The jury found Homasi guilty of public fighting and not guilty of assembling for riot.

The city of East Lansing has had difficulty getting assembly for riot convictions, Assistant City Attorney Erin Housefield said.

“The city is going to continue to bring that charge when we feel it’s supported by the case, and if the jury felt that there was a different result to be reached, then that’s a choice that the city has to live with,” Housefield said.

The decision was reached after eight and a half hours of arguments, witnesses and debates.

During the trial, one juror was dismissed for possible bias, and defense attorney Howard Siegrist made a motion to direct the verdict.

The city did not provide enough evidence for the jury to make a decision on the assembly for riot charge, he said.

“What did he do other than partake in a legal assembly?” Siegrist said. “He’s not guilty. He’s being used as a whipping post.”

But witnesses testified to seeing Homasi assault partygoers in the crowd.

“I actually observed him punching people with a closed fist,” Michigan State Police trooper Jeremy Brewer said.

Others in the crowd were pushing and shoving, but Homasi’s actions spurred more fighting, witnesses said.

“There didn’t appear to be anyone coming at him. He appeared to be the aggravator in the group,” Michigan State Police deputy Ryan Cramer said.

Cramer, who had been undercover with Brewer during the riot, compared the scene to a mosh pit.

Homasi testified that he was just catching up with friends and did nothing to encourage the crowd.

“I just wanted to see what was going on because it was extremely loud,” he said.

But when the jury delivered its decision, neither side was completely satisfied.

“My client is unhappy, and I was hoping the jury would come back and find him not guilty on both counts,” Siegrist said.