‘Sorry’ for Nassar lunge
Father of gymnast wanted ‘five minutes in room with this demon’.
Afather who tried to attack disgraced US sports doctor Larry Nassar in a Michigan courtroom has publicly apologised again, insists he’s “no hero” and says he’s remorseful and embarrassed by his actions.
Randall Margraves lunged at the doctor after hearing two of his daughters tell the court about their sexual abuse at the hands of Nassar. A third daughter also says she was abused by the doctor.
Margraves was tackled by sheriff’s deputies after lunging at the doctor and says he lost control when it appeared that Nassar was shaking his head during his daughters’ statements. Margraves had asked the judge for “five minutes in a locked room with this demon”.
Judge Janice Cunningham denied the request and Margraves then launched himself at Nassar.
Morgan Margraves says her father was hearing some details for the first time. She says he reacted “like most fathers would have done, and probably wanted to do”.
Judge Cunningham says there was “no way” she will punish Margraves for the attempted court attack because of the crimes Nassar had committed and the families’ anguish.
But she said it was worst to “combat assault with assault”.
Nassar must listen to scores of victims before he’s sentenced next week for sexual assault. He has admitted molesting young gymnasts and has been sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison in another county.
Nassar’s case has set off investigations into protection for athletes at USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University in Lansing, which employed Nassar.
The university’s athletic director Mark Hollis on Friday announced his resignation.
Among his more than 265 victims are US Olympic medallists McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles.