Jessica Royall leaves district court in Cranberry Township after having charges held for higher court in May 2018.

County jurors listened Tuesday as a prosecutor and a defense attorney laid out their arguments in the trial of a Cranberry Township woman accused of killing her boyfriend after he was flung off her vehicle last year.

The trial before a jury of eight men and four women started Tuesday and is expected to take several days to conclude.

Jessica A. Royall is charged with homicide, homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence and other charges in the death of Ryan Minett, 27, of New Brighton. She pleaded not guilty to the March 2018 incident.

The 29-year-old defendant listened as Assistant District Attorney Laura Pitchford told jurors that she killed her boyfriend by refusing to slow down and let him safely get off her car.

Her defense lawyer William Difenderfer painted a picture of Minett as a man with a history of abusing women who increasingly became possessive of Royall during their six-week relationship.

The two met on Plenty of Fish, Difenderfer said, and ended with a domestic dispute. Township police said the incident began during an argument between Royall and Minett in her home.

“All she wants to do is get away from the situation with that violent man”, Difenderfer said. “She wanted to get the hell away from him.”

This article is an excerpt. For full coverage of the first day of the Royall trial, pick up a copy of Wednesday's Butler Eagle or subscribe online.