NC State responds to former soccer player’s claim that campus trainer abused him
Not long after a former soccer player filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against N.C. State University, a campus spokesman said the university officials responded to the man’s accusations of abuse as soon as they heard them.
In his federal lawsuit, Benjamin Locke says he was repeatedly sexually harassed and abused by Robert M. Murphy Jr. while enrolled at State from 2015 to 2017. He accuses multiple athletics officials and the university itself of failing to protect him and other students from Murphy, a former director of sports medicine..
Brad Bohlander, NCSU Chief Communications and Marketing Officer, released this written statement:
“On Jan. 19, 2022, a former student athlete reported to NC State University Police allegations of sexual misconduct by an athletic trainer between 2015 and 2017. This was the first the university was informed of the accusations; neither this former student athlete nor other student athletes had previously reported these types of allegations to the university.
“Police immediately began investigating the allegations, the university started a related discrimination and harassment investigation, and the employee was placed on administrative leave.
“Sexual misconduct of any kind is completely unacceptable and contrary to the culture and standards of the athletic department and the university.Police concluded their investigation and no criminal charges have been filed.The trainer was involuntarily separated from employment with the university while the university’s investigation was ongoing.
“Although the trainer was no longer a university employee, the university’s investigation continued in order to ensure a complete and thorough process. The findings of the investigation are considered subject to the State Personnel Records Act and to personnel files as well as subject to the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and cannot be released by the university.
“The health and safety of students and student athletes is paramount to NC State Athletics and the university. NC State Athletics strives to follow best practices and is committed to continually reviewing and improving its processes to ensure student health, safety and privacy.NC State is reviewing the lawsuit and determining appropriate next steps. As this is a pending legal matter, the university cannot provide additional comments at this time.”
This story was originally published August 30, 2022 at 8:47 PM with the headline "NC State responds to former soccer player’s claim that campus trainer abused him."