Lawyer: Iowa should have acted sooner on Coker

IOWA CITY (AP) ? A lawyer long familiar with the University of Iowa?s handling of sexual assault allegations against athletes says the school should have acted sooner after learning running back Marcus Coker was under investigation.

Attorney Roxanne Conlin said Thursday the school had an obligation to take swift action after learning a woman claimed Coker had assaulted her on Oct. 28. Prosecutors later declined to bring charges at the victim?s request.

Coker played the final five games of the regular season before being suspended Dec. 20 before the Insight Bowl. He left the program Tuesday.

Conlin says university officials have to explain their response publicly given a history of missteps in such cases. She?s represented women who claimed they were raped by athletes, and mediated a settlement involving former basketball player Pierre Pierce.