to himself.
Three days before Mr Clementi's alleged suicide, Mr Ravi posted on his Twitter account saying he had secretly filmed the 18-year-old.
'Roommate 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,' he wrote.
Two days later he posted another entry directing his 150 Twitter followers to iChat, an internet messaging service which carries 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,' he wrote on September 21.
In a statement, Rutgers University spokeswoman Sandy Lanman said the school 'takes these matters seriously and has policies to deal with student behavior'.
Police say Clemente jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge which connects New Jersey and New York city.
Dharun Ravi's now deleted Twitter feed featuring posts relating to the incident
They found his car parked on the bridge with his mobile phone and computer on the front seat. He is said to have posted the message on Facebook after installing an application on the phone which allowed him to send messages from the device.
Police said last night that a body had been pulled from waters near the bridge, but it had not been positively identified.
Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan said the privacy charges carry a prison term of up to five years.
On campus and off, Clementi's death sparked both outrage and sympathy.
More than 100 people attended a campus rally last night, with some lying on the ground and chanting, 'If my dorm's not safe, Rutgers isn't safe'.
The incident took place at Rutgers University in New Jersey, less than a month into the start of the new term
A family statement said: 'Tyler was a fine young man, and a distinguished musician. The family is heartbroken beyond words.
'They respectfully request that they be given time to grieve their great loss and that their privacy at this painful time be respected by all.'
One friend described him a shy, gifted musician who kept to himself.
He told the New York Post: 'He was quiet, very polite and a wonderful violinist. I didn't know anything about his personal life. He was very reserved. He was very well-regarded.
'This is terribly sad. I can't imagine how devastated his family is.'
Lauren Felton, a 21-year-old student from Warren, said: 'Had he been in bed with a woman, this would not have happened.
'He wouldn't have been outed via an online broadcast and his privacy would have been respected and he might still have his life.'
A Facebook group, In Honour of Tyler Clementi, was quickly set up and by last night had drawn nearly 3,000 people, many of whom posted remembrances of Clementi or expressions of shock over the death.
Samantha Hoffer posted: 'You will never be forgotten Tyler. I am so glad to have known such an amazing and talented person in my life. Rest in peace.'
Georges Richa, a Rutgers freshman from New Brunswick, said he had met Clementi but added: 'I wish I could have been more of an ally.'
