Findings summary released
No NMSU football staff violations readily apparent
LAS CRUCES — Through a records request with New Mexico State University, the Sun-News obtained the executive summary from a third-party attorney’s investigation into the Aggies football program and head coach Doug Martin.
The Office of the Attorney General responded to the same request with four completely redacted pages of documents.
The AG’s Office began looking into possible misconduct regarding the football program after receiving an anonymous letter Nov. 27. When news of the complaint broke in December, Martin responded to those allegations saying in part: “It comes from a single disgruntled parent who has a kid that was not getting to play.”
The Carrillo Law Firm, P.C. was tasked by University General Counsel Roy Collins, on Dec. 5, 2019, to respond to both issues raised by the New Mexico Attorney General’s office in correspondence with New Mexico State University President John Floros.
While it remains unclear where the investigation stands with the state, University leadership has twice cleared the head coach, once on Feb. 10 and more publicly with a general statement on March 4: “As the report concluded, each and every allegation was found to
be unsubstantiated. Coach Martin and his staff was found not to have violated any laws, regulations or any university policy and this matter is now closed.”
According to the executive summary, submitted on Feb. 7, Las Cruces attorney Raul Carrillo interviewed 16 witnesses, and documents were reviewed, including all prior complaints against Martin and his staff throughout his tenure as head coach.
The full report was not made available and has not been submitted to the Office of the Attorney General due to federal privacy laws.
“Due to the sensitivity of the investigation, the potential for negative information affecting the careers of various witnesses and stakeholders, and the potential for retaliation against student athletes, it is not the intention of the investigator to disclose the identity of any witness to any individual outside of University General Counsel’s office, to the extent practicable,” Carrillo wrote.
According to Carrillo’s report, “The topics raised in the Attorney General’s series of letters from Dec. 5-16, 2019, have been reviewed and investigated to a reasonable extent, and no violations of University policy, state law, or NCAA regulation are readily apparent.”
The following allegations were reviewed and found to be unsubstantiated:
■ Safety questions regarding athletes being required to play with injuries;
■ The weaponization of injury information;
■ Disparaging injury treatment plans;
■ Alleged instructions to players to play when injured;
■ Allegations that players were required to dress in clothing resembling that worn by inmates at correctional facilities;
■ Allegations that players have been threatened with the loss of scholarships for refusal to play with injury;
■ Alleged intimidating, threatening and bullying behavior of student athletes by the coaching staff;
■ An allegation that athletes were placed in a position of peril or danger by being instructed to play in dangerous conditions;
■ Allegation of alleged improper conduct of the Head Coach
An allegation that Martin “directed players to see one trainer and not other members of the training staff” was factually substantiated, but does not reveal any violation of law, policy or regulation.
An additional allegation of “improper conduct of one Assistant Coach” was left under review pending a follow-up interview. Martin and New Mexico State athletics director Mario Moccia told the Sun-News that university administration informed them that the complaint in question was anonymous and was submitted late in the investigation.
Carrillo explained that due to anonymity of some complaints, the investigation was “at a standstill” and that it should be reopened if new relevant and material facts are brought to light, or complaining parties with specific information come forward.
“The anonymity of the complaining parties also prevents the investigator from identifying persons who may be potential witnesses, and who may corroborate any of the allegations. The investigator cannot determine whether any additional person should be interviewed based on the lack of specificity in the allegations submitted.”
Carrillo’s investigation “responds to inquiries of New Mexico State University, by the New Mexico Attorney General, concerning the health, safety and welfare of student athletes, and specifically complaints against Head Football Coach Doug Martin.” Carrillo identified nine allegations:
■ Improper conduct, including intimidating and threatening behavior toward his student athletes;
■ Incidents of verbal bullying of student athletes;
■ Inappropriate weaponizing of medical injury information and disparaging injury treatment plans;
■ Student athletes have allegedly been placed in peril by requiring them to practice under dangerous weather conditions;
■ Student athletes have been required to play when injured;
■ Student athletes have been instructed to not see the trainers on staff;
■ It is alleged there has been disparate treatment of minority student athletes;
■ Student athletes were required to wear orange clothing, resembling those worn by inmates at correctional facilities;
■ The coaching staff threatened to revoke the scholarships for players based on their inability to perform due to injury.