SKIP TO MAIN CONTENT

Michigan lawmakers issue report into MSU handling of abuse by Nassar

The report by a Michigan House of Representatives committee specifically blames the university for a poor investigation into a complaint filed by victim Amanda Thomashow against Nassar in 2014, which erroneously found no wrongdoing by the disgraced physician.

Michigan lawmakers issue report into MSU handling of abuse by Nassar
(Reuters)

2 min read

Published

Source: Reuters


Skip to article content

The committee also proposed a series of reforms and legislation meant to ensure that a doctor in Nassar's position could not carry out such abuse in the future.

"Though not all of us necessarily agree with each and every proposal, we all agree that a broad review of potential solutions is necessary to protect our children from predators like Larry Nassar and fix the problems revealed by his horrific crimes," committee members wrote in the report.

Michigan State spokeswoman Emily Guerrant said in an email that the university would be working with the House on its legislation and "shares the joint concern of lawmakers who want to make sure the horrendous abuse that Larry Nassar executed cannot happen again."

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Nassar, a former faculty member and physician at an on-campus clinic at Michigan State University and a doctor for USA Gymnastics, was sentenced in February to up to 125 years in prison after some 200 young women testified about decades of abuse at his hands.

He had already received a sentence up to 175 years in a neighbouring Michigan county, and was sentenced to a 60-year federal term for child pornography convictions.

In March, former Michigan State University dean William Strampel, Nassar's former supervisor there, was arrested and charged with criminal sexual conduct involving medical school students.

Later that month, USA Today reported that a public relations firm billed the school more than $500,000 for one month of tracking social-media activity surrounding the Nassar case, which often included the accounts of his sexual assault victims and their families.

In the report, the committee notes that MSU "appears to defiantly and wrongfully maintain it did not mishandle this (Thomashow) investigation."

The inquiry also faults the university for an inadequate informed consent policy, which "Nassar methodically exploited," and for not requiring chaperones to be present during medical treatments of minors.

(Reporting by Dan Whitcomb in Los Angeles; editing by Tom Brown)


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world