A North Carolina judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by 31 former N.C. State athletes, who accused Robert M. Murphy Jr., the former director of sports medicine, of sexual abuse. The plaintiffs claimed the abuse occurred under the pretense of treatment, involving inappropriate conduct during massages and oversight violations during drug testing.
Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins dismissed the lawsuit due to procedural factors. The dismissal followed a motion by Murphy’s attorneys, who argued that the statute of limitations had expired for claims dating back to 2013.
The case originated in 2022 when a single athlete filed a federal lawsuit. It expanded to include 31 athletes alleging misconduct, with claims against athletic officials, including former director Debbie Yow and current director Boo Corrigan, dismissed on jurisdictional grounds.
Kery Sutton, representing the former athletes, announced plans to appeal the decision, emphasizing that the dismissal was purely procedural. Sutton noted that additional claims from new individuals would be forthcoming.
“This dismissal has nothing at all to do with Mr. Murphy’s sexual abuse of these 31 former student-athletes,” Sutton stated. “It was decided based only on questions of legal procedure.”
Murphy’s attorney, Jared Hammett, argued that the lawsuit was unfounded and aimed at damaging Murphy’s career. He stated that they had supported someone unfairly targeted.
Only two athletes used their real names in the suit, one being Benjamin Locke, a men’s soccer player. Locke initiated the original lawsuit in August 2022.
N.C. State University affirmed its stance against sexual misconduct, highlighting its commitment to the health and safety of students.
This development comes amidst growing attention to misconduct allegations within collegiate sports. The appellate process and potential new claims indicate that the legal proceedings are far from over.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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