Nassar gets another 40 to 125 years as judge says ‘he can’t be reformed’
THE judge who sentenced disgraced doctor Larry Nassar to decades in prison for sexually abusing patients at an elite gymnastics club says the depth of his crimes is “incomprehensible”.
Judge Janice Cunningham sentenced Nassar yesterday to between 40 and 125 years in prison. The case focused on sexual assaults at Twistars, a gym for elite gymnasts in Eaton County, Michigan.
More than 260 women and girls say Nassar sexually abused them under the guise of medical treatment while he worked with Twistars, Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics.
Some victims say the abuse occurred decades ago. Judge Cunningham said Nassar’s conduct “spans the country and the world”. She told Nassar she didn’t believe “there is a likelihood that you could be reformed”. Nassar told the court: “It’s impossible to convey the breadth and depth of how sorry I am to each and everyone.”
Nassar (54) admitted that he molested girls and young women.
He was sentenced earlier this month to 40 to 175 years in prison in a separate Michigan case.
He also was previously sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for child pornography crimes.
A prosecutor said the disgraced former sports doctor deserves the “blame and shame” for molesting girls, not their parents.
Assistant attorney general Angela Povilaitis used a portion of her closing argument at Nassar’s sentencing hearing to speak about people questioning the parents’ role in not detecting Nassar’s sexual assaults under the guise of medical treatment.
She said victim shaming and parent shaming “must stop”.
She said Nassar was believed by authorities for years and “each time he got away, he was empowered to continue and perfect his abuse”.
Nassar listened to dozens of victims in court last week and was almost attacked by a man whose three daughters said they were molested.