Bailey's AC sex attacker's 42-year sentence could be reduced

Posted: January 6, 2025, 11:20 pm.

Last updated: January 6, 2025, 11:33 pm.

A New York man whose sexual assault of a Balinese Atlantic City housekeeper sparked legislation mandatory wearable panic button New Jersey hotel workers could have had their sentences reduced.

In April 2022, a jury found Jamel Carlton guilty of aggravated sexual assault, sexual battery, burglary, aggravated assault and criminal restraint in connection with the 2018 attack in a Bally's hotel room.

The “persistent offender” was later sentenced to 42 years in prison by Atlantic County Superior Court Judge Pamela D'Arcy.

'Violation of rights'

Now, a state appeals court has ruled that a jury can decide whether to reduce Carlton's sentence. The court found that D'Arcy violated the defendant's Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights when choosing his prison term, NJ.com reports.

Carlton's charges would normally have carried a sentence of 10 to 20 years, but prosecutors sought a harsher sentence due to the defendant's criminal record and the aggravating circumstances of the crime.

But the appellate panel ruled that it should be up to the jury, not the judge, to determine whether the extended sentence is applicable.

Meanwhile, the panel found that the defendant's prior serious convictions for crimes committed in his home state should not have been taken into account in his sentence.

double attack

According to court records, at 5:30 a.m. on February 10, 2018, Atlantic City police arrested Carlton for domestic assault, shortly after Bally's security officers had to stop him from attacking his 41-year-old girlfriend .

The arrest report states that the victim suffered physical injuries and was given medical treatment at the scene.

After being charged with simple assault, Carlton was released around 9 a.m. with a summons to appear in court at a later date.

Carlton was identified as a suspect from a security video. Later, when police officers saw him walking along Atlantic Avenue and attempted to arrest him, he fled, following which the police chased him for a long time and was eventually captured.

Subsequently, Ben Albert, an official of Local 54 of the Unite-Here union, said nbc Homeowners were “outraged” by Carlton's crime and demanded action.

New Jersey was the first state to pass a bill that mandated wearable panic buttons for employees in all hotels with more than 100 rooms.