LANSING, Mich. (WOOD) — Statements from victims of a former sports doctor convicted of sexual assault continue today.
Larry Nassar, 54, was a sports doctor for the Michigan State University and U.S. Olympic gymnastics teams. He previously pleaded guilty to molesting seven girls at his office at MSU, his home and at a Lansing-area gymnastics club. In many cases, the assaults happened while the victims’ unwitting parents were in the room.
Nearly 100 people — Nassar’s victims or people representing them — will provide victim impact statements during his sentencing hearing. Twenty-nine of those statements were made Tuesday, with victims calling Nassar a “repulsive liar” and saying he had irrevocably damaged their lives. One of the women to speak was the mother of a victim who committed suicide in 2009; she said the downward trajectory of her daughter’s life started with Nassar.
The number of planned victim impact statements is unprecedented. There are so many that proceedings will last all week. The judge is not expected to hand down a sentence until Friday.
Prosecutors have asked that Nassar be ordered to spend at least 40 years in prison. He has already been sentenced to 60 years in prison for federal child pornography charges.
Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney and Aly Raisman said they were victims of Nassar, though none are expected to address the court this week.