USA Gymnastics Team Doctor Larry Nassar Sentenced To Up To 175 Years In Prison For Decades Of Sexual Abuse

"I just signed your death warrant." This is what Judge Aquilina said to former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, when she sentenced him to up to 175 years in jail this week for sexual abuse.

Over the course of seven days, over 150 women appeared in court to testify against Nassar. This number included Olympians Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney, who came forward to recount the abuse they suffered at his hands. Nassar had already been sentenced to 60 years in prison for child pornography convictions.

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Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to publicly come forward about Nassar and trigger to the avalanche of women coming forward with similar claims, said in her testimony: “Larry is the most dangerous type of abuser. One who is capable of manipulating his victims through coldly calculated grooming methodologies, presenting the most wholesome and caring external persona as a deliberate means to ensure a steady stream of young children to assault.”

In McKayla Maroney’s statement, she asked:  “How could have Larry Nassar been allowed to assault so many women and girls for more than two decades?”

With allegations of this abuse dating back as far as the 1990s, other survivors also used their testimony to question the training bodies that employed Nassar for their lack of response to claims made against him, with 15-year-old Emma Ann Miller saying in her testimony that MSU (Michigan State University), where Nassar worked from 1997 until last September, are still billing her for appointments in which she was sexually assaulted. 

In her testimony, Olympian and survivor Aly Raisman said: “Yesterday, USA  Gymnastics announced that it was  terminating its lease at the ranch where  so many of us were abused. I am glad that  it is no longer a national team training site but USA Gymnastics neglected to mention that they had athletes training  there the day they released the statement. 

“USA Gymnastics where is the honesty? Where is the transparency? Why must the manipulation continue? Neither USA Gymnastics nor the USOC  have reached out to express sympathy or  even offer support. Not even to ask: 'How  did this happen? What do you think we can do to help?'”

As Aly said in her statement following the sentence: “Thank you fellow survivors for your courage, strength, and leadership, you have all had an overwhelming impact on me and I am proud to stand with you all — today, tomorrow, and every day that follows.” 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWWFB6RZwgg&t=262s

If you have been affected by sexual abuse or sexual assault, or want more information, visit thesurvivorstrust.org for confidential support and resources.