Jury Fails To Reach Verdict In Trial Of Restaurant Owner Accused Of Sexual Assault; Deliberations Continue Wednesday
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- An Allegheny County jury failed to reach a verdict on Tuesday in the trial of a former restaurant owner charged with sexual assault.
The jury heard closing arguments in the trial of Adnan Pehlivan and deliberated from 12:15-4:45 p.m. They will begin deliberations again at 9:15 a.m. on Wednesday.
At about 3 p.m., jurors came back with three questions. They wanted to hear to 911 tape when the alleged victim's friend called police, they also had a question about the stalking charge, and they also wanted to review the video from Kopy's Bar, where Pehlivan met the alleged victim in May of last year.
On Monday, Adnan Pehlivan, who owned Istanbul Sofra in Regent Square, took the stand in his own defense.
On the stand, Pehlivan admitted that he, the alleged victim and her friend were intoxicated and he claims she said she wanted to hook up with him.
Pehlivan says she didn't want her friends to know he was going home with her and told him to follow them. Pehlivan, who is also accused of stalking, followed the women in his BMW, stopping repeatedly and letting them pass.
Eventually, Pehlivan found the woman's apartment. He testified that she opened the door and let him inside before they had consensual sex.
However, the victim says none of that is true and Pehlivan broke in through a window and assaulted her. She said she woke up screaming and he punched her, pushed her and tore buttons from her shirt.
"I hope the jury focuses, as they took the oath to, on the evidence," said Pehlivan's attorney, Lee Rothman. "I don't believe the government had any evidence whatsoever that there was a burglary here. There was no evidence that anyone climbed through that window."
Pehlivan was charged with burglary, aggravated assault and sexual assault.
