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Judge delays decision on summary judgment in Plancher family lawsuit against UCF


Iliana Limón Sentinel Staff Writer 3:16 p.m. EDT, August 21, 2009

A judge heard arguments today in the ongoing wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of football player Ereck Plancher against UCF.

Attorneys representing the UCF board of trustees and the UCF Athletic Association argued that a judge should dismiss the case because Plancher signed two liability waivers clearing the university of all liability. Attorneys presenting the Plancher family countered that the waivers did not absolve the school of its responsibility to properly care for Plancher.

After about an hour-and-a-half, Circuit Judge Maura T. Smith determined there was not enough time to hear all arguments and opted to resume the hearing on Sept. 18. The judge cleared more than two hours in her schedule for the next hearing.

Plancher, a 19-year-old freshman wide receiver from Naples, died March 18, 2008, after an offseason conditioning workout on the UCF campus supervised by Coach George O'Leary and his staff. An autopsy found that the stress of the workout triggered Plancher's sickle-cell trait, a blood disorder that attacked his organs and caused his body to shut down.

Judge delays decision on summary judgment in Plancher family lawsuit against University of Central Florida -- OrlandoSentinel.com