A state judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by 31 former NC State male athletes alleging sexual abuse under the guise of treatment and harassment by the Wolfpack’s former director of sports medicine.
As reported by The Associated Press, Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins dismissed claims against Robert M. Murphy Jr., as well as multiple N.C. State athletics officials tied to their oversight rules, on Tuesday citing expiration of the statute of limitations.
Related: Title IX Investigation Finds NC State Trainer Abused Student-Athletes During Treatment
The lawsuit was filed in February in state court in a case that began with a federal lawsuit from a single athlete in 2022. That complaint alleged years of misconduct by Murphy, including improper touching of the genitals during massages and intrusive observation while collecting urine samples during drug testing, the AP's Aaron Beard reported.
Related: Dozens of NC State Athletes Join Lawsuit Alleging Sexual Abuse by Trainer
Collins granted the motion seeking a dismissal from Murphy’s attorneys, ruling that the statute of limitations had expired in claims dating back as early as 2013.
Collins also dismissed claims against multiple athletics officials, including former athletic director Debbie Yow and current AD Boo Corrigan, on jurisdictional grounds. His ruling stated any complaint should go through the North Carolina Industrial Commission — a state agency that deals with workplace matters with N.C. State as a public university — rather than civil court, according to Beard.
