Convicted Iowa professor wants sentencing delayed

A University of Iowa professor convicted of beating up a female laboratory assistant is asking for his sentencing hearing to be delayed.

Assistant professor of pathology Toshiki Itoh was convicted by a jury on two counts of assault causing bodily injury. Jurors split 12-2 on a felony third-degree sexual abuse charge, and prosecutors plan to retry him in February.

Itoh is scheduled to be sentenced on the assault charges on Friday. But his attorney, Patricia Kamath, has asked a judge to delay the sentencing for now.

Kamath says she wants to again merge the two cases and ask for a new trial. She says she was ill last week and unable to meet the deadline for filing a motion.

Itoh remains on paid leave earning his $93,000 annual salary.