The trial of a former University of Arizona track coach accused of assaulting a student-athlete was delayed Tuesday.
Pima County Superior Court Judge Teresa Godoy vacated the trial of Craig Carter scheduled for Aug. 1 after defense lawyer Dan Cooper said he needed more time to prepare his case. No new date was set for the trial, but a status conference was scheduled for June 27.
Carter faces felony charges of aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, stalking with fear of death, and disrupting an educational institution. The charges stem from allegations he held a box cutter to former UA student-athlete Baillie Gibson’s throat, tried to strangle her, threatened her, and tried to drag her out of a classroom in April 2015.
Godoy also ordered the disclosure of the transcripts of interviews ESPN reporters conducted with Gibson and Carter, who was her former track coach at the UA. Cooper cited “five inconsistencies” between what Gibson told ESPN reporters and what she told authorities.
He did not specify what those inconsistencies were.
Prosecutor Ellen Brown questioned whether any inconsistencies existed and argued the ESPN interviews dealt with the sexual relationship between Gibson and Carter, which was “irrelevant” to the criminal charges filed against Carter.
Gibson sued Carter and the UA in civil court, accusing the UA of failing to protect her from repeated sexual assaults by Carter. Cooper said he plans to ask the court to give him access to documents filed in that lawsuit.
