Recent CMU graduate found guilty of sexual assault against female Pitt student

A recent CMU graduate was found guilty of a second degree sexual assault felony against a female Pitt student Tuesday morning.

In a jury trial in county court, Joon Woo “Jason” Baik, a CMU statistics major who graduated in 2019, was also found not guilty on charges of raping an unconscious victim, simple assault and false imprisonment.

A criminal complaint from Pittsburgh police officer Joseph Lippert described the assault, which occurred in Baik’s apartment on Morewood Avenue on Sept. 22, 2018.

Lippert said police officers responding to a 911 call found a woman who was “naked, screaming, and crying,” outside of Baik’s apartment building. The victim is referred to as “Jane Doe” in court documents in order to protect her privacy and the ongoing investigation, according to the documents.

After being transferred to UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital for a sexual assault evaluation, Lippert said he noticed, “significant scratches and markes on both sides of Doe’s neck.” Lippert said he recognized the marks as, “consistent with manual strangulation often observed after violent domestic violence incidents.”

Baik told Pittsburgh police that on the night of the incident, he purchased a bottle of Jack Daniels whiskey and drank it with Doe. But the woman was drinking much more than Baik was, and Baik carried her to his bedroom to with the intention of having sex.

Lippert said Baik recorded the incident on his iPhone, which was obtained by police through a search warrant, but Baik demurred when asked why he had recorded the encounter.

“Baik stated he recorded the sexual encounter on his phone ‘in case something like this happened,’” Lippert said. “I asked what Baik meant by this statement. Baik was unable to provide a logical answer to the question and stated he was drunk.”

In the recording, Lippert said he heard Doe ask Baik to stop multiple times, saying, “‘Help,’ ‘Stop,’  Get off,’ Get it out,’ ‘I want to go home,’ and ‘You’re killing me.’”

The county district attorney’s office, the prosecutor in the case, withdrew charges against Baik of intercepted communications, unlawful restraint/serious bodily injury and strangulation.

Mike Manko, a spokesperson for the county district attorney’s office, said he had no comment about why the charges against Baik were withdrawn.

Baik’s sentencing trial will be held on July 29.