By Daniel Johnson, Sports Editor
A preliminary hearing to determine whether ACU senior Daniel Reed (D.J.) Jarrett II will face trial for the charge of assault with intent to cause a miscarriage was postponed until March 6 after the defense attorney assigned to the case asked for more time.
According to the Westland Observer, Jarrett, a senior exercise science major from Wayne, Mich., was charged with one count of assault of a pregnant woman and intentionally causing a miscarriage after an incident on Jan. 3 in Westland, Mich., a suburb of Detroit. Jarrett pleaded not guilty, was released on a $50,000 bond and could face up to life in prison if convicted.
The preliminary hearing in the Westland 18th District Court was postponed for a second time; it was initially scheduled for Jan. 30 and was adjourned until Feb. 7.
“It should be in the circuit courts by now and something has stalled it,” said Maria Miller, director of communications for the Westland County Prosecutor’s office. Miller added she did not know the specific reason for the delay.
Steve Carman, a close friend of Jarrett’s and a fellow Gamma Sigma Phi member, said he has been in constant contact with Jarrett, and the support of Jarrett’s friends, family and church have helped him cope with the situation.
“For the most part, D.J. has been handling it pretty well,” Carman said. “He has the support of his church up in Detroit and the support of his family and GSP down here as well. And that support has been helping a lot.”
Carman, senior marketing major from Poplar Bluff, Mo., said Jarrett was only three hours away from graduating.
“Whenever he’s in the room he glows, and you can ask anyone, he’s one of the most highly respected black men on the campus,” Carman said.
Carman said he was upset the university did not take a more active role in finding support for Jarrett after news was released of the charges.
“I don’t know what ACU has tried to do to reach out toward D.J., but for the most part I know they haven’t done anything, and that is kind of upsetting to me – especially with the time and dedication he’s put in for ACU,” Carman said.
Since the charges have been brought up against Jarrett, university officials have said little publicly about the case.
Dr. Jerry Taylor, assistant professor of Bible, missions and ministry, said a public prayer for Jarrett during Chapel on Tuesday but did not discuss any specifics of the case. While standing in front of a Chapel crowd, Taylor said he had been in contact with Jarrett, who “expressed his desire for us to pray for him.”
“I believe as a community we need to pull together in a sincere prayer,” Taylor said onstage.
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. 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.
