Judge denied prosecution motion, jurors selected in Ari Goldstein trial

The prosecution wanted to submit alleged GroupMe messages into evidence.

Ari Goldstein, the former president of Temple's chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi, faces 14 sexual assault-related charges, in accusations made by two Temple students. | VIA PHILADELPHIA POLICE

A  jury was selected Tuesday in the trial of Ari Goldstein, the former president of Temple’s chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi who is accused of sexually assaulting two Temple students. Opening arguments will begin Wednesday. 

Twelve jurors and three alternates were chosen from a pool of 60 at the Juanita Kidd Stout Center for Criminal Justice in Center City on Tuesday. Goldstein, 23, is being tried for 14 charges related to the alleged sexual assaults.

Before the jury was selected, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Timika Lane denied a motion by the prosecution to submit, as evidence, GroupMe messages allegedly between Goldstein and other Temple students from an Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity group chat.

Philadelphia Assistant District Attorney Zachary Wynkoop intended to use the messages, which capture a user by the name of “Ari G” saying “luckily most rapes aren’t reported,” as evidence of Goldstein’s state of mind, intent and motive for the alleged crimes, he told Lane.

Burton Rose, one of Goldstein’s two attorneys, told Lane the defense knew these messages had been obtained but the prosecution did not give them reasonable notice that they would request to submit the messages as evidence. The defense also argued these messages have no relation to the two students involved in the case. 

The trial will resume Wednesday morning.

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