Who was Larry Nassar?
- Larry Nassar was a former sports medicine osteopathic physician who worked with the United States women's national gymnastics team and Michigan State University for 18 years.
- He was a serial child molester, rapist and sexual abuser who exploited, deceived and assaulted hundreds of children and young women under the guise of medical treatment.
- He was convicted of federal charges of child pornography and tampering with evidence, as well as state charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
- He was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole in 2017 and 2018.
How did he die?
- Nassar was stabbed multiple times in prison on Sunday, July 9, 2023, during a fight with another inmate at the United States Penitentiary Coleman in Florida, where he was serving time.
- He suffered a collapsed lung after being stabbed twice in the neck, twice in the back and six times in the chest, according to a prison union leader.
- He was taken to a local hospital in stable condition after the attack, but later succumbed to his injuries.
- The Federal Bureau of Prisons said an internal investigation has been launched into the incident. No staff or other inmates were injured in the incident.
What was the impact of his crimes?
- Nassar's crimes sparked a massive sex abuse scandal that rocked the USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, as well as the Olympic movement.
- More than 330 women and girls, including Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney, have accused Nassar of sexual abuse.
- Some of his victims said they had reported his abuse to adults, including coaches and doctors, but were ignored or dismissed.
- An investigation into the FBI's handling of the case found that the agency made serious errors and delays that allowed Nassar's abuse to continue for several more months after the case was first opened.
- Several of his victims have sued the FBI for $1 billion for mishandling their complaints. USA Gymnastics has agreed to pay $380 million to Nassar's victims, while Michigan State reached a $500 million settlement with survivors.
Conclusion
- Larry Nassar was one of the most notorious sexual predators in American history, who used his position of trust and authority to abuse hundreds of young athletes.
- His death by stabbing in prison marks the end of his life, but not the end of the trauma and pain he inflicted on his victims and their families.
- His case also exposed the systemic failures and cover-ups that enabled his abuse to go on for so long, and prompted reforms and accountability measures in the institutions he worked for.
- His victims have shown courage and resilience in speaking out against him and seeking justice, and have inspired many others to do the same.
Source:
(1) Larry Nassar - Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Nassar.
(2) Sex offender Larry Nassar stabbed multiple times in prison. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-66154758.
(3) Larry Nassar stabbed multiple times in attack at Florida federal prison .... https://www.cbsnews.com/news/larry-nassar-stabbed-florida-federal-prison-ap-sources/.
(4) Larry Nassar - Documentary, Wife & Crimes - Biography. https://www.biography.com/crime-figure/larry-nassar.
