Student in gay webcast case drops out

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Oct. 29 (UPI) -- A New Jersey college student charged with invading the privacy of a classmate who took his own life has dropped out of school, her lawyer said.

Molly Wei, 18, and a high school friend, Dharun Ravi, face criminal charges for allegedly secretly videotaping and webcasting Ravi's roommate in a homosexual encounter. Wei and Ravi, both freshmen at Rutgers University, have kept out of sight since Tyler Clementi jumped off the George Washington Bridge.

Wei's lawyer, Ruben Sinins, said she has voluntarily asked to withdraw from Rutgers "without prejudice," The Star-Ledger of Newark reported.

"She is a student in good standing, has not been convicted of anything but had concerns for her safety," he said.

Two friends told the newspaper Wei is considering applying to other schools.

"She wants to come back here, but she's studying for SATs to take them again," Sean Yan said.

The Home News Tribune has reported Ravi has also left Rutgers.

Ravi and Wei were classmates at West Windsor-Plainsboro High School in central New Jersey. Clementi was from Ridgewood in northern New Jersey.