UPDATE:

Dharun Ravi found guilty in Rutgers webcam spying trial

NEW BRUNSWICK — The jury has reached a verdict on the 15 counts facing Dharun Ravi, a former Rutgers student on trial for spying on his gay roommate.

After 12 hours of deliberating over two-and-a-half days, the jury of 12 members and three alternates will return to the courtroom to deliver their decision shortly.

As of moments ago, the judge was giving last-minute instructions in a standing-room-only courtroom inside the Middlesex County Courthouse.

The Ravi family is sitting in the front row behind the defense attorneys.

Dharun Ravi is smiling nervously as he sits in the courtroom waiting for the jury to enter the jury box. His lawyer put his arm around him.

The jury is now being seated.

Ravi is charged with four counts of bias intimidation as a hate crime, two counts of invasion of privacy, two counts of attempted invasion of privacy and six counts of witness tampering and hindering apprehension.

The charges stem from a series of events on Sept. 19 and Sept. 21, 2010, when prosecutors say Ravi turned on his webcam from a friend's laptop and watched his roommate, Tyler Clementi, kissing a man in their dorm room. Ravi tweeted what he had seen and on a second occasion a few days later, invited others to watch via twitter.

Prosecutors say Ravi's actions speak to his bias against gays and hatred of his roommate.

Ravi's lawyer has said Ravi acted childish because he was taken aback by what he had seen on his webcam, but showed no prejudice or hatred against gays.

His lawyer says he disconnected his webcam two days later, but the prosecutor has said that would be impossible because Ravi wasn't in the dormitory.

The trial stretched over 13 days including opening and closing statements, with more than 30 witnesses and 100 pieces of evidence.

The trial has attracted national attention because Clementi committed suicide a few days after the alleged spying occurred, sparking debate on bullying of gay youths.

The Clementi family is seated in the front row of the courtroom behind prosecutors, and Ravi's parents and other family members and supporters are seated in two rows on the opposite side.

Throughout jury deliberations, the Clementi family gathered down a hallway on one side of the courtroom. The Ravi family and his lawyers sat on the hall on the other side of the courtroom.

The verdict watch has attracted a heavy media presence, with several television cameras and reporters from national media outlets.

There will be a press conference following the verdict announcement with whichever family and lawyers wish to talk to the media.