Missoula, MT — In a late Friday deliberation, a Missoula jury issued a mixed verdict in the trial of Cole Larson Levine, a 25-year-old former University of Montana law student. Levine was acquitted of attempted sexual intercourse without consent but was convicted on four other charges including aggravated assault.
The accusations stemmed from an incident reported in downtown Missoula in August 2022. Along with the assault charges, Levine was found guilty of destruction or tampering with a communication device and unlawful restraint, a lesser charge related to allegations of attempted kidnapping.
Additionally, Levine faced consequences for bail jumping after he was arrested in Canada subsequent to being released on bond.
The legal proceedings, overseen by the Missoula County District Court, extended over two and a half days. The Missoula County Attorney’s Office, with Bill Haney and Brittany Williams leading the prosecution, presented testimonies from law enforcement officers who first responded to the assault claims. Expert witnesses, the accuser, and eyewitnesses from the night of the incident also took the stand to provide their accounts.
The pivotal testimony came from the accuser who detailed her harrowing experience that night. She recounted spending the evening at the Golden Rose bar celebrating friends’ birthdays, and leaving alone at close. It was then she was allegedly confronted by Levine in a nearby alley. Despite her efforts to escape, including trying to diffuse the situation by feigning cooperation, she claimed that Levine became more violent, eventually choking her until she almost lost consciousness.
Levine’s defense presented a different narrative during the trial. He argued that the encounter began inside the bar, claiming the woman took his phone which led to a pursuit outside. Levine suggested the physical contact was a result of him trying to retrieve his phone which accidentally led to further altercations.
The case reached an emotional peak when Levine opted to testify, expressing regret over not sharing his version of events with detectives earlier. He described the prolonged criminal proceedings as the aftermath of a misunderstanding that had significantly impacted his life.
Investigators connected Levine to the crime scene after discovering his phone in the alley, which he claimed was never returned by the accuser.
Eyewitnesses, friends of the woman, corroborated her account, testifying that they intervened upon hearing her screams which led to Levine fleeing the scene.
Levine is scheduled for sentencing on November 22, where he will face the repercussions of the convictions which could include several years of imprisonment.
While the jury’s verdict has brought some resolution to the case, it also highlights the complex nature of interpreting events and intentions in situations involving alleged assaults. The community and local legal system are now left to ponder the intricacies of justice and the processes that aim to serve it.