RALEIGH — The athletes who accused former N.C. State athletic trainer Robert M. Murphy of sexual abuse waited too long to sue him — one of several reasons the case should be dismissed, Murphy’s lawyer argued in Wake County court Wednesday. 

If a judge agrees with that argument, the civil case could be over, but Wake County District Attorney Lorrin Freeman told WRAL on Wednesday that the state is conducting a criminal investigation into the allegations.

Other WRAL Top Stories

“Mr. Murphy would love to have the opportunity in some ways to clear his name,” Jared Hammett, a lawyer for Murphy, told Wake County Superior Court Judge Bryan Collins during Wednesday’s hearing. 

“But these statute of limitations exist for a reason, and he shouldn’t have to defend this suit at all. He shouldn’t have to pay money to defend this suit in this situation. I know that a lot of people have already jumped to the conclusions that he’s done what people say that he did because there’s a complaint that’s out there.”

Thirty-one former NC State athletes across at least eight men’s sports have accused Murphy of sexual abuse and misconduct and several current and former athletics department of negligence in a civil lawsuit in state court. The athletes allege that Murphy often touched their genitals during treatments that didn’t require it.

It’s now up to Collins to decide if that lawsuit moves forward following hours of arguments Wednesday morning about whether or not to dismiss the case due to jurisdiction, statute of limitations and other legal concerns. Collins gave lawyers two more weeks to provide additional information.

Robert O. Jenkins, an attorney for the athletes, argued Wednesday that the university normalized the conduct that led to the allegations.

“NC State normalized the conduct of this athletic trainer,” Jenkins said. “They made it where you had to do it. They allowed it to continue. They allowed it to continue for years. Not only did they allow it to continue, they promoted him despite knowing all this was happening to these young men. It is on par with what we saw at Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan State, UCLA.”

Lawyers for the NC State officials argued that the statute of limitations has expired and that the claims don’t belong in state court but in front of the Industrial Commission.

Murphy served as NC State’s director of sports medicine from January 2012 until June 2022 when he resigned. Murphy was suspended from his position in January 2022.

“Mr. Murphy would love to have the opportunity in some ways to clear his name,” said lawyer Jared Hammett, who represented Murphy in court. “But these statute of limitations exist for a reason, and he shouldn’t have to defend this suit at all. He shouldn’t have to pay money to defend this suit in this situation. I know that a lot of people have already jumped to the conclusions that he’s done what people say that he did because there’s a complaint that’s out there.”

Freeman told WRAL that an investigation into the matter is ongoing. She said that within 30 to 60 days the investigation will be at a point where her office can make decisions about the next step.

'Rob Murphy special'

Benjamin Locke, a former NC State men’s soccer player, filed the complaint in federal court in 2022. A second athlete joined in February 2023 and a third in April 2023. An additional 14 athletes joined the lawsuit in 2025. It has since expanded to 31 athletes, almost all of them identified as John Doe. Lawyers for the athletes said there are likely many more impacted athletes and some have contacted them.

“Although there’s a lot of defendants and a lot of plaintiffs, for each one of these guys, it’s the only case they have,” said Kerry Sutton, an attorney for the athletes. “So they’re sitting at home saying – I get text messages from guys sitting here in the courtroom – ‘What’s going on? What’s going on?’ They’re traumatized. They were traumatized. They are traumatized. A lot of them are really struggling with this.”

Sutton said there has been no discussion about a potential settlement at this point.

In addition to Murphy, the complaint names several current and former NC State athletics department officials as individuals:

  • Former athletics director Deborah Yow
    • Current athletics director Eugene “Boo” Corrigan
      • Former deputy athletics director Michael Lipitz
        • Current deputy athletics director Stephanie Menio
          • Current chief of staff and senior women’s administrator Michelle Lee
            • Former senior associate athletics director Lester S. Clinkscales
              • Current senior associate athletics director Raymond Harrison

                Former NC State Chancellor Randy Woodson was originally named in the lawsuit, but the claims against him were dismissed by the plaintiffs earlier this week. The standards for proving that a public official, as Woodson would be considered under the law, are different from those surrounding the other NC State administrators in the case.

                Lawyers for the NC State administrators argued that state law dictates that complaints against state employees be heard by the Industrial Commission, which they said has “the exclusive jurisdiction over claims arising from the alleged negligence of state employees, officers or agents acting within the course and scope of their employment.” 

                The plaintiffs have filed a complaint against NC State with the commission. That complaint is on hold pending the outcome of the civil lawsuit.

                Lawyers for the NC State officials argued in court that the statute of limitations has expired for these claims and that administrators didn’t hide or conceal anything, noting that the athletes make it clear in their complaint that the alleged behavior by Murphy was widely known among athletes. 

                “Any student-athlete known to be on his way to a treatment or drug testing session with Murphy was said to be on his way to get a ‘Rob Murphy Special,’” the lawsuit says.

                Sutton said that “if anything is based on fraud or concealment, then the statute doesn’t run.” She said there were facts that weren’t discovered until January of 2025.

                “We are not asking you, in your discretion, to eliminate or say the statute of limitations doesn’t apply,” Jenkins told the judge. “What we’re asking you to do is recognize that in our pleading we have alleged sufficient allegations for which we raise a jury question. The question is not has the statute of limitations expired. The question is under the circumstances, given the egregious conduct of these high-level administrators at NC State, will the jury care that the statute of limitations has expired.”

                Harrison’s attorney noted that Harrison, Murphy’s direct supervisor, took steps to discipline Murphy, directing him to stop treating male athletes, stop treating or hanging out with the men’s soccer team and find a third-party vendor to conduct urine sample collections for drug testing. Armina A. Manning, Harrison’s lawyer, said that showed that Harrison wasn’t negligent in his oversight.