exp EB Front Lines Ravi_00002001
Dharun Ravi: I accept responsibility
01:56 - Source: CNN

Story highlights

NEW: Ravi's court appearance formalized his decision to head to jail Thursday

NEW: He waived his right not to serve jail time twice for the same crime, as prosecutors appeal

NEW: Attorney said Ravi intends to begin community service after he serves his sentence

NEW: The former Rutgers student is expected to start paying his fines in August

CNN  — 

Dharun Ravi, the former Rutgers University student convicted of bias intimidation, appeared in court Wednesday, one day after he apologized for spying on his roommate with a webcam.

“I accept responsibility for and regret my thoughtless, insensitive, immature, stupid and childish choices that I made on September 19, 2010, and September 21, 2010,” Ravi said in a written statement.

Ravi’s court appearance Wednesday formalized his decision to head to jail, waiving his right not to serve jail time twice for the same crime, as prosecutors appeal his sentence.

New Jersey prosecutors argue that Ravi’s crimes warranted more than a 30-day jail term and called Superior Judge Glenn Berman’s sentence “insufficient under the sentencing laws of this state.”

CNN Senior Legal Analyst Jeffrey Toobin said there is “very little chance” the sentence will be overturned on appeal. He noted that under New Jersey law, the judge had the flexibility to sentence Ravi to anything from zero to 10 years in prison.

Ravi was handed a 30-day jail sentence, three years of probation and must complete 300 hours of community service aimed at assisting victims of bias crimes. He also must pay more than $11,000 in restitution.

“I decided to accept and hopefully complete the sentence as soon as possible. It’s the only way I can go on with my life,” Ravi said in his statement. His attorney said he intends to begin community service after he serves his sentence and will start paying his fines in August.

Ravi’s roommate, Tyler Clementi, 18, killed himself by jumping off New York’s George Washington Bridge into the Hudson River after learning Ravi had secretly recorded his intimate encounter with another man.