Family Sues NCCU Over basketball players death
The family of a basketball player from North Carolina Central University, who passed away in 2023, is taking legal action against the university.
Devin Butts tragically died on May 5, 2023, at Duke University Hospital at the young age of 22. Originally from Georgia, he was only weeks away from graduating with a bachelor's degree in behavioral and social sciences.
Last month, Butts’ family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Durham County Court.
On May 2, 2025, North Carolina attorneys Jason Burton and Walter Burton submitted the lawsuit on behalf of the late Butts and Jaylan Sandifer against North Carolina Central University.
According to the lawsuit, Sandifer serves as the personal representative for Butts. An obituary indicates that Sandifer and Butts were related.
The lawsuit seeks a minimum of $25,000 from the university.
In a statement, a North Carolina Central University spokesman said the university is aware of the lawsuit, writing, “As a matter of policy, the university does not comment on pending legal proceedings."
It alleges that Butts and three of his teammates from North Carolina Central University entered through the side door of McDougald-McLendon Arena to engage in voluntary workouts on April 30, 2023. The suit claims that Butts and his teammates took part in shooting drills and one-on-one exercises to mimic live game situations. Furthermore, it states that the workout was not overseen by any coaching staff, training staff, or athletic department personnel.
At approximately 12:30 a.m. on May 1, Butts experienced cardiac arrhythmia and suffered a sudden cardiac incident, as stated in the lawsuit.
The lawsuit indicates that Butts collapsed onto the gym floor and lost consciousness. It also asserts that there were no automated external defibrillators (AEDs) present on or near the basketball court. According to the suit, the sole AED located in the McDougald-McLendon Arena was situated inside an athletic training room in another section of the building, which was not accessible to Butts’ teammates.
The suit mentions that Butts’ teammates dialed 911 at 12:35 a.m. on May 1. Durham County EMS arrived at the arena at 12:48 a.m.
The lawsuit alleges that Butts experienced oxygen deprivation for approximately 18 minutes before first responders reached him.
First responders managed to restore Devin’s heartbeat; however, he suffered an anoxic brain injury due to the lack of oxygen,” the suit claims.
According to the lawsuit, authorities transported Butts to Duke University Medical Center for emergency medical care. The lawsuit states that Butts was placed on life support, but he could not recover brain function in the days following the incident.
Butts’ death certificate indicated that he passed away due to a heart condition.
The lawsuit claims that North Carolina Central University basketball players were "allowed and encouraged" to access McDougald-McLendon Arena after hours between March 2023 and April 2023 for "voluntary" conditioning, despite NCAA restrictions on postseason participation. Furthermore, the lawsuit names former North Carolina Central University Chancellor Johnson Akinleye, Athletic Director Dr. Louis “Skip” Perkins, basketball coach Levelle Moton, facilities and operations manager George Smith, and North Carolina Central University Police Chief Damon Williams.
“NCCU did not provide a reasonably safe environment for student athletes to engage in intercollegiate athletics,” the lawsuit asserts. “NCCU failed to exercise reasonable care to safeguard student athletes from and/or lessen the risks and potential repercussions of [a] SCE [sudden cardiac event].