Judge Defends Sentence Imposed on Dharun Ravi NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. - A judge on Wednesday offered a spirited defense of the sentence he imposed on Dharun Ravi, the former Rutgers University student convicted of using a webcam to spy on his roommate having sex with another man. Mr. Ravi was convicted in March of all 15 charges against him, and sentenced last week to 30 days in jail, 300 hours of community service, three years" probation and $10,000 to be paid to a fund that helps victims of bias crimes. His roommate, Tyler Clementi, jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge in September 2010, a few days after discovering Mr. Ravi's Twitter messages announcing that he had seen his roommate "making out with a dude" and encouraging others to watch. No matter how "unconscionable" Mr. Ravi's conduct, Judge Glenn Berman said in a court hearing Wednesday, "I can't find it in me to remand him to state prison that houses people convicted of offenses such as murder, armed robbery and rape. I don't believe that that fits this case. I believe that he has to be punished, and he will be. Mr. Ravi's sentencing, like the crime itself, had prompted national attention, and divided many gay rights advocates, with some arguing that 30 days was little more than a slap on the wrist, and others arguing that his conduct, while despicable, did not merit the same punishment as the kind of violent or threatening behavior typically associated with bias crimes. Prosecutors had been visibly angry when Judge Berman declared the sentence last week, and almost immediately appealed it, arguing that the convictions demanded more time behind bars. But their memo before sentencing had not indicated how much time they wanted Mr. Ravi to serve, only that they did not believe he had to serve the maximum sentence of 10 years that was attached to the most serious charges, of bias intimidation. On Wednesday, the lead prosecutor elaborated on that, telling Judge Berman that she thought a five-year sentence would have been appropriate. The statutes governing bias crimes recommend 5 to 10 years in prison, but the presumption is of a seven-year sentence, and the law allows judges to depart from those guidelines if there are mitigating factors or if they believe a heavier sentence would be an injustice. Mr. Ravi appeared in court to tell the judge that he would report to begin serving his sentence Thursday. That sentence has been on hold pending the appeal from the prosecution, and one from the defense, which has argued that it was denied evidence, including a suicide note, that could have helped Mr. Ravi at his trial. While Mr. Ravi was not charged with causing Mr. Clementi's suicide, many defenders argued that he was essentially - and unfairly - convicted of it. Judge Berman received more than 100 letters and e-mails before sentencing, most of them arguing against a harsh punishment for Mr. Ravi. On Wednesday, he said that his in-box continued to fill up with complaints about the sentence he imposed. He defended the sentence as the product of great consideration. "It was anything but spontaneous," he said. Judge Berman noted that the punishment was harsher in some ways than what was recommended in a report by the corrections official who did the presentencing interview with Mr. Ravi. That report recommended against any incarceration or fine. It also recommended more extensive community service, and that Mr. Ravi tour schools to discuss his experience, and bias crimes. But the judge, who last week lambasted Mr. Ravi for not once apologizing for what he had done, said he would not be an "appropriate" spokesman against bias, given that he had barely acknowledged any wrongdoing. Mr. Ravi, 20, issued a statement late Tuesday to offer his first clear apology for his crimes, saying, "I accept responsibility for and regret my thoughtless, insensitive, immature, stupid and childish choices." While last week the judge reserved his harshest words for Mr. Ravi, on Wednesday he engaged in a tense exchange with Julia McClure, the first assistant prosecutor for Middlesex County, saying he would not comment on her appeal, but accusing her of "smirking" as he explained his reasoning for the sentencing. Ms. McClure argued there were no mitigating factors against a harsher sentence for Mr. Ravi; the judge said if that were the case, then she should be recommending the standard seven years, not five.