NEW BRUNSWICK — Former Rutgers University student Dharun Ravi was found guilty today of a hate crime, evidence tampering and invasion of privacy, for secretly using a webcam to spy on his roommate's liaison with another man in their dorm room.

In the high-profile case that sparked awareness of cyber-bullying and harassment of gay teenagers, Ravi, 20, was convicted on parts of all 15 counts against him — including four bias intimidation counts — involving his former roommate, Tyler Clementi, an 18-year-old freshman. However, the jury had some difficulty with portions of the bias counts, giving a split verdict on some of the specific acts in which he was charged.

The jury found Ravi not guilty of all bias counts pertaining to the man Clementi was seen with during the webcam spying.

Sitting passively at the defense table, his parents seated in the first row behind him in the standing-room-only courtroom, Ravi showed little emotion as the verdict was read by the forewoman. The 15-member jury, including three alternates, reached its verdict shortly before noon, following two and a half days of deliberation.

"We had a 20-year-old's life in our hands," said juror Bruno Ferreira. "We were deciding his fate."

Sentencing has been tentatively set for May 21. Ravi also faces the possibility of deportation to his native India. Prosecutors declined to change the status on Ravi's $25,000 bail. He already surrendered his passport.

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Clementi committed suicide a few days after learning Ravi had watched him on a webcam set up in the dorm room the two young men shared. Ravi was never charged in connection with Clementi's death, in the closely-watched case that attracted national media attention.

The Clementi family, who was present throughout the proceedings, afterward expressed their thanks to prosecutors and the judge in the case but said the trial was difficult for the family.

“The trial was painful for us, as it would be for any parents. We wanted to be here for our son and we believe the trial is important," said Tyler’s father, Joe Clementi. “We have come to understand that criminal law is only one way of addressing these problems."

Noting the establishment of the Tyler Clementi Foundation in his son’s memory, Clementi said, “You can make the world a better place. The change you want to see in the world begins with you."

Following the verdict, Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan said the investigation had been uniquely challenging because “we didn’t have Tyler to testify.”

He added that identifying and analyzing all of the social media was another challenge of prosecuting.

Kaplan said the prosecution went to "extraordinary efforts" to protect the identity of the man Clementi was kissing when Ravi saw them, who testified during the trial. Named only as “M.B.” in court proceedings and documents, his identity was protected because he was considered a sex crime victim in the case.

After the prosecution rested last Thursday, the defense called seven witnesses in quick succession, all friends and co-workers of Ravi's father who said they had never heard him say anything negative about gay people, though they had never actually discussed the topic with him.

Throughout the trial, Altman maintained that Ravi only looked at the webcam to see what was going on in his room because he was put off by M.B.'s scruffy appearance. Ravi told police in a statement that M.B. didn't acknowledge him, appeared much older than a college student, and he got a "bad vibe" from him.

On the evidence charges, prosecutors said Ravi deleted dozens of relevant text messages and tweets, and tried to influence what Wei told police.

Clementi, who leaped to his death from the George Washington Bridge, came after a series of suicides of other young teenagers around the country who were bullied because they were gay or perceived to be gay.

The trial lasted nearly four weeks.

Star-Ledger staff writers Jessica Calefati, Sue Epstein, Peggy McGlone and Ted Sherman contributed to this report.

Related coverage:

• Rutgers webcam spying case: How it all began

• Juror in Dharun Ravi webcam trial speaks out

• Complete verdict breakdown: Dharun Ravi found guilty on most counts

• O'Brien: Ravi's dorm mates who did not object to webcam spying should search their hearts

• Defense scrutinizes witness' statements to police in Dharun Ravi webcam spying trial

• Di Ionno: Should Ravi take the stand in webcam trial?

• Rutgers webcam trial: Defense opens its case, insists Ravi has no gripes against gays

• Defense to call first witnesses in Ravi webcam spying trial

