The trial of former Kent State football player Nate Holley began Monday.

The start of the trial was delayed for three hours due to both sides having problems picking out a full jury. 

The trial started with opening statements from both the prosecution and defense, with the prosecution going first. Eric Finnegan – the lawyer for the prosecution – spent most of his opening statement addressing the jury from his podium. Finnegan argued that in the early morning hours of November 3rd, Nate Holley showed up at the apartment building of his former girlfriend Ceara Tackett. Holley then allegedly threw a water bottle at her window in an attempt to get her attention, which woke up her neighbor. Finnegan said that Tackett eventually made her way downstairs, and was then allegedly held against her will in his car. Holley then allegedly drove Tackett to Chase Park, where he attempted to talk to her again.

Finnegan said that Holley then grabbed Tackett’s keys and phone, as well as physically prevented her from leaving the car. Finnegan also alleges that Holley threw Tackett across the front of the car, where she hit her head on both the driver and passenger side windows. Holley allegedly then took her back to his apartment, where he hit her with an open fist, before then taking her back to her apartment.

James Eskridge – an attorney for the defense – then stepped up the podium to tell what he believes to have happened. Eskridge alleged that Holley and Tackett had been dating on and off for a decent amount of time, and had even considered getting married. Eskridge said that Holley and Tackett had talked earlier on the night of the 2nd, and had both agreed that they would stay in for the night.

However, Holley allegedly saw on social media that Tackett was out at the bars, which made Holley want to end their relationship. Holley then allegedly drove to Tackett’s apartment, where they got in his car to talk about their relationship. Eskridge said that Tackett took this news badly, so badly that she tried to yank the steering wheel and smash the gas pedal.

Eskridge also said that two girls saw Holley and Tackett at Holley’s apartment, and they describe their behavior as “flirting.” Eskridge then brought up what he called the “social media” side of the case, where he said that Tackett reached out to Holley after he was arrested, stating that she was “sorry for hurting him with her lies” and sending him messages that Eskridge called “explicit” in their nature. 

Finnegan followed this up by calling his first witness to the stand, Spencer Duvall, who is Tackett’s neighbor and co-worker. Duvall alleged that Holley showed up at their apartment complex between 1 and 2 AM on November 3rd, and was throwing a water bottle at Tackett’s window that woke her up. Duvall then called Tackett to let her know that Holley was there, a conversation that lasted a minute. Duvall then said that she invited Tackett over to her apartment, an offer that she turned down. Duvall also that she saw Holley “circling the building” in his car, and said that Holley saw Tackett on her phone and asked “is that another guy,” to which Duvall replied “no, it’s me.”

Holley’s other attorney, George Keith, cross-examined Duvall, asking her if she saw Holley physically drive around the whole building, or if it was plausible for him to have left and came back, something that Duvall said could be plausible. Keith also asked Duvall if she had seen Holley upstairs in the building, to which she said she hadn’t.

Tackett – who is the alleged victim in the case – is expected the be the first witness on the stand tomorrow.