A Dakota County jury on Wednesday found an Apple Valley man guilty of sexually assaulting his girlfriend, in a case that led to him being shot by an officer in St. Paul.

Joseph Javonte Washington, now 35, was accused of forcing the woman to drive to St. Paul after he assaulted her at her Lakeville residence in November 2020. He ran and hid in a dumpster behind a funeral home in the city’s North End. When he jumped out, he was naked.

Joseph Javonte Washington (Courtesy of the Minnesota Department of Corrections)

Washington, who has been in custody since he was released from the hospital, went on trial last week in the assault case.

Jurors began deliberations on Tuesday afternoon and continued Wednesday; they announced their verdict Wednesday afternoon.

Washington’s trial revolved around five charges filed against him by the Dakota County Attorney’s Office: three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and one count each of kidnapping and second-degree assault. Jurors found him guilty of all five charges.

The prosecution said Washington punched his girlfriend in the face, breaking her eye socket. He held a knife to her neck, forced her to perform a sex act on him and posted video of it, the prosecutor said. Jurors were shown two video clips during the trial.

Washington’s attorney, Nico Ratkowski, told jurors in closing arguments Tuesday that his client is innocent. He said Washington and his girlfriend were “engaging in consensual role play” and had agreed to video it.

The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office reviewed the St. Paul officer’s shooting of Washington and decided not to charge him. The officer reported that Washington wasn’t fully facing the officers and he couldn’t tell if he was armed. An investigation determined he was unarmed.

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