One of four teenagers accused of taking part in the May 20 Lakewalk beating that left University of Minnesota Duluth student "Dash'' Johnson unconscious is charged with taking part in the brutal rape of an 18-year-old woman two days later.
Julie Ann Isham, who turns 18 on June 20, is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct and felony third-degree assault in the incident in an apartment on the 1300 block of East Fourth Street late on the night of May 22.
Duluth police Investigator Jared Blomdahl and the department's Crime Scene Unit gathered evidence at the scene of the sexual assault that led them to the suspects in the Lakewalk assault of Johnson.
According to the juvenile delinquency petition, Isham used a shampoo bottle to sexually assault the alleged victim. Isham and a 16-year-old girl, who also is charged with felony third-degree assault, are accused of striking the victim approximately 20 times in the head and face.
The juvenile matters are public information because the defendants are at least 16 years old and they are accused of committing felonies.
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The victim suffered a broken nose and broken facial bone and was placed in a medically induced coma while being treated for her injuries, according to the delinquency petition.
Isham reportedly told police that she and the 16-year-old girl helped "give (the victim) a little beat down'' at Isham's apartment. Isham admitted that she put her knee on the victim's head and neck while the victim was on the ground, according to the delinquency petition.
Isham, two 16-year-old boys and a 14-year-old boy are suspected of being involved in the beating of Johnson.
St. Louis County Attorney Melanie Ford said her office was still reviewing police reports on Friday and no decision had been made on whether her office will seek to certify any of the juveniles to stand trial as adults in the separate beating of the UMD student on the Lakewalk.
Assistant St. Louis County Attorney Angie Shambour is the prosecutor assigned to the Johnson case. Shambour said the juveniles will appear before Judge Sally Tarnowski on juvenile delinquency petitions Monday morning.
Isham and the two 16-year-olds are being held in the Arrowhead Juvenile Center. The 14-year-old is not in custody.
Sgt. Mike Ceynowa, supervisor of the Duluth police Violent Crimes Unit, said that Blomdahl noticed dried blood on shoes at the scene of the sexual assault. Without elaborating, Ceynowa said that evidence, plus evidence gathered by the Crime Scene Unit, led police to the suspects in the Johnson assault.
Walfrid David Ashlie "Dash'' Johnson, 21, was beaten unconscious and robbed of his wallet and cell phone while walking alone on the Lakewalk between the Fitger's complex and Leif Erickson Park about 12:47 a.m. on May 20. He suffered traumatic brain injuries in the attack and is hospitalized at HealthEast Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul.
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Johnson had just finished his junior year at UMD, where he is majoring in communications. He had been working as a host at Little Angie's in Canal Park and as a student intern with Visit Duluth.
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to remove the name of the 16-year-old girl charged with felony third-degree assault because the court issued a stay of adjudication, removing the case from her record.
