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Ex-CLTV, WGN Radio broadcaster's conviction

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Posted by chicagomedia.org on June 05, 2008 at 09:20:28:

Ex-CLTV, WGN Radio broadcaster's Internet solicitation conviction overturned

Jury got erroneous instructions, Illinois Appellate Court says

An appellate court, citing erroneous jury instructions, has set aside the conviction of a former television sports broadcaster who was convicted in 2005 of indecent solicitation of a child over the Internet.

The second district of the Illinois Appellate Court, in a decision dated May 30, threw out two of the six counts of the case and ordered a new trial on the remaining four counts brought against Robert Goldman, 47, of Aurora.

Chicago attorney Thomas Brandstrader, who argued Goldman's appeal of the conviction, said Tuesday: "The offense requires that a defendant knowingly solicit someone under a specific age with the intent to commit a specific act. The jury was not instructed as to the intent, and the jurors actually asked about intent during the deliberations."

Goldman, who is married and has two children, was sports director at CLTV and worked at WGN-AM 720. Both stations are owned by Tribune Co., which also owns the Chicago Tribune. He was fired in 2002, shortly after he was arrested in Waukegan.

"Mr. Goldman is happy with the decision," Brandstrader said. "He hasn't had any problems since."

Goldman was arrested in April 2002 after arranging to meet with someone he thought was a girl, but was actually an undercover investigator for the Lake County state's attorney's office.

At trial, the investigator, Mark Pleasant, testified that he first began communicating with Goldman posing as a 15-year-old girl in an Internet sting.

They made an agreement to meet near the Gurnee library on one occasion, but the meeting did not occur. In 2002, they set up a meeting that purportedly was to be at the girl's home in Waukegan. Goldman was arrested before he reached the home, and handwritten directions to the address were in his car.

Goldman was sentenced to 30 months of probation, 200 hours of community service and ordered to pay $1,000 to the Lake County Children's Advocacy Center. In 2005, he was jailed briefly after his probation was revoked because he was seen handing out candy to children on Halloween. Brandstrader said Goldman has completed his probation successfully.

(Maurice Possley, Chicago Tribune)

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: Ex-CLTV, WGN Radio broadcaster's Internet solicitation conviction overturned : Jury got erroneous instructions, Illinois Appellate Court says : : An appellate court, citing erroneous jury instructions, has set aside the conviction of a former television sports broadcaster who was convicted in 2005 of indecent solicitation of a child over the Internet. : The second district of the Illinois Appellate Court, in a decision dated May 30, threw out two of the six counts of the case and ordered a new trial on the remaining four counts brought against Robert Goldman, 47, of Aurora. : Chicago attorney Thomas Brandstrader, who argued Goldman's appeal of the conviction, said Tuesday: "The offense requires that a defendant knowingly solicit someone under a specific age with the intent to commit a specific act. The jury was not instructed as to the intent, and the jurors actually asked about intent during the deliberations." : Goldman, who is married and has two children, was sports director at CLTV and worked at WGN-AM 720. Both stations are owned by Tribune Co., which also owns the Chicago Tribune. He was fired in 2002, shortly after he was arrested in Waukegan. : "Mr. Goldman is happy with the decision," Brandstrader said. "He hasn't had any problems since." : Goldman was arrested in April 2002 after arranging to meet with someone he thought was a girl, but was actually an undercover investigator for the Lake County state's attorney's office. : At trial, the investigator, Mark Pleasant, testified that he first began communicating with Goldman posing as a 15-year-old girl in an Internet sting. : They made an agreement to meet near the Gurnee library on one occasion, but the meeting did not occur. In 2002, they set up a meeting that purportedly was to be at the girl's home in Waukegan. Goldman was arrested before he reached the home, and handwritten directions to the address were in his car. : Goldman was sentenced to 30 months of probation, 200 hours of community service and ordered to pay $1,000 to the Lake County Children's Advocacy Center. In 2005, he was jailed briefly after his probation was revoked because he was seen handing out candy to children on Halloween. Brandstrader said Goldman has completed his probation successfully. : (Maurice Possley, Chicago Tribune)

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