Bizarre details emerge as accused takes the stand in sexual assault trial

Kanchi Uttamchandani | Assistant News Editor

Featured image courtesy of Mandi Gray. The image shows Gray (far right) standing with other members of the student organization Silence is Violence.

 
The Mandi Gray sexual assault trial resumed May 3, with the accused Mustafa Ururyar appearing on stand. Ururyar confirmed he and Gray were casually dating each other for two weeks.
During cross-examination, more personal details came to light about the nature of Ururyar and Gray’s relationships. It came to light that on the night of the alleged assault, Gray and Ururyar were at a bar with colleagues when Ururyar heard from someone that Gray was planning a threesome with him and a mutual friend, to which he was indifferent, yet expressed his disappointment to Gray when the third person did not join them at his apartment for drinks.
Ururyar maintained that it was consensual sex, as he had received a text from her earlier that evening to “come drink and then we can have hot sex.”
While walking from the bar to his apartment, Gray expressed interest in having sex, to which Ururyar responded saying he was not physically feeling up to it and did not promise her one hundred per cent. He said he would try to perform.
Gray claims Ururyar criticized her at his apartment, calling her “needy” and an “embarrassment.” Ururyar denied this in his testimony, though he did clarify by saying he did not appreciate her behaviour that night.
Ururyar apparently broke up with her while they were having sex as Gray leaned in to kiss him.
The accused reasoned he decided to break up because they were incompatible due to Gray’s behaviour at the bar when she allegedly groped him without his consent, and because he was in an open, long-distance relationship with his girlfriend who was moving to Toronto in April.
“I said we could still be friends but she would often get upset if I mentioned my girlfriend and I intended to continue my relationship with my girlfriend,” says Ururyar.
Upon hearing about the break up, Gray cried and Ururyar claims he consoled her and then they had consensual sex. During intercouse, Ururyar failed to have an erection and suggested that they watch pornography to get in the mood.
“I just put on porn because I needed extra help. It didn’t work so I suggested we just watch a movie or The Daily Show. Mandi got angry with my inability to perform and left abruptly without saying a word.”
Later he received a text from her stating “last night was fucked up.”
“I did not want to assume anything so I simply replied ‘OK’ because I did not want to dominate the conversation.I wanted to provide her space to tell me what was going on. I wanted to give her the space and opportunity to continue what she was thinking,” says Ururyar.
Ururyar’s girlfriend, Alison Moore, says he’s the best boyfriend ever, having met him seven years ago.
Moore said she was shocked when Ururyar informed her that Gray had pressed sexual assault charges against him.
“While we were in different cities, we agreed to see other people, but maintain our relationship,” says Moore.
“We agreed not to talk about our other relationships with each other.”
Closing arguments in the trial are scheduled for May 24.