Former Temple University Fraternity President Ari Goldstein Found Guilty Of Attempted Sexual Assault
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A split verdict was reached in the sexual assault trial of former Temple University fraternity president Ari Goldstein. Goldstein was found guilty of attempted sexual assault and indecent assault involving a Temple alumna, but found not guilty of sexual assault and indecent assault involving a Temple student.
Jurors brought down the split verdict Tuesday afternoon after two days of deliberations.
Tempers flared inside and outside the courtroom following the verdict.
Prosecutors hope the case sends a message.
"At the end of the day, no still means no," Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Zach Wynkoop said.
Wynkoop called the attempted sexual assault conviction of Goldstein a win for survivors.
"Going to a fraternity party should not be a dangerous situation," Wynkoop said. "Going dancing with friends should not be a dangerous situation."
The attempted assault happened at Alpha Epsilon Pi's fraternity house at Broad and Norris Streets by Temple University in February 2018.
The survivor, a Temple student at the time, testified she was in Goldstein's bedroom expecting to smoke marijuana with him when Goldstein tried forcing her to perform oral sex on him.
She managed to escape.
But while Goldstein was found guilty of that crime, he was found not guilty of sexually assaulting another student from November 2017 in what the victim said started as consensual sex that then turned aggressive.
Perry de Marco, Goldstein's defense attorney, is planning to appeal the decision.
"The second case is the case I had other evidence that I couldn't show," de Marco said. "Had I shown it I would have won."
Right after the verdict, prosecutors asked the judge to immediately send Goldstein to jail until sentencing on May 4.
The judge agreed to the request. As Goldstein was lead away in handcuffs, he told his parents he will be OK.
A Temple University spokesperson said, "We are not commenting on this case. However, we would like to encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim of sexual misconduct to come forward and file a report with the University's Title IX coordinator, Tuttleman Counseling Services, or Campus Police. More information about reporting options can be found at Temple's Sexual Misconduct Resources site."
Alpha Epsilon Pi is closed and the fraternity is no longer a recognized campus organization.
