Larry Nassar, who sexually abused more than 100 young athletes in his role as a team doctor for USA Gymnastics and as a sports medicine physician at Michigan State University, got his sentence today. He received 40 to 175 years in Michigan state prison for criminal sexual abuse, in addition to the 60 years he received on federal child pornography charges in July.
Before sentencing him, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina told Nassar, “It is my honor and privilege to sentence you. Because, sir, you do not deserve to walk outside of a prison ever again.”
The sentencing was the end of seven days of victims’ impact statements from 163 people, including Olympic gold medalists Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber. The statements also featured parents of victims, including Donna Markham, whose daughter, Chelsea, was abused by Nassar when she was 10. Chelsea committed suicide in 2009 at the age of 23. Donna told the Lansing State Journal, “I wanted [Nassar] to hear what happened to my daughter ... the fact that he started the process of her self-destruction.”
Now, the attention turns to authorities at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University. Michigan State University was made aware of accusations against Nassar as early as 1997 and did nothing. The NCAA has opened an investigation into MSU’s handling of the case.
