Assault victim’s dad apologizes for courtroom attack
MAN LUNGED AT DISGRACED SPORTS DOCTOR
A father of three victims tried to attack Larry Nassar in a Michigan courtroom on Friday after a judge declined his request for a few minutes alone in a locked room with the “demon” former sports doctor. He was blocked by an attorney and tackled by sheriff’s deputies.
Two of the man’s daughters had just told the judge that they and another sister had been sexually abused by Nassar under the guise of medical treatment. Their father, Randall Margraves, told the judge he was a “distraught father.”
Margraves then looked at Nassar, shook his head and called him a profanity while speaking at the courtroom podium. Margraves then asked for “five minutes” alone with Nassar. The judge said she couldn’t allow that. He asked for one minute, and she again declined.
Margraves then lunged at Nassar, who was sitting nearby.
Margraves was restrained by sheriff’s deputies and hauled out of court. He returned a few hours later to apologize to Judge Janice Cunningham, who said there was “no way” she would punish him under her contempt of court powers. She noted the anguish felt by families over Nassar’s crimes.
The incident occurred during the third and final sentencing hearing for Nassar on assault charges. The charges focus on his work with Twistars, an elite Michigan gymnastics club. The judge resumed the hearing after about 25 minutes.
Assistant Attorney General Angela Povilaitis told families in the courtroom to “use your words,” not violence.
“This is letting him have this power over us,” she said. “We cannot behave like this. I understand this is a remarkable situation. But you cannot do this. This is not helping your children. This is not helping your community. This is not helping us.”
Moments before Margraves’ stunning courtroom charge, one of his daughters, Lauren Margraves, had told the judge that her parents were “filled with regret” because they took the girls to see Nassar.
“I see the look in their faces and I know they want to be able to do something but they can’t,” she told Nassar. “The guilt they have will never go away. All this is because of you.”
More than 30 victims have given statements so far during the hearing.