Ex-USA Gymnastics doctor sentenced to 175 years for sexual abuse
Disgraced long-time USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced on
Wednesday to 40 to 175 years in prison for molesting young female gymnasts,
following days of wrenching testimony from about 160 of his victims, including
Olympic medalists.
"I've just signed your death warrant," Ingham County Circuit Court Judge
Rosemarie Aquilina said as she announced Nassar's sentence and delivered a
searing rebuke of his years as an abuser.
Aquilina also scoffed at the apology Nassar offered his victims and said he
will be required to make restitution to them.
Some victims dabbed their eyes after Aquilina spoke, while Rachael
Denhollander, the first woman to come forward publicly in 2016, smiled.
Spectators applauded when the hearing ended and Nassar, wearing a dark blue jail
house jumpsuit, was led out of the court.
Nassar, 54, pleaded guilty in November to seven counts of first-degree sex
assault in Ingham County, as well as three additional charges in Eaton County,
where he will be sentenced next week. He is already serving a 60-year sentence
in federal prison for child pornography convictions.
Nassar, who served as the USA Gymnastics physician through four Olympic
Games, apologized to his victims before the sentencing, telling them, "I will
carry your words with me for the rest of my days."
But Aquilina dismissed his statement as insincere, reading aloud from a
letter he wrote to her in which he claimed he was a good doctor who was
"manipulated" into pleading guilty, drawing gasps from courtroom spectators.
Nassar also claimed his accusers fabricated claims to gain money and fame and
wrote, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."
"This letter tells me you still do not own what you did," Aquilina said,
after angrily tossing the sheet of paper aside. "I wouldn't send my dogs to you,
sir."
CHANGING VIEW
Michigan Assistant Attorney General Angela Povilaitis said the conclusion of
Nassar's case takes the victims' shame and puts it "where it belongs, right on
him."
"At this particular moment in history, this sentence and hearing will be
viewed as a turning point in how our community, our state, our nation, our
culture looks at sexual abuse," she said.
The sentencing followed an extraordinary weeklong hearing that saw a parade
of Nassar victims tell their stories in raw and unflinching terms, describing
how he used medical treatments as a cover to justify penetrating their bodies
with his fingers.
Although Nassar only admitted to seven instances of abuse in the case,
Aquilina allowed other victims to speak at his sentencing. Throughout much of
the proceedings, the bespectacled Nassar sat with his head bowed, rarely making
eye contact with his victims.
His accusers ranged from famous Olympic gold medalists like Aly Raisman to
women like Denhollander, who was the last of the victims to speak on Wednesday
and whom Aquilina described as "the bravest person I have ever had in my
courtroom."
Several victims said the doctor employed manipulative tricks, including
offering kind words and candy their coaches had forbidden, to gain their
trust.
In addition to his work with Olympic teams, Nassar also was the team
physician for the Michigan State University gymnastics and women's crew teams,
as well as an associate professor at MSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine.
The National Collegiate Athletic Association said on Tuesday it had opened an
investigation into Michigan State's handling of the case. In her statement on
Wednesday, Denhollander criticized the school for failing to adequately
investigate complaints against Nassar dating back years.
In addition to Raisman, Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas
and McKayla Maroney have gone public in recent months, saying they were
assaulted by Nassar while undergoing treatment.
Victims and others have criticized USA Gymnastics for ignoring their
complaints and have accused the federation of suppressing their accounts in a
bid to avoid bad publicity.
On Monday, three top board members resigned in the wake of the scandal,
following the exit last March of the federation's president and chief
executive.
Several companies have announced they would not continue to sponsor the
federation, including AT&T Inc on Tuesday.
Source: Reuters
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