EATON COUNTY, Mich. – More victims of former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar have come forward as another sentencing approaches.
There are 65 more women who will address a judge in Eaton County as another Nassar case gets underway. Some of the women already have offered victim statements at Nassar's other sentencing, but most of them will be new.
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The disgraced sports doctor is accused of sexually abusing more young gymnasts while they were in his care.
Overall, Judge Janice Cunningham said 265 people have come forward to say they were sexual assault victims of Nassar.
- The hearing starts at 8:30 a.m.
Nassar hearing focused on Michigan gymnastics club to resume
The young athletes who confronted Larry Nassar about molesting them at an elite Michigan gymnastics club saved some of their harshest words for a person who was not in the courtroom: an Olympic coach who for years sent teenage girls to see the now-disgraced doctor.
John Geddert operated the Twistars club, where Nassar offered treatments on Monday nights. His victims complained that the coach created an ultra-competitive atmosphere, was indifferent to injuries and rarely offered gymnasts any choice to see a different doctor.
“Coaching by fear, intimidation and shame and explicit favoritism was the norm,” recalled Annie Labrie. She said it was “no surprise” that Nassar was able to continue his practices as long as he did. “We were conditioned for years to obey at all costs.”
Nassar was in court Wednesday for his third and final sentencing hearing. It was scheduled to resume Friday, with more victims expected to speak. The proceedings will probably extend into next week.
This time the focus is on the abuse that happened at Twistars. The nearly 30 victims who gave statements so far included women familiar with the club’s environment. One also alleged that Geddert was aware in the late 1990s that Nassar had performed an “inappropriate procedure” on her when she was 16.
READ: John Engler to be named Michigan State University interim president
In the Eaton County case, the victims were gymnasts at the Twistars Gymnastics Center. Two of the victims are between 13 and 15 years old, but one is under 13 years old.
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As more of Nassar's victims speak in court, Michigan State has a Board of Trustees meeting Wednesday morning to announce that former Gov. John Engler will be named interim president of the university, sources told Local 4 and ClickOnDetroit.
Former Gov. Jim Blanchard will be brought on board as a special advisor, sources said.
Both former governors are graduates of Michigan State University.
Political insiders were talking about the potential of an Engler appointment last week. They duo is being brought in as a cleanup crew.
An investigation by Attorney General Bill Schuette is underway into who knew what at MSU, and the State House is planning an inquiry.
Nassar's crimes have also spurred action in Washington, D.C. A bill to protect young athletes which hadn't had much movement is now heading to President Donald Trump's desk. Nassar victims such as Jeanette Antolin, were behind the push.
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