Case of former teacher accused of assaulting student delayed for second time

Jessica Horne, The Robesonian, Lumberton, N.C.
·3 min read

Jul. 30—LUMBERTON — A former Public Schools of Robeson County employee appeared in court Thursday on charges related to the alleged assault of a student.

Charles Eugene Davis II, of Pat Street in Spring Lake, was in Robeson County District Court before District Court Judge Jeff Moore. He is charged with assault on a child under age 12 and misdemeanor child abuse, according to court records and information from the Robeson County Detention Center.

Davis' attorney was not present at the hearing, and the case was continued until Nov. 1. Davis said he has retained a lawyer from Hogan Edwards & Blue, LLP in Fayetteville.

Davis did work for the PSRC, but he no longer is employed with the school district, according to Grady Hunt, attorney for PSRC's Board of Education. Hunt did not disclose more information.

According to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Davis held a N.C. Public Schools educator's license in the area of kindergarten through 12th-grade art. The license became effective July 1, 2018, and expired June 30.

This is the second time the case has been continued. Davis did not have an attorney at the time of the June 30 hearing, according to court officials. On that day, his case was delayed until Thursday.

He was arrested May 28 and was released after satisfying the conditions of his $5,000 bond, according to a Detention Center official.

He is accused of assaulting 11-year-old Terry Demetrius Murphy on Feb. 20, 2020, in his arts class at Townsend Middle School.

Davis declined to comment Thursday about the case.

Terry Murphy was playing with another student when Davis pushed a desk in front of him and caused the boy to trip, according to his mother, Skykalonda Murphy. He then "asked Terry what he would do about it" and said "go ahead and swing at me," she said. After Terry swung, the teacher picked him up and slammed him on the ground, before pinning him down on his stomach and pressing the student's arm to his back, according to the mother.

"He slapped me," Terry told The Robesonian on Thursday.

Skykalonda, Terry and others were present at the hearing on Thursday.

"I would like to see him go to jail," Skykalonda said.

"He didn't even apologize to my child. He didn't even say 'I'm sorry,'" she added.

Unified Robeson NAACP Branch President Tyrone Watson met Terry, his mother and others with them outside the courthouse after the hearing.

"I'm just going to support her," Watson said.

"We want accountability," he added.

Watson said the accountability should come from PSRC and the PSRC Board of Education.

The NAACP president also said Skykalonda Murphy has faced hurdles erected by law enforcement and PSRC in her attempt to get the case before a judge. After he spoke with Robeson County's district attorney and sheriff, her case made it to court, Watson said.

"It's disgusting to know that an 11-year-old child should have to be protected from teachers," Watson said.

Reach Jessica Horne at 910-416-5165 or via email at [email protected]