PHILIPPI – Four lawsuits have been filed against Alderson Broaddus University for an invasion of privacy when a camera was found in a resident hall bathroom.
Collins Murphy, an employee of the university, also was named as a defendant in the suit.
O'Dell Eargle was named as a defendant in two of the four lawsuits.
Kristin Burnside, Cayla Rhodes, Erica Brooks and Emily Sarver were students at Alderson Broaddus and members of the women's basketball team who resided in Kincaid Hall as part of their basketball scholarships, according to four complaints filed in Barbour Circuit Court.
Murphy was an assistant women's basketball coach for the university and was the resident director of Kincaid Hall, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs claim Murphy was given access to the resident areas, including restrooms and student dorms.
On Sept. 25, the plaintiffs discovered that someone had hidden a camera device in the restroom of the door and the camera device was used to capture photographs of the plaintiffs and other roommates while using the restroom and shower, all of which showed the plaintiffs and their roommates fully nude, according to the suits.
The plaintiffs claim on Oct. 18, Murphy confessed to placing the camera and taking the photographs while under investigation by the Philippi Police Department.
As a result of the defendants' illegal operation of a camera to capture nude photographs, the plaintiffs suffered irreparable harm, according to the suit.
The plaintiffs are seeking compensatory and punitive damages with pre- and post-judgment interest.
Burnside is represented by Gabrielle E. Ash of Ash Law Office PLLC. Rhodes is being represented by Tammy Bowles Raines of Tammy Bowles Raines Law Office PLLC; and Stephen P. New and Amanda J. Taylor of the Law Office of Stephen P. New. Brooks and Sarver are represented by Steven M. Bragg of the Law Office of Steven M. Bragg.
Barbour Circuit Court case numbers: 15-C-34, 15-C-35, 15-C-36, 15-C-37