GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Federal court documents lay out a slew of instances spanning nearly two decades in which girls and women say they reported sexual assault by former sports doctor Larry Nassar to Michigan State University, USA Gymnastics and others, but he was still allowed to keep practicing.
The documents come after the university filed in U.S. District Court in Grand Rapids to dismiss the civil lawsuit by women who say Nassar abused them under the guise of providing medical treatment and that officials didn’t do enough to stop it. The joint status report, which acts as a summary of where each side stands, was filed Jan. 19.
That same day, Nassar sat in an Ingham County courtroom for a fourth straight dayof his sentencing hearing, listening to emotional statements detailing his abuse. He has since been sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for sexual assault in that case. That’s in addition to the 60 years he was sentenced to for federal child pornography charges.
The Jan. 19 court documents include a timeline provided by the plaintiffs detailing 10 instances in which there were complaints about sexual abuse by Nassar and nothing was done:
- 1997 — A 16-year-old gymnast complained of Nassar’s conduct in to former MSU women’s gymnastics coach Kathie Klages. Her complaints were not investigated and she was “dissuaded” from completing a formal complaint.
- 1997 — Another 14-year-old gymnast, Jane B8 Doe, complained to Klages of Nassar’s conduct. Klages “told her there was no reason to bring up Nassar’s conduct.”
- 1998 — A parent of a Twistars gymnast made complaints to John Geddert, the owner of the Lansing-area gymnastics club, regarding Nassar’s conduct, “which were unaddressed.”
- 1998 — Jane A71 Doe complained of Nassar’s conduct to a Twistars coach. The coach said “Nassar wouldn’t do that.”
- 1999 — Jane A19 Doe made three separate complaints to MSU trainers and her head coach. None of them pursued the complaints or reported to others at MSU.
- 2000 — Then-MSU softball player Tiffany Thomas Lopez complained of Nassar’s conduct to her trainers, but nothing was done.
- 2004 — Plaintiff Jane A69 Doe reported Nassar’s conduct to former MSU professor and psychologist Gary Stollak; “Stollak failed to execute his duties as a mandatory reporter and failed to follow university policy.”
- 2004 — Plaintiff Jane A5 Doe reported Nassar’s conduct to the Meridian Township police. Charges were not pursued and “copies of Jane A5 Doe’s report have been denied.”
- 2014 — Amanda Thomashow says she was sexually assaulted during an appointment with Nassar and reported him to MSU’s police department and MSU’s Title IX office. Ultimately, the complaint was closed without any significant disciplinary action.
- 2015 — Jane A68 Doe made complaints of Nassar’s conduct to USA Gymnastics, but waited “at least 5 weeks to report the conduct to law enforcement.” USAG also “dissuaded” her and her parents from pursuing the matter.