North Carolina Judge Dismisses Lawsuit by Former N.C. State Athletes Alleging Abuse

A North Carolina judge has dismissed a significant lawsuit brought by 31 former male athletes from North Carolina State University. These athletes accused the university’s former director of sports medicine, Robert M. Murphy Jr., of sexual abuse under the guise of treatment. They also implicated N.C. State athletic officials for failing to oversee Murphy’s conduct properly.

Judge Bryan Collins of Wake County Superior Court ruled to dismiss the claims on procedural grounds. He cited the expiration of the statute of limitations for allegations reaching back to 2013 as the primary reason for dismissal.

The lawsuit first emerged in February after an athlete initiated federal legal action against Murphy in 2022. Allegations included improper touching during massages and inappropriate observation during urine sampling for drug tests. Murphy’s legal team successfully sought dismissal, leveraging arguments related to time-barred claims.

Furthermore, the court dismissed accusations against N.C. State athletic officials, encompassing former athletic director Debbie Yow and current director Boo Corrigan, due to jurisdictional constraints.

“This dismissal has nothing at all to do with Mr. Murphy’s sexual abuse of these 31 former student-athletes,” said Kery Sutton, who represents the former athletes. “It was decided based only on questions of legal procedure. We plan to appeal this outcome and in coming days will be adding new claims against NCSU for men who have recently come forward.”

Jared Hammett, Murphy’s attorney, issued a statement asserting that the case had not implicated his client substantively, characterizing Murphy as a dedicated professional. Hammett expressed relief at the ruling, considering it vital to clearing Murphy’s name.

Notably, the lawsuit involved most athletes filing anonymously, with only two plaintiffs choosing to forgo pseudonyms. One identified athlete, Benjamin Locke, a former men’s soccer player, initiated his claim in August 2022.

In response to the ongoing legal battle, North Carolina State University stated, “N.C. State does not condone sexual misconduct of any kind. The health and safety of our students and student-athletes is paramount to the university and our athletic programs.”

As the legal proceedings develop, the case highlights critical issues concerning institutional responsibility and the protection of student-athletes.