Dalvin Cook’s lawyers file demand for speedy trial

The attorneys for suspended Florida State Seminoles running back Dalvin Cook have filed a demand for a speedy trial that, if approved, could expedite everything along and have his case resolved in a short amount of time that could potentially pave the way for a return to the football team. Ira Schoffel of Warchant, part of Rivals, reported the development.

A rising sophomore, Cook is currently on indefinite suspension as he faces charges for misdemeanor battery. Allegedly, he punched a woman in the face outside of a local Tallahassee night club. As part of his suspension, he has not participated in any practices and is in danger of missing the ‘Noles’ season opener against Texas State on September 5 despite being the team’s leading rusher in 2014.

Cook was not going to be due in court until September 2 but if a judge approves his lawyers’ request for a speedy trial, he could be in court well before then. Since being charged last month, he has denied the allegations.

But even if Cook does receive a speedy trial and the university lets him back on the team, should he be? His arrest came just one day after former teammate De’Andre Johnson was arrested on the same charge, and Johnson was ultimately dismissed from the program after video of his incident surfaced. There is no video in Cook’s case, but there is audio of a 911 call made by Cook’s alleged victim.

Either way, given how FSU is still dealing with fallout over its handling of former quarterback Jameis Winston’s sexual assault case, bringing Cook back to the team regardless of how his trial pans out just seems like asking for negative publicity. Speedy trial or no, it’d probably be better if FSU just bit the bullet and dismissed Cook from the team, truly taking a stand that player behavior outweighed talent.

Campus Sports will update this story as more information becomes available.

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*Featured Photo (above) credit to USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame RBs, WRs shout out Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown
Notre Dame RBs, WRs shout out Jerome Bettis, Tim Brown