Larry Nassar: Former USA gymnastics doctor sentenced up to 125 years in jail
Former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar has been sentenced 40 to 125 years in prison for three counts of criminal sexual conduct in his third and final sentencing trial.
Having also worked as a doctor at Michigan State, Nassar is said to have abused more than 265 young women and athletes including, often under the guise of medical treatment, and will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Judge Janice Cunningham said during the sentencing: "I am not convinced that you truly understand that what you did was wrong and the devastating impact that you've had on the victims, family and friends."
Nassar apologised to the court and said the hundreds of victim impact statements read before him "impacted him to [his] innermost core."
"With that being said, I understand and acknowledge that it pales in comparison to the pain, trauma and emotions that you all are feeling...It's impossible to convey the depth and breadth of how sorry I am to each and everyone involved. The visions of your testimonies will forever be present in my thoughts," he said.
Some of his victims included 2012 Olympic gold medal-winning gymnasts McKayla Maroney, and Aly Raisman, who gave emotional statements in front of Nasser in his other sentencing trial along with 150 others.
In that case, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said to Nassar: "Your decision to assault was precise, calculated, manipulative, devious, despicable. I don’t have to add words because you survivors have said all of that and I don’t want to repeat it."
"I’ve just signed your death warrant," Ms Aquilina said during the sentencing hearing.
She sentenced Nasser up to 175 years in prison following the testimony of 160 women.
He has also separately been sentenced in a federal court to 60 years in prison on three counts of child pornography as well.
Per a deal reached last year with the 54-year-old, Nassar pleaded guilty to 10 sexual assault charges divided between two Michigan countries – seven in Ingham County and three in Eaton County.
In both plea deals, the minimum sentence was agreed to be 40 years.
Separately, approximately 140 of his victims have filed a lawsuit against Nassar, USA Gymnastics (USAG), and Michigan State University (MSU) alleging the organisations knew about the abuse years before Nassar's arrest and failed to do anything about it.
As a result of Nassar's crimes coming to light and criticism from victims, the US Olympic Committee has launched an independent investigation into USAG.
The entire USAG board has resigned as well after the US Olympic Committee threatened to de-certify it as the governing body of the sport ahead of the 2020 Olympics. Sponsors have also backed out in light of the heinous scandal.
Abuse survivor Annie Labrie had said "as detectives, attorneys and survivors have previously noted, a pedophile cannot flourish in the way Larry did in an environment that is not conducive to his behavior...He was prolific because surrounding authorities allowed him to be. Because the gymnastics world allowed him to be."
