Ex-NJ Gov. McGreevey 'Filled With Sadness' Over Tyler Clementi's Suicide

TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey governor who resigned after he announced he was a "gay American" says he's "filled with great sadness" at the suicide of a Rutgers University student.

Speaking Friday on ABC's "Good Morning America," Jim McGreevey said coming to terms with being gay is an individual journey and can be difficult for young people.

Freshman Tyler Clementi jumped to his death from the George Washington Bridge after he learned that his sexual enounter with a man had been streamed online.

Clementi's roommate and another freshman are charged with invasion of privacy, with the most serious charges carrying a penalty of up to five years in prison.

But prosecutors say more charges are possible under New Jersey's hate-crimes law.

McGreevey says technology has its own "sad travail" and more needs to be done to hold adults accountable.

Comments

[palindrom]

09:38 PM on 10/03/2010

I am reminded of an Onion headline when he resigned, and hoping for the day when it won't be quite so funny -- "Gay man tearfully admits to being governor of New Jersey".

This whole thing with Clementi is of course a travesty and a shame. That poor, poor kid. May he be the last to kill himself over who he is.

[Jdaddy1951]

09:04 PM on 10/01/2010

I hope New Jersey's hate crimes law can be used to prosecute Dhavun Ravi and Molly Wei.

[harriettubman]

07:52 PM on 10/01/2010

Yuck. That's what I think about anything McGreevy says. He lived a down low life to farther his ambitions, brought innocent wives and children into it then wants the public to accept him and his partner. Go on back into private life because you can't represent anyone publicly.

[Zeev10]

10:44 PM on 10/01/2010

Down Low is what many HAVE to do to survive in an atmosphere of hate. If this were otherwise, many who had to find a way out wouldn't have been "forced" into marriages which were lies. Because of this intolerance too many lives have been ruined.

Take a moment and look at YOUR life. Imagine if the cards were dealt to you and how you might have to deal with them . Obviously the death of this poor college kid means nothing to you. Yuck is your response. CLASSY , aren't you ?

[onionboy]

01:41 AM on 10/02/2010

I agree with everything you've said, but McGreevy is not the man to defend about morality. His true low life action was advancing his lover to high paying jobs that he was not qualified for...on taxpayer expense of course. And his entire cabinet (or whatever the term is for a governor) is a who's who of indictments. If McGreevy was out of the closet throughout his term, these actions would have been no better and would have happened nonetheless.

I sympathize with what he must have had to go through dealing with his sexuality, but I can't condone his other actions. I've heard he's been dealing with recovery and maybe he's trying to turn it around. Good for him. But it doesn't excuse his dirty political dealings that had nothing to do with his struggling with his sexuality.

[msles59130]

01:32 AM on 10/02/2010

Regardless of what you feel about McGreevy, it should have no impact on how you feel about Clementi. Don't be so heartless.

[juhar]

05:39 PM on 10/01/2010

Of all the people to talk about holding adults accountable - ex-NJ Gov. McGreevey is not someone who has anything to say on this topic. His conduct and the way he treated his second wife and child confirms that he is a man who is not accountable for his own actions.

[Arrech]

03:05 PM on 10/01/2010

He still looks good.

I wonder how's the Australian doctor partner doing.

[TheFabOne]

02:43 PM on 10/01/2010

It's a shame. He should have not jumped, but sent them to jail or at least expelled from the school.

[ramal]

01:04 PM on 10/01/2010

Aren't we all.

[Team Able]

01:15 PM on 10/01/2010

ofcourse this is saddening, especially when we start to understand that the new internet age with all this social media will somehow contribute to these actions. New Jersey Limo Service http://www.ablelimo.net