The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Michigan attorney general: Nassar inquiry at impasse
A yearslong criminal investigation that ensnared Michigan State University’s former president over her role in the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal, as well as a onetime dean and an ex-gymnastics coach, is at an impasse as prosecutors and the university clash over the release of documents, the state attorney general said Wednesday. The status of the inquiry had been thrown into confusion after an announcement a day earlier that it had been suspended.
AG’s position
The attorney general, Dana Nessel, said Wednesday that a previous statement by a spokeswoman for her office “was inadvertently misleading and demands clarification.”
“For the record,” she said, “I remain deeply committed to finding the truth about who knew what about Larry Nassar at MSU. Our department has continued to make it clear — over and over again — that we are at an impasse with MSU as we continue to seek release of more than 6,000 documents the university continues to withhold from our office.”
She continued: “It remains unclear how anyone at MSU — including trustees — can say with certainty that the information contained in those documents is not relevant to our investigation.”
University’s position
A Michigan State spokeswoman, Emily Guerrant, said in a statement Tuesday that the East Lansing university had complied with numerous investigations.
“MSU has cooperated fully with the inquiry, including handing over all facts associated with the case,” the statement said. “In addition to the attorney general’s investigation, MSU has also been investigated and reviewed by more than a dozen other entities and units of government. In all cases, we have cooperated with each and every inquiry.”
Guerrant said in an email that the university would maintain its attorney-client privilege with respect to the documents, which she noted were reviewed by a third-party judge to determine relevant facts to the Nassar case that were then turned over to the attorney general.
The investigation
Michigan State’s handling of sexual abuse complaints against Nassar, longtime team doctor for the Spartans’ gymnastics team and USA Gymnastics, has drawn scrutiny from the state attorney general’s office, as well as federal authorities.
Nassar, 56, is serving several life sentences in prison for sexually abusing scores of women under the guise that he was administering medical treatment to them. The scandal rocked the Olympic movement and Michigan State, costing the state’s largest university hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and fines.