After pleading guilty to sexually assaulting minors, Larry Nassar, the 54 year old former Michigan State University osteopathic physician and team doctor for USA Gymnastics, was personally confronted by many of his accusers during a weeklong criminal pre-sentencing hearing in a Michigan courtroom. Under an intense media spotlight, Nassar was sternly and impassionedly rebuked by 156 of his victims, some of whom are well-known, decorated female gymnasts, including Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman.

In addition to being previously sentenced this past July to sixty years in federal prison for possession of child pornography, Nassar was now pending sentencing for decades of criminal sexual misconduct where he repeatedly molested minor females under the guise of medical therapy. Seemingly lacking remorse, Nassar blamed his patients, citing “‘hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,'” whereupon a disgusted Circuit Court Judge Rosemarie Aquilina signed his “death warrant” on January 24, sentencing him to 40 to 175 years in state prison, to be served consecutively with his federal sentence, tantamount to incarceration for life.

The Nassar case has further empowered the #MeToo movement as numerous victimized women subsequently accused and confronted their abuser in an effort to seek justice. As a result, a total of 265 women have now stepped forward to accuse Nassar of sexual abuse. Moreover, there has been considerable fallout due to the Nassar legal proceedings. Both the president and athletic director of Michigan State University, as well as the entire board of USA Gymnastics, have resigned leading to the impression that they may have turned a blind eye to Nassar’s misconduct.

Similarly, Bela and Marta Karolyi, the celebrated couple that previously coached the successful US female Olympic gymnastic teams, have come under a cloud of suspicion for possibly enabling Nassar, as many allege that they must have had some knowledge of his activities.

Though Nassar is imprisoned and will never be freed, expect more investigations and revelations before the dust finally settles on this tragic episode.

Sources: Reuters, Time, Washington Post, New York Times

Photo Source:  Wikimedia