Alleged Victims Testify In Sexual Assault Trial Of Former Temple University Fraternity President Ari Goldstein
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The sexual assault trial of the former president of a Temple University fraternity started Wednesday as two alleged victims testified at the Criminal Justice Center. Ari Goldstein, 23, is accused of sexually assaulting one woman and attempting to sexually assault a second victim.
Goldstein's attorney, Perry de Marco, argued during opening statements that those two women are "confused."
One victim says, during what began as a consensual sexual encounter in November 2017 at the Alpha Epsilon Pi house, Goldstein became aggressive with her during oral sex after she tried resisting and said no.
On the stand, she said through tears, "I wanted to move on with my life and forget that it happened."
She later came forward to police after hearing about another incident involving Goldstein.
In February 2018, a second victim says Goldstein also invited her to his fraternity house bedroom to smoke marijuana. When she arrived, she said Goldstein pinned her to the bed and attempted to have oral sex after she also had said no. She then ran out.
Goldstein's defense attorney said the alleged victims were "decent people," adding, "They're not liars. But I'll tell you what they are, and it's our fault -- they're confused. We have no idea in today's world with sexual matters what is right and what is wrong. What is right and wrong?"
De Marco also said the two women "went on with their partying" after the alleged assaults.
"After these two encounters that were so traumatic, they went on with their partying because they're confused," he said.
But prosecutor Zach Wynkoop said to the jury, "What this case boils down to is one word, two letters -- no. For that defendant it meant anything but."
Goldstein has maintained his innocence.
Temple suspended Alpha Epsilon Pi last year.