SC State: Ex-NFL player who killed 6 knew risks of football
South Carolina State, where Phillip Adams played college football, has denied wrongdoing connected to his brain injuries before he killed six people in 2021, court documents show.
Adams’ family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in civil court against the school in Orangeburg, South Carolina, this year. That lawsuit alleges that South Carolina State failed to provide safety against head trauma and concussions while Adams played there from 200609. The Bulldogs play in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, along with Norfolk State.
In a response to the civil lawsuit, lawyers for S.C. State have denied the allegations. The school’s response says Adams voluntarily played football at the school, assumed the risks of playing, and failed to exercise care for his own safety, court documents show.
“Decedent (Adams) had actual knowledge of and voluntarily assumed the risk of participation in the football program,” the response states.
Adams signed a waiver and/or release before playing on the football team, the response states.
The response further claims Adams had contributory negligence. “As to any injuries or damages Plaintiff alleges were incurred, Decedent failed to exercise ordinary care for his own safety, such failure on his part proximately caused or damages alleged in Plaintiff’s Complaint, and any recovery should be barred or reduced by Decedent’s own contributory/comparative negligence,” states the response, which asks that the lawsuit be dismissed.
York County Sheriff Kevin Tolson said in April 2021, Adams fatally shot Barbara Lesslie and husband Robert Lesslie, and two of their grandchildren, Adah, 9, and Noah, 5. James Lewis and Robert Shook also died after being shot.
Adams then killed himself when deputies surrounded his home. Adams, then 32, lived with his parents near the Lesslie home.
The motive for the shootings remains unclear, Tolson said.
In December 2021, a doctor from Boston University said after examining Adams’ brain that Adams suffered from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE.
CTE is a brain condition caused by repetitive head trauma. It is sometimes found in former football players. The doctor said Adams had stage 2 CTE. The brain condition can be determined only after death.
Adams played for San Francisco, New England, Seattle, Oakland, Atlanta and the New York Jets during his seven-year NFL career.