Sex-for-Tix Fan's Fate in Jury's Hands

Finkelstein charged with offering sex for Phillies World Series tickets

A jury began deliberating late Thursday whether there is enough evidence to rightfully show Susan Finkelstein offered more than just her smile for a pair of Phillies World Series tickets.

Finkelstein, 44, is accused of propositioning an undercover Bensalem Township Police officer in October 2009 after he responded to a Craigslist ad full of sexual undertones asking for World Series tickets.

In the ad, the married, mother of two called herself a creative "gorgeous tall buxom blond" who was "in desperate need" of tickets.

Finkelstein was charged with Promoting Prostitution, Prostitution and Criminal Attempt of Prostitution. The Promoting Prostitution charge – the most serious of the three – was dropped January 29.

During a preliminary hearing in December, the officer testified Finkelstein sent him topless photos before agreeing to a meeting at Manny Brown's inside the Neshamity Mall.

He testified Finkelstein told him she was "a prostitute" and "a whore" who "loves sex." He also testified Finkelstein allegedly "spread her legs" and asked the officer "would you like to touch it?"

"I seriously don’t think I did anything wrong by writing an ad that was cheeky," she said in December.

The West Philadelphia woman denies the notion that she ever hooked or sent photos. She swore to those statements while on the stand Thursday.

Finkelstein's friend Judy Kroll also testified during the trial's second day. Afterword she told NBC Philadelphia the entire case is "just ridiculous."

"Like her attorney said 'Is she goofy, is she a little eccentric?' you know, yea she's always been like that," Kroll said. "But did she commit a crime? No, she's just a Jewish girl from Northeast Philadelphia."

Finkelstein's attorney Bill Brennan says both sides made a good case, but he believes there isn't enough evidence to make a conviction.

"We'll hope for the best, but the prosecution put on its case, they did a nice job, and we put an aggressive defense on," Brennan said.

A verdict may be delivered as early as Thursday night, but after beginning deliberations, jurors came back with three questions.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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