Dupage Policy Journal

The Third District Appellate Court of Illinois has upheld the conviction and 88-year sentence of Julius Ramsey for a sexual assault that occurred at an Oak Brook hotel. DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced the court's decision, which affirmed Ramsey's conviction for sexually assaulting a female employee at gunpoint.

Ramsey's appeal claimed ineffective assistance from his attorney, who allegedly failed to explain to the jury why Ramsey did not testify after initially indicating he would. However, the Appellate Court rejected this claim, stating that "counsel put forth a rigorous defense and appropriately addressed the absence of defendant’s testimony during his closing argument." The court further noted that the defense emphasized Ramsey's constitutional right not to testify and underscored the burden on the State to prove the charges.

The incident took place on September 9, 2019, when Oak Brook police responded to a report of sexual assault at Hyatt House. The investigation revealed that Ramsey had forced the victim into a vacant room at gunpoint, assaulted her multiple times, threatened her life, and eventually she managed to escape and report the crime. On May 20, 2021, after a three-day trial led by Judge Jeffrey MacKay, Ramsey was found guilty of multiple felonies including aggravated criminal sexual assault with a firearm.

Justice Peterson delivered the judgment with Justices Holdridge and Davenport concurring. Steven Biagi defended Ramsey’s appeal as part of the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Criminal Appeals Division.

State’s Attorney Berlin expressed gratitude for the court's analysis: “I thank the Appellate Court for their thorough analysis of this case and their finding that Mr. Ramsey received a fair trial.” He added that this decision ensures Ramsey will not receive a new trial and his sentence will remain in effect.