Former Cumberland County basketball coach wins civil lawsuit accusing him of sexual abuse

A former Cumberland County coach won a civil lawsuit Thursday after a jury found that he did not sexually touch one of his players.

In the lawsuit, former player Miya Giles-Jones alleged that when she was between the ages of 15 and 18, Thurston Jackie Robinson, 61, a girls' basketball coach, touched her inappropriately during his time as a coach for an AAU team and at Terry Sanford High School.

Following testimony last week, a jury of 12 found that Robinson did not assault the plaintiff; did not commit battery on the plaintiff; did not recklessly cause emotional distress to the plaintiff; and Giles-Jones did not suffer severe emotional distress as a result of his alleged actions, according to the verdict form.

Robinson was awarded court costs, the record shows.

Related: Fayetteville girls' basketball coach T.J. Robinson charged with more than a dozen sex crimes

Criminal charges

Within days of the lawsuit, Robinson was arrested Jan. 10, 2023, on six felony counts of indecent liberties with a student and nine misdemeanor counts of sexual battery allegedly involving three students. It's unknown if Giles-Jones is one of the alleged victims in the criminal case.

The arrest warrants allege that Robinson rubbed his genitals against one of the students on Aug. 1, 2018, and fondled that same student on Aug. 1, 2020; that he allegedly fondled another student on Jan. 1, 2021; and that he allegedly rubbed his genitals against a third student July 23, 2020, May 1, 2021, and Aug. 1, 2021.

As of Tuesday, the criminal charges against Robinson were still pending, court records showed.

Public safety reporter Joseph Pierre can be reached at jpierre@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: T.J. Robinson wins civil lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault