In a recent development, U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman has ruled that former Baylor coach Art Briles was not negligent in a case involving a former female student who accused one of Briles' former players of physical assault. This decision also includes the dismissal of the gross negligence claim against former Bears athletic director Ian McCaw, according to ESPN.

The ruling comes after Briles testified on Thursday, claiming that he had no knowledge of the domestic violence allegations until a lawsuit was filed by the player's accuser in 2016. However, ESPN has reported that there is documentation showing that several staff members were aware of the situation prior to the legal action.

The lawsuit trial was brought forth by Baylor alumna Dolores Lozano, who alleges that ex-Baylor running back Devin Chafin physically assaulted her on multiple occasions in 2014. Lozano claims that Baylor failed to implement Title IX and address sexual violence, putting her at risk for assault. She also asserts that the three defendants, including Briles and McCaw, failed to respond to a report of Chafin's behavior, leading to further abuse.

Chafin had been a member of the Bears football program from 2012-2015 before being dismissed ahead of the 2016 season amid allegations of abuse becoming public.

During the court appearance, Briles contended that he was unaware of Title IX when he was initially hired at Baylor and only received training on the subject in 2014. Additionally, he stated that he was never informed about the assault allegations against Chafin by the staff members who reportedly had knowledge of them. Briles also claimed to be unaware of Chafin's arrest on DUI charges in 2012 in Wichita Falls, Texas.

The lawsuit brought by Lozano is one of several complaints and lawsuits filed by former female Baylor students related to the sexual assault scandal that rocked the program in 2016. As a result of the scandal, Briles was fired, McCaw resigned, and then-president Ken Starr was stripped of his title. Starr passed away in 2022.

Since his dismissal from Baylor, Briles has not coached collegiately, although he did briefly return to the high school coaching ranks in Texas at Mount Vernon from 2019-2020. He was also hired as the offensive coordinator at Grambling State for the 2022 season but resigned shortly after due to intense backlash. McCaw, on the other hand, has been serving as the athletic director at Liberty University since 2016.

The ruling by Judge Pitman marks another chapter in the ongoing legal saga surrounding the Baylor University sexual assault scandal. As the case continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how it will impact the individuals involved and the university as a whole.