KENT COUNTY, Mich. -- Shawn Jarrett's fiancee, Cheryl Jones, was the first person to testify on Wednesday.
Cheryl Jones said June 20th was an otherwise normal day until police flagged her down to pull her over. She said she asked Jarrett (her passenger) why police wanted to talk to him.
Jones told the prosecutor, "I had wanted to pull over and talk to [the police] to see what was going on, and that's when the [police] cars surrounded my car and [Jarret] jumped out the car and took off running."
Chris Becker, the Kent County assistant prosecutor asked, "Did he say anything when he jumped out of the car and took off running?"
Jones said that Jarrett asked her, "Why am I stopping?'"
Walker police detective Shawn Bailey also testified and recalled June 20th. Earlier that day, Walker police were instructed to keep a close eye on Jones' car. So undercover officers from Grandville and Walker followed her.
Bailey said police spotted Jarrett in Jones' car in Grand Rapids, pulled them over, and Jarrett ran. Bailey, the first police officer to catch up with Jarrett, said the foot chase lasted about 5 minutes.
"I started running after him. Yelling for him to stop, identified myself," Bailey said.
He added, "Mr. Jarrett was laying on the ground, face down, at which point I held him at gunpoint ordered him not to move."
Jarrett complained that he injured himself during the chase and was taken to the hospital. He was arrested, charged with rape and home invasion.
A number of crime scene technicians also testified, as well as the nurse who collected evidence for the victim's rape kit. The hat, sweatshirt, and shoes Jarrett was wearing the day of the attack was physically presented in court.
The judge expects the trial to wrap up Thursday.
