Hoffman Estates man convicted of sexual assault
A Hoffman Estates man was convicted Monday of sexually assaulting a woman earlier this year.
Ronald F. Smith, 40, served as his own attorney during the trial, which concluded with a guilty verdict after two days of jury deliberations. Smith was convicted of two counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, which carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, a spokeswoman in the Cook County state's attorney's office said.
Prosecutors said Smith used a knife to enter the woman's locked bedroom last April, attempted to restrain her with duct tape and then forced her to perform a sex act.
Smith, whose criminal background includes 1998 convictions in Connecticut for assault and battery, claimed the act was consensual.
During closing arguments, Smith acknowledged "this has been an emotional trial for all of us."
"I am not going to bedazzle you with legal terminology because I am not a lawyer," Smith told jurors during his halting closing argument.
"If someone does something wrong, there has to be a punishment ... I will take on that punishment as long as it's the truth," said Smith, who never denied attempting to tie up the victim but denied forcing himself on her.
He insisted what happened on April 8, 2015, was a private act between "two consenting adults."
In her closing argument, Assistant State's Attorney Jacklyn Lantz described Smith's trial strategy as "admit what you can't deny and deny what you can't admit."
Smith testified he unlocked the door with the knife, then put it in his pocket, Lantz said. If that's true, "how did the victim know he had a knife?" Lantz said.
Smith's knife, duct tape, pants and wallet were recovered from the room where the assault took place, Lantz said.
Lantz argued that Smith's conflicting statements meant his testimony was not credible.
"He said it was her fantasy, it was her idea to be tied up," Lantz said. "Today he says it was his idea."
"She said, 'No,'" said Lantz. "No means no."
Smith next appears in court on Dec. 16.