By Daniel Johnson, Sports Editor
A Michigan judge has found the evidence in the case against ACU senior Daniel Reed (D.J.) Jarrett II was sufficient for probable cause, and a trial date has been set for June 23, according to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s office.
Jarrett was charged with assault with intent to cause a miscarriage after an incident on Jan. 3 in Westland, Mich., a suburb of Detroit. He pleaded not guilty and was released on a $50,000 bond. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.
The Westland Observer reported that Jarrett attacked his pregnant girlfriend after an argument over whether or not she should have an abortion. The unborn child died soon after the incident, and the unnamed college student from Texas returned home.
In a preliminary exam on March 6, the judge concluded that there was enough probable cause to send the case to the Wayne County Circuit Court for trial. The prosecutors and Jarrett’s attorneys will meet before a judge for the final conference on May 9, assistant prosecuting attorney Louisa Papalas said in an e-mail.
Papalas said in an e-mail that Jarrett and his lawyers are seeking to work out a plea, and negotiations are under way. If an agreement is not reached, the trial will begin June 23 with Judge Helen Brown presiding.
The preliminary hearing was rescheduled twice after the prosecuting attorney requested more time.
A request for an arrest report of the case under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act was denied, but the Westland police department did not specify why.
The university will not release any information about Jarrett because of the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act. While attending ACU, Jarrett was an active member of social club Gamma Sigma Phi and was a teacher’s assistant in the Department of Exercise Science and Health. Steve Carman, a fellow member of Gamma Sigma Phi, who said he has been in limited contact with Jarrett, said Jarrett was only three hours away from graduation.
“He’s in the mode where he doesn’t want to talk about it until it gets closer to everything,” said Carman, senior marketing major from Poplar Bluff, Mo.
