Judge Dismisses Lawsuit by 31 Former NC State Athletes Against Ex-Head Trainer
A Wake County Superior Court judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by 31 former NC State male athletes alleging sexual abuse and misconduct by former sports medicine director Robert M. Murphy Jr. Judge Bryan Collins cited procedural grounds, including expired statutes of limitations and jurisdictional issues, rather than ruling on the merits of the allegations. The plaintiffs' attorney announced plans to appeal and said new claims from additional athletes would be filed in coming days.
Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins dismissed claims against Murphy, who served as NC State's director of sports medicine from 2012 to 2022, ruling that the statute of limitations had expired on claims dating as far back as 2013. Collins also dismissed claims against athletics officials — including former athletic director Debbie Yow and current AD Boo Corrigan — on jurisdictional grounds, stating that complaints against NC State as a public university should be directed to the North Carolina Industrial Commission rather than civil court. The case originated with a federal lawsuit filed in August 2022 by soccer player Benjamin Locke, one of only two named plaintiffs among the 31; the rest filed as 'John Doe' to protect their anonymity. Allegations included improper touching of genitals during massages and intrusive observation during drug-test urine collection. Plaintiffs' attorney Kerry Sutton emphasized the dismissal was purely procedural and unrelated to the merits of the abuse claims, while Murphy's attorney Jared Hammett maintained his client's innocence. NC State issued a statement saying it does not condone sexual misconduct and agreed with the court's analysis, while also acknowledging the courage required for victims to come forward.
What's missing
The articles do not specify the precise legal standards or timeline under North Carolina law that govern when such claims must be filed with the Industrial Commission versus civil court, which would help readers assess the viability of the planned appeal.
What different sources said
- Washington TimesRight
Judge dismisses lawsuit by 31 former NC State athletes alleging abuse, misconduct by ex-head trainer
- Fox NewsRight
Judge dismisses lawsuit by 31 former NC State athletes alleging sexual abuse, misconduct by ex-head trainer
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