How would you judge this guy?

[Martinus]

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2011/05/24/roommate-of-gay-suicide-student-pleads-not-guilty-to-intimidation/

A story from several months ago - a roommate of a gay teen posts a video of him fucking a guy on youtube. The gay teen offs himself. Gays everywhere cry "murder".

I think this is excessive.

Your thoughts?

[Neil]

 

[Caliga]

Oh yeah, that happened at Rutgers.  I think the chick in the case pled guilty to some lesser charge and ended up with like community service.  Agree that this is nowhere close to an act of murder.

[Martinus]

I'm conflicted. On one hand, I want homophobes to get their comeuppance.

On the other, do we really want to advertise that "saying mean things about us" is our kryptonite. 

[Valmy]

10 years in prison?  For filming somebody?  Holy shit.

Is there some sort of precedent for that draconian a sentence for being an asshole?

[DGuller]

On the one hand, you want the scumbag to suffer.  Humiliating someone so publicly and destroying them by violating their privacy should be a serious crime. 

However, it's not, the law hasn't caught up yet to the vast potential for personal destruction over the Internet, so going after him for murder is excessive.

[Martinus]

10 years in prison?  For filming somebody?  Holy shit.

Is there some sort of precedent for that draconian a sentence for being an asshole?

Hitler was an asshole too. 

[Valmy]

Hitler was an asshole too. 

And he only got one year in prison.

[dps]

How is this any different from gay rights activists "outing" someone as gay?  The motivation might differ, but how does the effect on the outed person differ?

[Razgovory]

How do you even know he was a homophobe?

[Martinus]

How do you even know he was a homophobe?

It says so in the article.

[DGuller]

How is this any different from gay rights activists "outing" someone as gay?  The motivation might differ, but how does the effect on the outed person differ?

Gay rights activists probably don't out someone by posting videos of them having sex.

[Martinus]

How is this any different from gay rights activists "outing" someone as gay?  The motivation might differ, but how does the effect on the outed person differ?

Well, motivation is one of the key factors when we determine someone's guilt and the punishment so I don't see how it is irrelevant.

[dps]

How is this any different from gay rights activists "outing" someone as gay?  The motivation might differ, but how does the effect on the outed person differ?

Well, motivation is one of the key factors when we determine someone's guilt and the punishment so I don't see how it is irrelevant.

Did the people who posted the video intend for the guy to die?  'Cause if that was the motivation, their plan was really stupid and they were real lucky that it worked.

[Barrister]

How is this any different from gay rights activists "outing" someone as gay?  The motivation might differ, but how does the effect on the outed person differ?

Well, motivation is one of the key factors when we determine someone's guilt and the punishment so I don't see how it is irrelevant.

No, not at all.  "Motive" plays some small role in sentencing, but none at all in determining guilt.  As long as you mean to do what you are doing, it matters not one bit why you are doing it.