Former North Carolina State University sports medicine director Robert Murphy Jr. was arrested in Marion County, Florida, following a September 14 Wake County grand jury indictment.
The Indictment and Arrest in Marion County
Robert Murphy Jr., 54, of Ocala, Florida, was booked into custody shortly after 9 p.m. The charges stem from 14 different cases involving offense dates ranging from October 2016 to September 2021.
Prosecutors specifically allege that during treatment sessions in the fall of 2020, Murphy willfully committed a felony by indicating that sexual contact between him and an unidentified plaintiff was necessary and that the individual’s health would benefit from it.
Civil Litigation Background and University Response
The criminal indictments follow years of civil litigation initiated by former student-athletes. Benjamin Locke, a soccer player at the university from 2015 to 2017, filed an initial federal lawsuit in August 2022 after previously filing a criminal complaint with campus police. Over time, the civil action expanded to include more than 30 former male athletes accusing Murphy of sexual harassment and abuse during athletic treatments. According to the civil complaint, athletes began complaining as early as 2012 about unnecessarily intrusive sample collection methods for mandatory drug testing, with concerns escalating by 2014 regarding deep tissue massage treatments on groins.
That dismissal is currently under appeal. Anything less is unthinkable.”
Legal Defense and Institutional Stance
Throughout the proceedings, Murphy has consistently denied all allegations of wrongdoing. His defense attorneys, Jared Hammett and Seth A. Blum, released a statement expressing disappointment regarding the prosecution.
Apparently, after enough careful editing, someone came up with a story that got a prosecutor’s attention.
NC State leadership addressed the unfolding criminal case following the arrest. NC State Chancellor Kevin Howell, who became chancellor in 2025 and is a former NC State athlete, emphasized the university’s position ahead of a Board of Trustees meeting. “NC State does not tolerate sexual assault of any kind,” Howell told WRAL. “We care about our students. We care about our student athletes. That was something that happened, I believe, years ago, but we are fully cooperating with the investigation. We do not condone sexual assault of any kind. Period.” An official university statement added: “Sexual misconduct of any kind is unacceptable. We are aware of the charges filed by Wake County against Robert Murphy. We will cooperate with law enforcement in this matter.”
| Legal Metric / Milestone | Details |
|---|---|
| Total Criminal Charges | 32 counts (9 felonies, 23 misdemeanors) |
| Felony Classification | Sexual contact/penetration under pretext of medical treatment (Class C felony) |
| Offense Timeline | October 2016 through September 2021 |
| Initial Civil Filing | August 2022 (Expanded to over 30 plaintiffs) |
| Murphy Tenure at NC State | January 2012 – June 2022 |
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