UI athletes, coaches expected to testify in sex abuse trial this week

IOWA CITY - University of Iowa athletics officials as well as current and former athletes may be called to testify at this week's sexual abuse trial of former Hawkeye Cedric Everson III.

Everson, 21, is charged with second-degree sex abuse based on allegations he raped an intoxicated female athlete in an unoccupied Hillcrest Residence Hall room on Oct. 14, 2007. The charge carries a possible 25 years in prison.

Former Hawkeye Abe Satterfield pleaded guilty in April to assault with intent to inflict serious injury for his role in the 2007 case. Police said Satterfield took the intoxicated woman into the room and assaulted her before allowing Everson to do the same.

Satterfield's plea came two days before a scheduled trial as part of a deal requiring him to testify against Everson. Satterfield will be sentenced Jan. 21.

Prosecutors have reported they have a DNA match between semen found on the woman and saliva from Everson's football mouth guard.

The allegations against the football players sparked an investigation by the Iowa Board of Regents, who govern Iowa's state universities. That report concluded the UI followed proper procedures. However, the board launched a new probe in 2008 after discovering the UI didn't turn over several documents to the board.

A third-party inquiry placed blame on two upper-level UI administrators, who were fired. Phil Jones, former vice president for student services, and Marc Mills, former UI general counsel, have since sued the UI for unlawful firing.

Attorneys have estimated Everson's trial in Johnson County District Court will take four to five days, with jury selection starting Monday, Jan. 10.

Due to judge availability, the trial will likely break mid-day on Thursday, Jan. 13 and resume Jan. 18 after the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, Assistant Johnson County Attorney Anne Lahey said.

“Obviously, the wild card is how long jury selection will take,” Lahey said.

Among 30 possible witnesses may be Derrell Johnson-Koulianos, a wide receiver charged with drug possession Dec. 7. Johnson-Koulianos told police in November 2007 that Everson “was like a little brother to him”, according to court records. He moved into the room where the alleged assault occurred and told police that he disposed of a used condom and a stained mattress cover.

Other witnesses may include Head UI Football Coach Kirk Ferentz, Assistant Athletics Director Fred Mims, defensive tackle Mike Daniels and former running back Jevon Pugh. The state has issued subpoenas for all witnesses, Lahey said, but she does not yet know if every person will testify.