It became official around 8:40 this morning - Dharun Ravi was released from prison after serving just 20 days.  He may be out, but he is not necessarily free.

Ravi is the former Rutgers University student who was found guilty of "bias intimidation" and "invasion of privacy" (to name just a few of his charges against him) that resulted in the suicide death of Tyler Clementi (Ravi's college roommate).  The 18-yr-old Clementi, who had not told his parents that he was gay, was secretly recorded by Ravi when Tyler was having an encounter of a sexual nature with another man.  Ravi later joked about the incident through texts and Tweets.

Ravi walked out of Middlesex County Jail with his lawyer by his side this morning.  Ravi, looking a bit haggard with a full beard, was granted an early release from his 30-day sentence for good behavior.  What's left for Ravi is 300 hours of community service, living on a 3-year probation, and about $11,000 worth of fines to be paid.

The Star Ledger reports that Ravi, an Indian-American who lives in Plainsboro, will not face the threat of deportation back to India (Ravi is a citizen there).  Ravi is for the most part a free man, but he still has to face the criticism that will dog him forever.

"Dharun Ravi’s walk out of jail after only 20 days is practically a Monopoly game’s 'Get Out of Jail Free' card -- a travesty of justice," Steven Goldstein, chairman and chief executive of Garden State Equality said today through a released statement.

The subject of bullying is now front and center in America because of Ravi's actions.  There will still be questions of whether or not the punishment truly fit the crime, and how this case will affect future bullying cases.  Right now both sides are appealing the ruling in this case - Ravi hoping to have the entire case overturned and be declared innocent, while against him comes the call for a much harsher punishment.

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