By Deb Gau

dgau@marshallindependent.com

GRANITE FALLS — A jury trial

for a Granite Falls doctor charged with

criminal sexual conduct began Wednesday

in Yellow Medicine County District

Court.

Mark Eakes, 58, appeared in court on

a total of seven counts of criminal sexual

conduct.

During Wednesday’s court proceedings,

jurors heard testimony from one

woman who alleged Eakes had touched

her inappropriately during pelvic exams

in 2021. She also alleged that Eakes

suggested she send him nude photos of

herself.

Witness testimony in the trial will

continue today.

Eakes is charged with four counts of

counts of third degree criminal sexual

conduct falsely representing a medical

purpose, and three counts of fourth degree

criminal sexual conduct falsely representing

a medical purpose. A criminal

complaint alleged that Eakes had sexual

contact with four adult patients during

pelvic or breast exams, in separate incidents

between 2019 and 2021. At the

time, Eakes was a doctor at Avera Granite

Falls.

Eakes is not currently practicing

medicine. According to the Minnesota

Board of Medical Practice, Eakes entered

into a stipulation agreement last

year that he would not practice in Minnesota

until the allegations against him

could be resolved.

The jury selection process

for the trial took up most of

the day Wednesday. A total

of 14 jurors were sworn in

early in the afternoon.

In opening statements

to the jury, assistant Yellow

Medicine County Attorney

Tara Ulmaniec outlined the

allegations against Eakes.

She said jurors would hear

from women who alleged

Eakes had sexual contact

with them during exams,

asked them inappropriate

questions, and asked them to

send him photos.

However, defense attorney

Ryan Garry told jurors

they would learn Eakes conducted

proper medical exams

and asked “medically sound”

questions to try and help patients

with multiple physical

and mental health conditions.

The first day of the trial

ended with testimony from a

37-year-old woman who was

a patient of Eakes in 2020

and 2021. The woman said

she was initially referred to

Eakes about getting a medical

marijuana license for

pain management. She said

that at later appointments

with Eakes, he touched her

inappropriately during pelvic

exams. The woman also

said she expressed an interest

in losing weight at one

appointment, and claimed

Eakes then asked her to text

him body measurements and

photos of herself nude or in

her underwear, to track her

weight loss progress.

District Court Judge

Thomas Van Hon said the

trial would continue starting

at 8:30 a.m. Thursday.