Former USA gymnastics doctor, Larry Nassar was sentenced to 175 years in jail on sexual abuse charges on Jan. 24, 2018. Nassar was accused of sexual abuse by over 150 women.
“I still can’t believe this.” Tia Farlow ’20 said. “This is someone [the victims] trusted and he ended up abusing them. He deserves the sentence.”
The hearing went on for seven days and more than 150 of Nassar’s victims offered statements, while some even spoke to him face to face in the courtroom.
“As I look at you today, I feel nauseous,” Kaylee Lorincz, one of Nassar’s patients and victims said. “I was confused and afraid of what you were doing to me. You assaulted me again and again. I never felt so dirty.”
The patients said that Nassar was very friendly when they first met him and due to him being such a highly regarded doctor they felt thrilled to be treated by him. However, the situation quickly changed for the athletes.
“We went from being his friends … his athletes to being his victims.” Amanda McGeachie, one of Nassar’s victims said.
After a number of women testified against Nassar he made a statement, apologizing for his actions.
“Your words these past several days — their words, your words — have had a significant emotional effect on myself and has shaken me to my core.” Nassar said in his statement. “I also recognize that what I am feeling pales in comparison to the pain, trauma, and emotional destruction that all of you are feeling. There are no words that can describe the depth and breadth of how sorry I am for what has occurred. An acceptable apology to all of you is impossible to write and convey. I will carry your words with me for the rest of my days.”
This statement was followed by Judge Rosemarie Aquilina who said “It is my honor and privilege to sentence you. You do not deserve to walk outside a prison ever again. You have done nothing to control those urges and anywhere you walk, destruction will occur to those most vulnerable.”
Many of the victims thanked Aquilina including Racheal Denhollander, the first victim to publicly accuse Nassar of abuse.
Denhollander said she had “gratitude for a judge who presided with true justice for our case and gratitude for the incredible army of survivors who rose up in the last two weeks to stop the reign of a predator and to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again.”
After hearing about the incident many agree with Aquilina’s decision. “He had this coming,” Olivia Bauks ’20 said. “He abused and traumatized so many people.”
