Disgraced USA Gymnastics team doctor gets life in prison
The disgraced former doctor for the American gymnastics team, Dr. Lawrence G. Nassar, was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison on Wednesday for multiple sex crimes, capping an extraordinary seven-day hearing that drew more than 150 young women to publicly confront him and speak of their abuse.
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, who had opened her courtroom to the young women, including several prominent Olympic athletes, bluntly made clear that Dr. Nassar, 54, was likely to die in prison.
“I just signed your death warrant,” she said as she imposed the sentence.
Dr. Nassar, 54, was accused of molesting girls for years under the guise of giving them examinations or medical treatment. Some were as young as 6. Many of them were Olympic gymnasts. In November, he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing seven girls. He had already been sentenced to 60 years in federal prison for child pornography convictions.
The case and its ramifications are far from over. It has ignited outrage in the sports world and beyond, leading to the resignation this week of the chairman and several board members of the governing body for gymnastics in the United States, U.S.A. Gymnastics. Last week, the organization cut ties with the private training center at a remote Texas ranch where some of the abuse occurred.
Moments after the judge delivered her sentence, the Olympic committee issued a statement calling on the entire U.S.A. Gymnastics board to resign and promising additional steps to investigate Dr. Nassar’s conduct and ensure athletes are not harmed in the future. The Olympic committee’s chief executive, Scott Blackmun, also apologized for not attending the hearing, after gymnasts pointedly condemned the U.S.O.C. for lack of support.
Several civil lawsuits have already been filed and the number of entities with potential exposure to liability for allowing Dr. Nassar to continually commit these heinous crimes is staggering. Contact The Matassini Law Firm, P.A. if you or a loved one has been a victim of a sex crime involving anyone in a special position of trust such as a doctor, teacher, therapist, or counselor. We have successfully obtained financial compensation for victims of sexual abuse and provide free consultations for all potential victims.
