North Carolina Judge Dismisses Lawsuit of Former N.C. State Athletes

A legal case involving 31 former North Carolina State University athletes was dismissed by a North Carolina judge. These athletes had alleged sexual abuse by the university’s former sports medicine director, Robert M. Murphy Jr. The lawsuit, filed under treatment and harassment claims, also targeted athletic officials connected to oversight.

Judge Bryan Collins of Wake County Superior Court dismissed the claims on procedural grounds. The original lawsuit was initiated in February following a federal case that began in 2022, where allegations were made of Murphy’s years of misconduct. Misconduct included inappropriate touching during massages and intrusive observations during drug test urine sampling.

The court decision followed a motion by Murphy’s defense, highlighting that the statute of limitations had expired on incidents dating back to 2013. Claims against other athletic officials, such as former athletic director Debbie Yow and current director Boo Corrigan, were dismissed due to jurisdictional reasons.

Kery Sutton, representing the former N.C. State athletes, announced plans to appeal the decision. “This dismissal is purely based on legal procedure, not on Mr. Murphy’s alleged abuse,” Sutton stated. “We intend to introduce new claims for recently identified victims.”

In contrast, Murphy’s attorney, Jared Hammett, argued that the case occurred due to attempts to damage Murphy’s career. Hammett said, “Our defense helped support someone dedicated to athlete welfare.”

Of the athletes involved, only two filed without pseudonyms. Benjamin Locke, a soccer player, was one of them, filing the initial lawsuit in August 2022.

North Carolina State University stated, “We do not condone any form of sexual misconduct. The safety and health of our students are crucial to us.”

The Associated Press contributed to the report.