Years after allegations of locker-room misconduct emerged within the Penn State football program, former defensive back Isaiah Humphries suffered another legal setback in his case against Penn State University and former head coach James Franklin. On Thursday, the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals denied Humphries’ request for a rehearing before the full court, dealing another blow to his ongoing lawsuit tied to allegations of harassment and misconduct within the program.

It has been a lengthy legal battle for the former Penn State defensive back, who continues to seek accountability for the allegations he made against the program. He has maintained that he experienced hazing and harassment during his time with the team.

Humphries had appealed the September 24, 2021, judgment by Middle District Judge Matthew W. Brann, which dismissed claims against Penn State University and former head coach James Franklin. Last month, a three-judge appellate panel upheld that decision, and now the full court has declined to revisit the matter.

The brief one-paragraph order did not address the substance of Humphries’ claims or explain the court’s reasoning in detail. Humphries has alleged that during his time in the Penn State locker room in 2018, he endured harassment and mistreatment involving several players, including Micah Parsons, Yetur Gross-Matos, Jesse Luketa, and Damon Barber. In 2021, Judge Brann explained why he dismissed former head coach James Franklin and Penn State from the case.

“For whatever his (Humphries’) complaint possessed in attention-grabbing details, it lacked substance,” Brann stated.

Judge Brann had previously dismissed Humphries’ claims accusing Penn State and Franklin of retaliation, negligence, and failing to prevent hazing within the program. Much like the earlier appellate panel, the court ultimately sided with Penn State and Franklin, ruling that they did not have a legal duty to protect Humphries.

Details of the lawsuit

Isaiah Humphries sued the Penn State Nittany Lions football team in federal court in 2020. Former head coach James Franklin was among the defendants, along with some players who were allegedly involved.

The lawsuit filed by Humphries included the names of former Penn State players such as Damion Barber, Micah Parsons, Yetur Gross-Matos, and Jesse Luketa. In the suit, Humphries stated that he had been hazed by Damion Barber and other athletes as part of their initiation into the football team at Penn State.

Humphries said the incidents he experienced in the locker room left him with serious emotional scars. He alleged that teammates physically restrained him, subjected him to abusive and humiliating acts, and dismissed the behavior as “locker-room culture.”

One of Humphries’ most disturbing allegations involved a fellow player allegedly telling him, “I am going to Sandusky you,” referencing the Jerry Sandusky abuse scandal at Penn State.

Humphries described several incidents in which older players allegedly forced younger teammates to the ground inside the locker room. Through the lawsuit, Humphries argued that the culture within the Penn State football program created an environment where younger players felt pressured to fit in and tolerate hazing behavior.