A federal judge has ordered College of Charleston athletic director Matt Roberts and head baseball coach Chad Holbrook to hand over cell phones, computers and tablets to a forensic expert in the ongoing lawsuit filed by former Cougars baseball coach Matt Heath.

Heath sued the school for wrongful termination in July 2017. One of Heath’s allegations in the lawsuit is that Roberts already decided to hire Holbrook before he was fired on June 30, 2017.

The school denies Heath’s claim.

In October 2018, the parties “entered into a settlement agreement” of the original lawsuit as long as Steven Abrams, a forensic expert, could analyze the iPhone records of Roberts to determine if “there were any messages contradicting” the athletic director’s sworn statement.

When Abrams examined Roberts’ iPhone, however, he discovered that the phone was configured to keep messages for only 30 days. In November, Heath’s lawyers sought to sanction College of Charleston for destroying evidence.

While Judge Richard Gergel denied the request to reprimand the school, he did order Roberts and Holbrook to turn over their cell phones and other electronic devices to Abrams for further examination.

CofC vs. Citadel Baseball (copy)
Former College of Charleston baseball coach Matt Heath. File/Staff

In June 2017, the school launched an investigation into Heath’s conduct as head coach. The school’s investigation uncovered several allegations of misconduct by Heath.

Roberts suspended Heath without pay during the investigation.

After the investigation was completed on June 14, 2017, Roberts notified Heath that he had initiated a termination action for “just cause” — meaning the school would not be required to pay Heath the balance on his contract. Heath had three years remaining on his five-year contract. He  made $154,875 in 2017.

Roberts submitted his final recommendation to former College of Charleston president Glenn McConnell that Heath be terminated for “just cause” on June 23, 2017.

Five days later, Heath submitted a written reply to Roberts and McConnell objecting to the findings of the investigation, saying the report was “biased” and that he never had a chance to produce “evidence” or witnesses at a hearing or have a “face-to-face” meeting with McConnell.

The suit contends that the investigation by Roberts was “designed for one purpose only to end Heath’s tenure as head coach in bad faith” no matter the cost and not to uncover the veracity of the allegations of misconduct.

Heath, 39, was 59-57-1 in two seasons as the Cougars head coach from 2016-2017. The Cougars were 28-31 during Heath’s final season in 2017. It was the Cougars'  first losing season since 2001.

Roberts declined to comment on Wednesday.

Reach Andrew Miller at 843-937-5599. Follow him on Twitter @APMILLER_PandC

Sports Reporter

Andrew Miller is a sports reporter, covering The Citadel, College of Charleston, S.C. Stingrays, Charleston Battery, etc. Before joining The Post and Courier in 1989, he graduated from South Carolina with a degree in journalism.

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