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Court continues Thursday at 9 a.m. EST in the sentencing hearing of disgraced sports doctor Lawrence Nassar. This is the third day of the hearing, where 88 people are expected to give victim impact statements in Ingham County, Michigan about how Nassar used his position with the USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University to sexually abuse women and girls.
Survivors often give the same kind of story about Nassar: that he sexually abused them during what were supposed to be medical procedures.
“I had no idea I was being molested,” said former MSU softball player Carrie Hogan on Wednesday. “He was so incredibly kind to me.”
Survivors included very young girls. Helena Weick said she was 12 when assaulted. Stephanie Robinson, 17, also gave her statement on Wednesday.
The sexual abuse was continued over the course of many treatments, according to some victims. Chelsea Williams said he did it to her over 20 times.
Others spoke at the hearing too. Thomas Brennan, a former coach for gymnast Gwen Anderson, addressed Nassar in rather clear terms.
“For the record, go to hell,” he said.
Nassar’s actual sentencing is expected to happen Friday. Prosecutors asked for a sentence between 40 and 125 years in prison. This hearing comes after a guilty plea for seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. That doesn’t even come close to reflecting the sheer number of allegations against him. Over 100 women stepped forward with claims. Nassar also pleaded guilty to three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in Eaton County, Michigan, and the hearing in that case is set for January 31. A federal judge also sentenced him in December to 60 years in prison over child porn charges. That may well be a virtual life term for the 54-year-old.
Stay with Law&Crime.com and the Law&Crime Network for continuing coverage of the hearing.
