By Megan DeMarco and Ted Sherman/The Star-Ledger

NEW BRUNSWICK — In a tense and emotional court hearing lasting more than four hours, Dharun Ravi was sentenced today to a 30-day term in the county jail for intimidation and invading the privacy of his roommate, who later committed suicide.

The 20-year-old former Rutgers University freshman was facing as much as 10 years in state prison.

The sentencing brought an unexpected and surprising end to the high-profile case that put a national spotlight on cyber bullying, and immediately led to a promise by prosecutors to appeal the decision.

Ravi, now 20, used a remote webcam from the dorm room he shared with Tyler Clementi to spy on him in an intimate encounter with another man in September 2010. Days later, Clementi, 18, jumped off the George Washington Bridge.

Ravi was not charged in Clementi’s death.

The court proceedings in New Brunswick were by turns filled with sadness, grief and anger, as the families of both Clementi and Ravi addressed the judge to talk of their loss.

Superior Court Judge Glenn Berman, before imposing sentence, sternly addressed Ravi after the young man from Plainsboro unexpectedly chose not to address the court.

“I heard this jury say guilty 288 times, and I haven’t heard you apologize once,” said Berman.

Still, he found that Ravi acted not out of hate, but of “colossal insensitivity.”

“This individual was not convicted of a hate crime. He was convicted of a bias crime and there's a difference. I do not believe he hated Tyler Clementi. He had no reason to. But I do believe that he acted out of colossal insensitivity,” said the judge during the televised hearing.

The judge imposed a sentence of 30 days, along with three years probation. Ravi was also given 300 hours of community service and told to contribute $10,000 to a state licensed community based organization dedicated to assisting victims of bias crimes.

Berman said he would recommend that Ravi, who has lived in this country most of his life, not be deported to his native India.

Before the judge sentenced Ravi, the mother of Tyler Clementi lashed out at her son’s roommate in a prepared statement, calling Ravi’s actions “evil and malicious.”

“What I want is justice,” declared Jane Clementi before the packed courtroom. “The court needs to show … this was not right and it was not acceptable behavior and it will not be tolerated.”

Breaking down and crying, Ravi’s mother, Sabitha Ravi, said Ravi has been “broken into pieces” for the past 20 months.

“The media was ripping him apart with their misleading facts and wrongful statements of the prominent people, he was absolutely devastated and broken into pieces,” she said, as her son sitting next to her crying.

She said her son is “kind-hearted and loving” and “doesn’t have any hatred in his heart towards anybody.”

She said his younger brother, 10, “adores” Dharun and doesn’t understand what is happening. His only comfort is his younger brother and their dog, Lance.

“It breaks my heart,” she said.

“Dharun’s dreams are shattered and he has been living in hell for the past 20 months. As a mother, I feel Dharun has really suffered enough,” she said.

After she finished her statement, she hugged Ravi, who hugged her back, both of them crying. Then she sat down next to her husband and sobbed.

Steve Altman, Dharun Ravi’s lawyer, said Ravi has been “demonized” during the trial.

“He’s being demonized by the gay community,” Altman said. “They’re associating and connecting whatever he did with the death of Tyler."

Altman said he has tried to keep the trial in perspective, and remembered the first time he met Ravi, and realized he was talking to an 18-year-old college student.

“We know it’s not the truth and we can’t get anybody to listen to what the truth is and everything’s just taking off like a rocket ship."

But First Assistant Prosecutor Julia McClure had asked the judge to impose a custodial sentence. She said the trial was conducted fairly and publicly.

nj.com-phone-app-pic3.jpg

STAY CONNECTED 24/7

Download our

free NJ.com mobile app

to keep up with the latest New Jersey news, sports, entertainment and more.

“He received a fair trial and anyone who says otherwise is just absolutely wrong,” she said. “Incarceration of this defendant is the proper, appropriate punishment and sentence.”

McClure said the conviction represents “multiple and diverse acts of criminal conduct. This is not a single, aberrant behavior of this defendant.”

Ravi, who stared wide-eyed at the judge while Berman sentenced him, had no reaction. Ravi's father, Ravi Pazhani, smiled said he was happy with the sentence when asked by a reporter.

Ravi must begin serving the 30-day jail term, beginning on May 31.

McClure said she will appeal.

Statements from Clementi family, Ravi family and M.B.

• Victim impact statement from Jane Clementi

• Victim impact statement from Joseph J. Clementi

• Victim impact statement from James Clementi

• Victim impact statement from M.B.

• Statement from Sabitha Ravi

• Statement from Ravi Pazhani

Related coverage:

• Dharun Ravi sentencing, count by count

• Live blog: Dharun Ravi sentencing for bias intimidation, invasion of privacy

• Dharun Ravi sentencing: Tyler Clementi's mother calls Ravi's actions 'evil and malicious'

• Dharun Ravi sentencing: Clementi visitor M.B.'s victim impact statement