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.
VERDICT in the Ari Goldstein sexual assault case:
Guilty of attempted sexual assault, indecent assault involving a Temple alumna.
Not guilty of sexual assault assault and indecent assault involving a Temple student— Matt Petrillo (@MattPetrillo) February 18, 2020
Jurors brought down the split verdict Tuesday afternoon after two days of deliberations.
Tempers flared inside and outside the courtroom following the verdict.
The prosecutor hopes this case sends a message to universities: https://t.co/2N34dpu7NW pic.twitter.com/7Fudcst7Y0
— Matt Petrillo (@MattPetrillo) February 18, 2020
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.
Ari Goldstein’s attorney says he plans to appeal the ruling. He argues the two cases should have been tried separately @CBSPhilly https://t.co/EBazthKRn9 pic.twitter.com/K4rMVpye7d
— Matt Petrillo (@MattPetrillo) February 18, 2020
“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.
Prosecutors also asked the judge to order Goldstein to go directly to jail until sentencing May 4th. A judge granted that request. https://t.co/QFHcBEUs9A
— Matt Petrillo (@MattPetrillo) February 18, 2020
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.
