State attorney general sues over NMSU over football probe

LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — State Attorney General Hector Balderas has demanded that New Mexico State University turn over documents related to an investigation into its head football coach over allegations of abuse.

His office filed an Inspection of Public Records lawsuit in state district court this week seeking a full report of a probe into the Aggies football program and head coach Doug Martin.

Balderas said his office received an executive summary of a private attorney’s report but not all of the documents.

“It is extremely disappointing and reckless that NMSU has not been fully transparent in how they have addressed abuse complaints that were brought forward by multiple parents and student-athletes, and I will continue to take any action necessary to improve the health and safety of those individuals who attend public institutions in New Mexico,” Balderas said in a statement.

The lawsuit comes after the attorney general’s office received an anonymous letter in November and began looking into allegations of misconduct regarding the football program.

The Las Cruces Sun-News reported that the anonymous complaint said Martin put students in peril by requiring them to practice under dangerous conditions and instructed students to play when injured and to avoid trainers on staff. The letter also alleged that Martin mistreated students of color.

In March, the school said an investigation by an outside law firm found that the allegations were unsubstantiated, and Martin and his staff were found not to have violated any laws, regulations, or any university policy.

The university said some of the information in the full report is protected under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act.

“We were disappointed to read the Attorney General’s remarks in the media regarding NMSU. Our university continues to be as transparent as possible on this issue, while also ensuring that we do not violate federal privacy laws designed to protect our students,” New Mexico State spokeswoman Minerva Baumann said.

New Mexico State athletics director Mario Moccia said in December that Martin will return for his eighth season.

Moccia says Martin was the reason New Mexico State reached the Arizona Bowl in 2017 after nearly 60 years of not playing in the college postseason.

Martin has a 22-63 record as the Aggies head coach.

Moccia said a buyout of Martin’s contract and the Aggies assistant coaching staff would be in the neighborhood of $1.3 million.