The prosecution put its case to rest Wednesday against 44-year-old College of Liberal and Professional Studies graduate student Susan Finkelstein, charged with prostitution and attempted prostitution for allegedly offering to trade sex with an undercover police officer for Phillies World Series tickets last October.
Her trial began yesterday in Bucks County Court in Bensalem, Pa.
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Finkelstein was arrested on Oct. 26 at a restaurant where the Bensalem Police Department arranged to meet her after finding an ad she placed on Craigslist. Police testified that she offered an undercover officer sex for one ticket and sex with two men simultaneously for two tickets.
William J. Brennan, Finkelstein’s lawyer, contested that the case should never have been brought outside of Philadelphia.
“Apparently there’s not enough crime in Bensalem, so the police need to go out and import crimes from outside their jurisdiction,” Brennan said.
Brennan also disputed the legitimacy of a police officer’s testimony that he faced the possibility of robbery when meeting Finkelstein.
“Why would you arrange to meet them at a family restaurant where there are little kids with moms and dads eating their tacos?” he asked, adding that the officer’s testimony was uncorroborated.
The Inquirer reported that prosecuting District Attorney Steven Jones asked the jury to decide whether Finkelstein was “holding herself out for sex, expecting to receive compensation for it” and urged jurors to use common sense.
Brennan will present his defense today, and said the verdict will hopefully be in by Thursday night.
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