Judge John Economopoulos said six of the nine acts the Michigan Attorney General’s Office sought to include as evidence did have relevance in the case.

Tavaris Jackson appeared virtually Tuesday in the 47th Circuit Court of Delta County in Escanaba for a motion filed by his defense team to exclude from his upcoming trial, set for March, prior acts of violence and other offenses of which Jackson was either previously convicted or accused.

The 35-year-old faces one count of open murder, a felony punishable by up to life in prison, in the death of 22-year-old Harley Corwin, whose body was found in Delta County’s O.B. Fuller Park in Ford River Township in July 2023. He also faces one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, a two-year felony; and assault resulting in the death of a fetus, also a felony punishable by up to life imprisonment.

Assistant Attorney General Shawn Ryan cited the Michigan Legislature that allows evidence to be included in trial as it relates to offenses involving domestic violence and sexual violence.

Shawn Ryan, a Michigan assistant attorney general, addresses Judge John Economopoulos via video regarding a defense motion to exclude certain evidence from Tavaris Jackson's trial. Those virtually present in 47th Circuit Court in Escanaba on Tuesday also include Assistant Attorney General Caitlin Kirby, Defense Attorney Diane Kay-Hougaboom, Defense Attorney James Maki and Tavaris Jackson, the defendant in the case. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

Both sides debated the risk of the future jury misunderstanding the submitted evidence or using it to prejudice one side or another.

Defense Attorney Diane Kay-Hougaboom urged the court consider how dissimilar the previous acts were to the charged crime, the amount of time that has elapsed since those acts and the reliability of the evidence supporting those cases, among other issues.

Kay-Hougaboom also argued that because there is no allegation of sexual assault to the victim, Harley Corwin, previous acts involving sexual violence could prejudice the jury and should not be admitted.

“I submit to the court that the probative value of our offered evidence far outweighs any risk of prejudice or any possible prejudice, and it’s not unfair,” Ryan said. “I would ask the court to admit all of the prior acts that the people have listed in our supplemental notice, and I would reserve any further argument respectfully for rebuttal.”

According to past information presented in court, Corwin was shot twice in the head. There was no apparent injury to the fetus, suggesting it died as a result of Corwin’s death and not due to any other trauma.

Jackson’s trial is set to take place during a three-week period beginning March 2.

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Sophie Vogelmann can be reached at 906-786-2021 or svogelmann@dailypress.net.