1 00:00:08,560 --> 00:00:12,879 Speaker 1: Welcome back to playing dirty sports scandals. I'm Jay Harris. 2 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:16,639 Speaker 1: You're a barista extraordinaire, serving up the juiciest scandals to 3 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,480 Speaker 1: ever rock the sports world. As a veteran of sports journalism, 4 00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:22,920 Speaker 1: from the bright lights of ESPN to my in depth 5 00:00:22,920 --> 00:00:25,840 Speaker 1: discussions on Outside the Lines, I've had a taste of 6 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:28,600 Speaker 1: the very best and the very worst of what sports 7 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:41,839 Speaker 1: has to offer. Today, we're going to start unraveling an 8 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:44,720 Speaker 1: example of one of the worst sports stories to come 9 00:00:44,720 --> 00:00:47,640 Speaker 1: to light in recent years. We're stepping into a scandal 10 00:00:47,720 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: steeped in dirt, with incredibly high stakes and profound betrayals. 11 00:00:52,800 --> 00:00:56,080 Speaker 1: It's a revolting brew that will turn your stomach and 12 00:00:56,400 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: quite possibly shake any societally ingrained and fundamental belief you 13 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: have that medical professionals are inherently trustworthy. Because today, my 14 00:01:06,640 --> 00:01:09,400 Speaker 1: thirsty friend, I'm taking you behind the scenes of what 15 00:01:09,440 --> 00:01:13,319 Speaker 1: went down with Larry Nasser. Clear your palette while you 16 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:19,360 Speaker 1: can ah nothing quite like carrot apple and ginger juice 17 00:01:19,400 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 1: to brace the belly for a salacious sports scandal. We're 18 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:26,520 Speaker 1: as ready as we can be, so let's meet Larry. 19 00:01:27,600 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 1: Larry Nasser's early life was seemingly pretty impressive. Born in safe, 20 00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: affluent Farmington Hills, Michigan, to Lebanese parents on August sixteenth, 21 00:01:36,600 --> 00:01:39,640 Speaker 1: nineteen sixty three, it was apparent by the young age 22 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:42,839 Speaker 1: of fifteen that Larry was destined to work with gymnasts. 23 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:46,000 Speaker 1: His older brother, Mike, who was an athletic director at 24 00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:49,640 Speaker 1: North Farmington High School, encouraged Larry to work beside him, 25 00:01:49,880 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 1: gaining hands on experience supporting gymnast's health and performance goals. 26 00:01:54,400 --> 00:01:57,200 Speaker 1: Larry was so committed to the North Farmington High School 27 00:01:57,240 --> 00:02:00,600 Speaker 1: gymnastics team that he earned a varsity letter in women's 28 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: artistic gymnastics in nineteen eighty one. Larry doubled down on 29 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,600 Speaker 1: his commitment to sports medicine during his undergraduate years at 30 00:02:08,600 --> 00:02:11,640 Speaker 1: the University of Michigan, where he graduated in nineteen eighty 31 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 1: five with a degree in kinesiology, which is the study 32 00:02:14,520 --> 00:02:17,639 Speaker 1: of human body movement, And by nineteen eighty six, less 33 00:02:17,680 --> 00:02:20,800 Speaker 1: than a year after his graduation and at just twenty 34 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:25,520 Speaker 1: three years old, Larry Nasser joined the USA Gymnastics national 35 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: team medical staff as an athletic trainer. I told you 36 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:32,080 Speaker 1: in his youth, Larry certainly came across as a driven, 37 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:36,799 Speaker 1: career minded guy headed for a lifetime of achievement. By 38 00:02:36,840 --> 00:02:40,320 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty eight, his dedication to the USA Gymnastics national 39 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:43,800 Speaker 1: team had caught the attention of coaches John and Catherine Gedert, 40 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:46,760 Speaker 1: who were highly established in the world of gymnastics as 41 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: the founders of Geert's Twist Stars USA Gymnastics Club in Diamondale, Michigan. 42 00:02:53,000 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 1: John and Catherine were well known for delivering winning results 43 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,640 Speaker 1: from the gymnast day coached, and their opinions carried real 44 00:02:59,680 --> 00:03:03,400 Speaker 1: weight in the gymnastics community. Their approval of Larry Nasser 45 00:03:03,440 --> 00:03:07,760 Speaker 1: propelled him into more prominent roles, accelerating his already rapid 46 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:11,160 Speaker 1: rise as a health professional. But to really reach his 47 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:14,720 Speaker 1: full career potential, Larry knew that he needed to advance 48 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: his academic qualifications. He wanted to be more than a trainer. 49 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,320 Speaker 1: He wanted to be a doctor, so he went back 50 00:03:21,360 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: to school to earn his graduate degree from Michigan State University. 51 00:03:26,000 --> 00:03:28,720 Speaker 1: By nineteen ninety three, Larry Nasser had graduated as a 52 00:03:28,760 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 1: Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from MSU. He then completed his 53 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:36,440 Speaker 1: residency training at Saint Lawrence Hospital, which is considered one 54 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: of the top medical institutions in Lansing, Michigan, before completing 55 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:45,840 Speaker 1: a fellowship in sports medicine. By nineteen ninety seven, thanks 56 00:03:45,840 --> 00:03:48,720 Speaker 1: to the connections he'd already made with prominent coaches John 57 00:03:48,760 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 1: and Catherine Gedett, Larry Nasser landed the prestigious position of 58 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: national medical Coordinator for USA Gymnastics in nineteen ninety six, 59 00:03:58,040 --> 00:04:01,680 Speaker 1: even before he'd officially completed it at his fellowship, Larry 60 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,560 Speaker 1: had cruised through school and was a big deal doctor 61 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: by age thirty four, pulling down a one hundred thousand 62 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:10,600 Speaker 1: dollars per year salary which would be equivalent to more 63 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: than like two hundred thousand and twenty twenty four from 64 00:04:13,240 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: his assistant professor job at Michigan State University's College of 65 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 1: Human Medicine alone. He'd also met and married a fellow 66 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,760 Speaker 1: medical professional from MSU, Stephanie. But even with his burgeoning 67 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:28,559 Speaker 1: career and new marriage, Larry still managed to find plenty 68 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:32,960 Speaker 1: of time to volunteer, seeming to ooze passion for everything 69 00:04:33,040 --> 00:04:36,320 Speaker 1: and anything related to sports medicine. What a guy right. 70 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:40,760 Speaker 1: In fact, according to investigative journalist Daniel Murphy, Larry Nasser's 71 00:04:40,800 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: early success was significantly boosted by his willingness to go 72 00:04:44,400 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 1: above and beyond volunteering his time and offering to pay 73 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: his own way to national gymnastics events. There was no 74 00:04:52,400 --> 00:04:55,200 Speaker 1: doctor or athletic trainer who was as passionate about the 75 00:04:55,240 --> 00:05:00,920 Speaker 1: sport as Nasa was, probably in the world, Daniel Murphy wrote. 76 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,040 Speaker 1: But just because Larry Nassa was passionate about gymnastics didn't 77 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:10,440 Speaker 1: mean that athlete's well being was always prioritized under his care. Rather, 78 00:05:10,560 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 1: Larry served the team's winning objectives, and his unique approach 79 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: to sports medicine often involved providing coaches with workarounds to 80 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:23,480 Speaker 1: keep athletes active and training while managing their injuries. This 81 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:26,240 Speaker 1: was a critical advantage in a fields where careers are 82 00:05:26,279 --> 00:05:29,919 Speaker 1: notoriously short and demanding. But was it in the best 83 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:35,440 Speaker 1: health interests of the gymnasts themselves. Arguably not. Doctors take 84 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:39,719 Speaker 1: a hippocratic oath to do no harm. Perhaps Larry's willingness 85 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,520 Speaker 1: to keep gymnasts driving their overworked bodies to big metal 86 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,440 Speaker 1: wins was an early indication that he didn't take his 87 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:51,120 Speaker 1: hippocratic oath seriously enough. Even so, Larry Nasser had cultivated 88 00:05:51,120 --> 00:05:55,000 Speaker 1: the persona of a devoted and skilled medical professional. He'd 89 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:59,680 Speaker 1: fast become a trusted figure in American gymnastics, bearing responsibility 90 00:05:59,720 --> 00:06:02,520 Speaker 1: for the care of the nation's top young athletes, most 91 00:06:02,560 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: of whom were young girls. And this was a problem 92 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:10,200 Speaker 1: because beneath his facade of professional excellence and unrivaled specialist 93 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:14,440 Speaker 1: medical expertise, Larry Nasser couldn't be trusted around young girls. 94 00:06:14,920 --> 00:06:17,960 Speaker 1: You see, Larry Nasser, for all his accolades and prestigious 95 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:24,200 Speaker 1: jobs and well connected friends, was a predator. Now, Larry 96 00:06:24,279 --> 00:06:26,560 Speaker 1: had always been a predator, even as he was in 97 00:06:26,600 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: the early days of building up a thriving career, shaking hands, 98 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,240 Speaker 1: traveling and making friends in high places. There was a 99 00:06:33,320 --> 00:06:36,880 Speaker 1: dark side to his personality aside that Kyle Stephens saw 100 00:06:36,920 --> 00:06:40,120 Speaker 1: when she was just six years old. Kyle Stevens grew 101 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:42,960 Speaker 1: up in Lansing, Michigan, and her parents were close friends 102 00:06:42,960 --> 00:06:46,000 Speaker 1: with Larry Nasser and his wife, Stephanie. According to an 103 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:49,279 Speaker 1: NPR interview with Kyle, almost every Sunday in the late 104 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: nineteen nineties, Stephanie Nasser and Kyle's mom would make dinner 105 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:55,760 Speaker 1: together for the two families, and while they were doing that, 106 00:06:56,040 --> 00:06:58,160 Speaker 1: Kyle and her older brother would hang out in the 107 00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: Naser's basement under the eyes of being helpful to the 108 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:05,080 Speaker 1: other adults, Larry would offer to go downstairs and play 109 00:07:05,200 --> 00:07:07,919 Speaker 1: hide and seek with Kyle and her brother. Once the 110 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: children were separated in different hiding places, Larry would find 111 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,280 Speaker 1: Kyle and abuse her while her brother was still crouched 112 00:07:16,320 --> 00:07:19,160 Speaker 1: in a closet or curled up in a cabinet, believing 113 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,040 Speaker 1: that an actual game of hide and seek was still on. 114 00:07:22,800 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 1: Other times, Larry would sit down next to Kyle on 115 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,120 Speaker 1: the couch while the kids were watching TV in the 116 00:07:27,160 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: basement and put a blanket over just the two of them. Then, 117 00:07:30,480 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: Kyle shared years later, he would just act like he's 118 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,560 Speaker 1: watching TV with us and then abuse me under the 119 00:07:36,600 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: blanket with my brother sitting next to us. Under the blanket, 120 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:43,840 Speaker 1: Larry would rub Kyle's feet against his penis and slip 121 00:07:43,840 --> 00:07:47,600 Speaker 1: his fingers inside her vagina. When she was twelve years old, 122 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: after six years of sexual abuse, Kyle Stevens finally worked 123 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:54,160 Speaker 1: up the courage to tell her parents about what had 124 00:07:54,200 --> 00:07:58,640 Speaker 1: been happening, about what was still happening. They didn't believe her. 125 00:07:59,240 --> 00:08:02,960 Speaker 1: Years later, Kyle Stephens's father would commit suicide, and Kyle 126 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 1: believes that his dismissal of her sexual abuse claim was 127 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 1: a major factor in that tragic outcome, and the tragic 128 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 1: outcomes inflicted upon others by Larry Nasser were just getting started. 129 00:08:14,080 --> 00:08:16,840 Speaker 1: In a short amount of time, there would be piles 130 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:21,640 Speaker 1: of shattered lives in his wake. The first major complaints 131 00:08:21,640 --> 00:08:24,880 Speaker 1: by gymnasts about Larry Nasser's misconduct traced back to the 132 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:29,080 Speaker 1: late nineteen nineties and were consistently mishandled by both Michigan 133 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:34,240 Speaker 1: State University and the USA Gymnastics Organization. In nineteen ninety seven, 134 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:37,520 Speaker 1: teenage gymnast Larissa Boyce and one of her teammates became 135 00:08:37,600 --> 00:08:41,199 Speaker 1: the first women to speak up about their concerns. They 136 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 1: reported to MSU coach Kathy Klegus that they believed Larry 137 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:49,640 Speaker 1: Naster's sports medicine treatments were inappropriate. According to em Live, 138 00:08:49,880 --> 00:08:53,440 Speaker 1: Larissa Boyce told coach Klegus that she and her teammate 139 00:08:53,520 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: had been vaginally penetrated. Yet, instead of reporting their incredibly 140 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 1: serious allegations to university authority or law enforcement, coach Kleagus 141 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: instead spoke to Larry Nasser directly about what the young 142 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:09,640 Speaker 1: women had shared with her. Of course, Larry squashed the complaint. 143 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,960 Speaker 1: Larissa Boyce and her teammate were compelled to apologize to 144 00:09:13,080 --> 00:09:16,840 Speaker 1: him for the misunderstanding, and then Larissa went on to 145 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,760 Speaker 1: have more than one hundred treatments with him as part 146 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:24,679 Speaker 1: of her gymnastics curriculum at MSU. To this day, Larissa 147 00:09:24,720 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: Boyce says she experiences migraines, panic attacks, and suicidal thoughts 148 00:09:29,600 --> 00:09:31,920 Speaker 1: because of the assaults she endured at the hands of 149 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:36,199 Speaker 1: Larry Nasser. And Larissa Boyce's experience with Larry Nasser as 150 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 1: a gymnast is sadly not an isolated one. Also, in 151 00:09:40,559 --> 00:09:44,320 Speaker 1: nineteen ninety seven, a parent complained to Larry's crony, Twist 152 00:09:44,360 --> 00:09:48,400 Speaker 1: Star's owner, John Geddert, about the questionable medical treatments Larry 153 00:09:48,400 --> 00:09:50,679 Speaker 1: had provided to her daughter in a back room at 154 00:09:50,679 --> 00:09:55,840 Speaker 1: the gymnastics facility. Not only did John Geeddert fail to 155 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,840 Speaker 1: investigate this complaint and raise the alarm with the USA 156 00:09:58,880 --> 00:10:03,120 Speaker 1: Gymnastics organization, but he continued to recommend Larry Nasser as 157 00:10:03,160 --> 00:10:05,679 Speaker 1: a physician and provided him with a room at the 158 00:10:05,720 --> 00:10:11,199 Speaker 1: Twist Stars facility for treatment purposes. Larry Nasser was surely 159 00:10:11,240 --> 00:10:14,360 Speaker 1: emboldened here he was being called out by his young 160 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,760 Speaker 1: female victims, but because he was an adult male in 161 00:10:17,800 --> 00:10:21,840 Speaker 1: a respected position, no one believed their complaints. Under the 162 00:10:21,880 --> 00:10:26,280 Speaker 1: guise of performing medical treatments, Larry Nasser had seemingly been 163 00:10:26,320 --> 00:10:29,839 Speaker 1: given free reign to conduct sexual assault. The lack of 164 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 1: appropriate response from Michigan State University, USA Gymnastics and Twist 165 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:39,640 Speaker 1: Stars allowed Larry's predatory behavior to continue unchecked. These organizations 166 00:10:39,640 --> 00:10:42,679 Speaker 1: that employed Larry had sent a terrible message to gymnasts 167 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 1: that speaking out got you nowhere. Through their inaction, USA 168 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 1: Gymnastics in Michigan State University had established environments where the 169 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 1: well being of athletes was overshadowed by competitive success. Gymnastics 170 00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 1: can be a ruthless sport, and when you couple that 171 00:11:00,200 --> 00:11:03,600 Speaker 1: level of pressure with a hierarchical structure that placed immense 172 00:11:03,720 --> 00:11:07,600 Speaker 1: value on authority figures like Larry Nasser, young athletes felt 173 00:11:07,600 --> 00:11:12,120 Speaker 1: powerless to challenge or question his methods. The fear of retaliation, 174 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:15,040 Speaker 1: such as losing their place on the team or damaging 175 00:11:15,080 --> 00:11:19,320 Speaker 1: their career prospects kept Larry's victims silent. There is no 176 00:11:19,400 --> 00:11:22,240 Speaker 1: other sport in which this could have happened, but gymnastics, 177 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,360 Speaker 1: said Joan Ryan, who wrote the nineteen ninety five book 178 00:11:25,480 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: Little Girls in Pretty Boxes about the physical and psychological 179 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:33,400 Speaker 1: toll gymnastics takes on girls and young women. These girls 180 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,439 Speaker 1: are groomed from an incredibly young age to deny their 181 00:11:36,440 --> 00:11:40,920 Speaker 1: own experience. Your knee hurts, you're being lazy, you're hungry. No, 182 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:43,719 Speaker 1: you're fat and greedy. They are trained to doubt their 183 00:11:43,760 --> 00:11:47,040 Speaker 1: own feelings, and that's why this sexual abuse could happen 184 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:50,559 Speaker 1: to over one hundred and fifty of them. Gymnasts who 185 00:11:50,559 --> 00:11:53,720 Speaker 1: worked with Larry Nasser often report how initially impressed they 186 00:11:53,760 --> 00:11:57,439 Speaker 1: were by his medical expertise and how they implicitly trusted 187 00:11:57,520 --> 00:12:00,800 Speaker 1: him as an ally in their sporting careers. He's the 188 00:12:00,840 --> 00:12:02,760 Speaker 1: type of person who knows how to make you want 189 00:12:02,800 --> 00:12:06,760 Speaker 1: to trust him, former gymnast Rachel Dentolander told The Indianapolis 190 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:10,439 Speaker 1: Star in September twenty sixteen. Alexis Moore, who was just 191 00:12:10,640 --> 00:12:13,559 Speaker 1: nine years old when she had the misfortune of crossing 192 00:12:13,640 --> 00:12:18,679 Speaker 1: paths with Larry Nasser, supported Rachel Dnilander's assessment of Larry's personality. 193 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 1: For years, mister Nasser convinced me that he was the 194 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,760 Speaker 1: only person who could help me recover from multiple serious injuries. 195 00:12:26,360 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 1: To me, he was like a knight in shining armor. 196 00:12:29,240 --> 00:12:34,040 Speaker 1: Alexis explained, But Rachel's, Alexis's, and every other gymnast's early 197 00:12:34,120 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 1: trust was almost always exploited by Larry in the most 198 00:12:37,679 --> 00:12:44,040 Speaker 1: egregious ways. For instance, there was Jessica Howard, a national 199 00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 1: champion in rhythmic gymnastics. Rhythmic gymnastics differs from the better 200 00:12:48,679 --> 00:12:53,319 Speaker 1: known artistic gymnastics. Only women compete in rhythmic gymnastics at 201 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:57,160 Speaker 1: the international level, and the sport exclusively takes place on 202 00:12:57,200 --> 00:13:00,600 Speaker 1: the floor, with the athletes using dance moves and tools 203 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:06,839 Speaker 1: like ribbons and hoops. Rhythmic gymnasts must be strong, flexible, agile, dexterous, 204 00:13:06,880 --> 00:13:10,920 Speaker 1: and coordinated. A national champion like Jessica Howard would have 205 00:13:10,960 --> 00:13:14,000 Speaker 1: depended heavily on her assigned doctor of sports medicine to 206 00:13:14,080 --> 00:13:18,360 Speaker 1: keep her competition ready. But just as many other gymnasts 207 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:22,560 Speaker 1: came to realize, Jessica Howard could not depend on Larry Nasser. 208 00:13:23,480 --> 00:13:26,400 Speaker 1: I remember thinking something was off when he was treating me, 209 00:13:26,840 --> 00:13:28,880 Speaker 1: but I didn't feel like I was able to say 210 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 1: anything because he was this very high profile doctor, Jessica 211 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:38,679 Speaker 1: told CBS News Chief medical correspondent Jonathan Lepuuk. Jessica rationalized 212 00:13:38,760 --> 00:13:42,880 Speaker 1: that his gloveless intervaginal massages to relieve back in hip 213 00:13:42,920 --> 00:13:47,800 Speaker 1: pain must somehow make sense, must somehow be acceptable. After all, 214 00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:51,160 Speaker 1: how could a professional so respected by his peers and 215 00:13:51,240 --> 00:13:56,160 Speaker 1: institutions be capable of systematic sexual abuse. Surely, if doctor 216 00:13:56,240 --> 00:14:00,320 Speaker 1: Larry Nasser was abusing athletes, the USA Gymnastics Organization would 217 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:05,440 Speaker 1: have shut him down long ago. Right wrong. At the 218 00:14:05,520 --> 00:14:09,920 Speaker 1: USA Gymnastics Organization, athletes were instead frequently reminded of the 219 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:14,600 Speaker 1: privilege of their positions, which implicitly discouraged any complaints that 220 00:14:14,679 --> 00:14:18,480 Speaker 1: could disrupt their training or tarnish the sport's image, And 221 00:14:18,679 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 1: Michigan State University mirrored this toxic party line, squashing the 222 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: complaints which did arise against renowned employee doctor Larry Nasser 223 00:14:26,920 --> 00:14:31,800 Speaker 1: to protect their institution's reputation at all costs. So the 224 00:14:31,800 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 1: predator continued to pray. He victimized young female gymnasts with 225 00:14:36,600 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 1: his criminal vaginal treatments through his involvement with the Olympic teams, 226 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 1: including the two thousand and eight Games in Beijing, China, 227 00:14:43,960 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 1: and he continued to abuse gymnasts at Michigan State University, 228 00:14:47,560 --> 00:14:51,800 Speaker 1: with the university actually clearing him of any wrongdoing. After 229 00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,560 Speaker 1: a graduate named Amanda Thomas Show complained of sexual assault 230 00:14:55,680 --> 00:14:59,240 Speaker 1: during a medical examination in twenty fourteen. This was a 231 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 1: particularly this shocking incident since it put him, as you, 232 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:04,880 Speaker 1: in breach of the federal law known as Title nine, 233 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:08,720 Speaker 1: which protects women from sex discrimination. The law was the 234 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:12,560 Speaker 1: vanguard for establishing that college athletics had to offer equal 235 00:15:12,560 --> 00:15:16,080 Speaker 1: opportunity for young women just as they did for young men, 236 00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:20,440 Speaker 1: and in order to provide equal opportunity, colleges must provide 237 00:15:20,520 --> 00:15:24,360 Speaker 1: equal safety for athletes of both genders. The protection of 238 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 1: female students from sexual harassment or assault is paramount to 239 00:15:28,360 --> 00:15:34,360 Speaker 1: Title nine compliance. So what happened exactly well, the person 240 00:15:34,400 --> 00:15:37,400 Speaker 1: in charge of Title nine adherent at Michigan State University 241 00:15:37,720 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 1: was a woman named Christine Moore. When Amanda Thomas Show 242 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:45,400 Speaker 1: filed her complaint against Larry Nasser, Christine Moore failed to 243 00:15:45,480 --> 00:15:49,200 Speaker 1: consider the previous complaints against him. She failed to properly 244 00:15:49,240 --> 00:15:53,480 Speaker 1: investigate the incident, instead relying exclusively on the testimony of 245 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 1: Larry's medical professional cronies, and she failed to use any 246 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:02,280 Speaker 1: common sense. Who hears of a doctor consistently inserting his 247 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:06,440 Speaker 1: fingers into students vaginas without a glove and manipulating their 248 00:16:06,480 --> 00:16:10,240 Speaker 1: breasts and doesn't bat an eye. Christine Moore had an 249 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 1: opportunity to stop Larry Nasser, but she missed it, and 250 00:16:13,800 --> 00:16:17,800 Speaker 1: so his pool of young, sexually abused athletes continued to 251 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:24,600 Speaker 1: grow and grow. Unbelievably, the mishandling of complaints against Larry 252 00:16:24,680 --> 00:16:29,200 Speaker 1: Nasser was not confined to USA Gymnastics, Michigan State University, 253 00:16:29,400 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: and other gymnastics organizations. It even extended to federal law enforcement. 254 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:38,240 Speaker 1: In July twenty fifteen, the FBI opened an investigation into 255 00:16:38,280 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 1: Larry Nasser after Stephen Penny, the then president and CEO 256 00:16:42,200 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: of USA Gymnastics, finally reported the allegations made by gymnast 257 00:16:46,880 --> 00:16:51,640 Speaker 1: Maggie Nichols. Stephen Penny provided the FBI's Indianapolis Field office 258 00:16:51,640 --> 00:16:54,640 Speaker 1: with the names of three of Larry Nasser's victims who 259 00:16:54,640 --> 00:16:57,840 Speaker 1: were willing to be interviewed. It would later be discovered 260 00:16:57,840 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 1: that by this time Larry had abused approximately two hundred women. 261 00:17:03,280 --> 00:17:06,359 Speaker 1: You would think that the Federal Bureau of Investigation would 262 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:11,640 Speaker 1: have been all over this opportunity to investigate, but they 263 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:16,160 Speaker 1: totally blew it. By September twenty fifteen, two months after 264 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 1: Steven Penny reported Maggie's allocations. The FBI had interviewed only 265 00:17:20,960 --> 00:17:23,959 Speaker 1: one of the witnesses and then failed to document the 266 00:17:23,960 --> 00:17:26,760 Speaker 1: interview in one of their official reports, known by their 267 00:17:26,800 --> 00:17:31,480 Speaker 1: Federal Document designation three O two. Then they didn't document 268 00:17:31,520 --> 00:17:37,199 Speaker 1: the case until February twenty seventeen. FBI rules require that 269 00:17:37,240 --> 00:17:40,879 Speaker 1: three O twos be completed and submitted within days of 270 00:17:40,920 --> 00:17:44,520 Speaker 1: an interview event, yet they waited years to do so 271 00:17:44,640 --> 00:17:48,680 Speaker 1: with this case. It's unthinkable that such an oversight could 272 00:17:48,720 --> 00:17:52,280 Speaker 1: have happened, but it did, and so more time was 273 00:17:52,359 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: lost and more women were abused by the slippery sex 274 00:17:55,640 --> 00:18:00,000 Speaker 1: offender Larry Nassar. Female athletes could not count on any 275 00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 1: one to protect them. This is why the downfall of 276 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:06,040 Speaker 1: Larry Nasser came, not because of the institutions that were 277 00:18:06,080 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: meant to protect athletes, or even because of law enforcements 278 00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:12,800 Speaker 1: sworn to protect the public, but from determined journalism and 279 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:16,159 Speaker 1: the bravery of survivors who decided to speak out. The 280 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 1: beginning of the end for Larry Nasser began in earnest 281 00:18:19,160 --> 00:18:24,320 Speaker 1: with an explosive investigation by the Indianapolis Star in September 282 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,359 Speaker 1: twenty sixteen, more than a year After the FBI opened 283 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 1: its case and promptly buried it, journalists Marisa Kotkowski, Mark Elisia, 284 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:36,280 Speaker 1: and Tim Evans of The Indianapolis Star published a groundbreaking 285 00:18:36,320 --> 00:18:41,520 Speaker 1: report that exposed systemic failures within USA Gymnastics in handling 286 00:18:41,560 --> 00:18:46,240 Speaker 1: sexual abuse complaints against coaches and personnel, including Larry Nasser. 287 00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:49,920 Speaker 1: The investigation, which was part of a broader series titled 288 00:18:49,960 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 1: Out of Balance, meticulously detailed how complaints were routinely ignored 289 00:18:55,119 --> 00:19:01,119 Speaker 1: or mishandled, allowing abusers to continue their misconduct unchecked. Shelley Haymaker, 290 00:19:01,200 --> 00:19:05,280 Speaker 1: an Indiana attorney who represents abuse victims in child welfare cases, 291 00:19:05,640 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 1: told the journalists that USA gymnastics approach to the complaints 292 00:19:08,800 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 1: against Larry Nasser made her sick. USAG may not have 293 00:19:13,359 --> 00:19:17,080 Speaker 1: been the hand that ultimately abused these innocent children, Shelley 294 00:19:17,119 --> 00:19:21,240 Speaker 1: Haymaker said, but it was definitely the arm. The in 295 00:19:21,320 --> 00:19:24,919 Speaker 1: depth reporting by The Indianapolis Star made an impact. Not 296 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:28,760 Speaker 1: only had the paper spotlighted Larry Nasser's abuse, it had 297 00:19:28,760 --> 00:19:33,080 Speaker 1: also ignited a national conversation about the culture of silence 298 00:19:33,119 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 1: pervasive in competitive gymnastics. Now that such horrifying revelations had 299 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:42,160 Speaker 1: been made, public by The Indianapolis Star. Michigan State University, 300 00:19:42,200 --> 00:19:45,280 Speaker 1: where Larry Nasser had been a long standing faculty member, 301 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:49,920 Speaker 1: was finally compelled to act. Within weeks of the article's publication. 302 00:19:50,119 --> 00:19:54,159 Speaker 1: On August thirtieth, twenty sixteen, MSU relieved Larry of his 303 00:19:54,240 --> 00:20:01,320 Speaker 1: clinical and patient duties pending further investigation. It was the 304 00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:05,800 Speaker 1: publication of The Indianapolis Star's investigation that prompted someone else 305 00:20:05,840 --> 00:20:09,920 Speaker 1: to act as well. Rachel Dennelander, a former gymnast in 306 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:13,680 Speaker 1: one of Larry Nasser's earliest known victims, decided to come 307 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: forward publicly. She was the first gymnast to publicly identify herself, 308 00:20:19,119 --> 00:20:23,520 Speaker 1: and her bravery turned the tide. Rachel contacted the newspaper 309 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 1: after its initial report and shared her story, recounting how 310 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,240 Speaker 1: Larry had sexually abused her under the guise of medical 311 00:20:30,280 --> 00:20:34,280 Speaker 1: treatment when she was only fifteen years old. Her disclosure 312 00:20:34,359 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 1: marked the beginning of a wave of testimonies from other 313 00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:42,400 Speaker 1: gymnasts who now felt empowered to share their experiences. Rachel's 314 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:47,040 Speaker 1: public stance and subsequent media appearances helped other survivors find 315 00:20:47,119 --> 00:20:50,760 Speaker 1: their voices. As more young women came forward, the scale 316 00:20:50,800 --> 00:20:55,080 Speaker 1: of Larry Nassar's crimes was impossible to ignore. The floodgates 317 00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:58,400 Speaker 1: had opened, and what started as a trickle of isolated, 318 00:20:58,480 --> 00:21:02,719 Speaker 1: behind closed door reports swelled into a torrent of collective 319 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:07,119 Speaker 1: outrage and demand for accountability, thanks to Rachel Dentilander and 320 00:21:07,160 --> 00:21:13,520 Speaker 1: The Indianapolis Star. On September twentieth, twenty sixteen, Michigan State University, 321 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:17,119 Speaker 1: which it pressed pause on Larry Nasser's involvement with student 322 00:21:17,160 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 1: patients pending further investigation, at the end of August, formally 323 00:21:21,400 --> 00:21:25,680 Speaker 1: terminated his employment. I have confidence in the robustness of 324 00:21:25,720 --> 00:21:29,359 Speaker 1: the reviews we have underway, in our unceasing commitment to 325 00:21:29,440 --> 00:21:32,440 Speaker 1: evaluate how we can be better tomorrow than we are 326 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 1: today than Michigan State University President lou Anna K. Simon 327 00:21:37,200 --> 00:21:40,480 Speaker 1: penned in a letter to students and alumni. The decision 328 00:21:40,560 --> 00:21:43,439 Speaker 1: to give Larry Nasser the boot was a long time coming, 329 00:21:43,520 --> 00:21:47,439 Speaker 1: and while his departure undoubtedly made the campus safer and 330 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:51,760 Speaker 1: better than it had previously been, MSU's reputation was certain 331 00:21:51,840 --> 00:21:55,240 Speaker 1: to take a hit. A better late than never attitude 332 00:21:55,320 --> 00:21:59,040 Speaker 1: towards the situation by the administration was just not acceptable. 333 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:02,320 Speaker 1: Why in the world had it taken the university so 334 00:22:02,600 --> 00:22:05,520 Speaker 1: long to see the writing on the wall, to prioritize 335 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:09,479 Speaker 1: student protection, and to remove a predator from campus. A 336 00:22:09,560 --> 00:22:14,960 Speaker 1: torrent of uncomfortable questions were coming from Michigan State University, USA, Gymnastics, 337 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:19,560 Speaker 1: Twist Stars, and the FBI. At the center of the 338 00:22:19,600 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 1: storm was, of course, Larry Nasser himself. It seemed that 339 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:26,920 Speaker 1: after wreaking so much havoc and causing so much pain 340 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:29,960 Speaker 1: to others, that he was finally due a come uppance. 341 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:34,400 Speaker 1: The cascade of legal repercussions for Larry Nasser's snowballed following 342 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:39,040 Speaker 1: initial charges, and on November twenty second, twenty sixteen, Larry 343 00:22:39,240 --> 00:22:42,879 Speaker 1: was formally charged in Ingham County, Michigan, with three counts 344 00:22:42,920 --> 00:22:47,000 Speaker 1: of first degree criminal sexual conduct, including one involving a 345 00:22:47,080 --> 00:22:51,120 Speaker 1: victim under the age of thirteen. Upon pleading not guilty, 346 00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:54,280 Speaker 1: he was released on a one million dollar bond, but 347 00:22:54,400 --> 00:22:57,480 Speaker 1: no one expected him to be out for long. Michigan's 348 00:22:57,480 --> 00:23:00,639 Speaker 1: Attorney General, Bill Shootey warned that this case was just 349 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:04,440 Speaker 1: the tip of the iceberg, imparting the severity of the allegations, 350 00:23:04,440 --> 00:23:07,640 Speaker 1: as police revealed that over fifty victims had thus far 351 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:12,159 Speaker 1: made claims of sexual abuse against the disgraced sports medicine doctor. 352 00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:15,600 Speaker 1: The rest of the Iceberg Bill shoot he had referred 353 00:23:15,640 --> 00:23:19,920 Speaker 1: to began to reveal itself when on December sixteen, twenty sixteen, 354 00:23:20,480 --> 00:23:24,800 Speaker 1: Larry Nasser was arrested and indicted on federal child pornography charges. 355 00:23:25,240 --> 00:23:28,040 Speaker 1: According to the indictment, he was in possession of over 356 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:33,080 Speaker 1: thirty seven thousand sexually explicit images and videos of children, 357 00:23:33,400 --> 00:23:37,600 Speaker 1: accumulated between two thousand and three and twenty sixteen. This 358 00:23:37,880 --> 00:23:42,000 Speaker 1: charge marked a significant turn in Larry's legal battles, highlighting 359 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:45,280 Speaker 1: the breadth of his criminal activities beyond the allegations of 360 00:23:45,359 --> 00:23:50,520 Speaker 1: hands on abuse. According to Playing Dirty's prosecution consultants, Larry's 361 00:23:50,520 --> 00:23:54,720 Speaker 1: creation and possession of child pornography strongly indicates that he 362 00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:59,120 Speaker 1: is a pedophile. Pedophilia is a psychiatric disorder in which 363 00:23:59,160 --> 00:24:04,000 Speaker 1: an adult or older adolescent experiences a primary or exclusive 364 00:24:04,080 --> 00:24:08,760 Speaker 1: sexual attraction to pre pubescent children, and when it comes 365 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 1: to the law, evidence of pedophilia is often the proverbial 366 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:16,120 Speaker 1: nail in the coffin when it comes to sentencing. After all, 367 00:24:16,200 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: for the public, it is hard to contemplate anything more 368 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:25,000 Speaker 1: frightening and unforgivable than harming society's most vulnerable and innocent members. 369 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:29,240 Speaker 1: Our children are precious to us, and our childhoods are 370 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:32,000 Speaker 1: precious to us, which is why the women who had 371 00:24:32,040 --> 00:24:35,800 Speaker 1: lost their childhoods to Larry NASA's abuse decided to fight 372 00:24:35,920 --> 00:24:39,600 Speaker 1: back more directly for themselves. It wasn't enough for him 373 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,640 Speaker 1: to be arrested for child pornography. He had to pay 374 00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:46,000 Speaker 1: for the harm he had inflicted on them. So on 375 00:24:46,119 --> 00:24:50,720 Speaker 1: January tenth, twenty seventeen, eighteen of Larry's victims brought a 376 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:56,600 Speaker 1: federal lawsuit against him, Michigan State University, USA Gymnastics, and 377 00:24:56,640 --> 00:25:03,680 Speaker 1: the Twist Stars USA Gymnastics Club due alleged sexual assault, battery, molestation, 378 00:25:03,920 --> 00:25:07,480 Speaker 1: and harassment of them by Larry Nasser between nineteen ninety 379 00:25:07,520 --> 00:25:12,280 Speaker 1: six and twenty sixteen. The women demanded the institutions be 380 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: held accountable for their failure to take protective action, even 381 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,840 Speaker 1: when they were repeatedly put on notice that they had 382 00:25:18,840 --> 00:25:22,679 Speaker 1: a sexual predator in their midst. The plano's attorney, Stephen 383 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:25,680 Speaker 1: dru told the press that the purpose of the litigation 384 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:29,520 Speaker 1: was not financial, but rather to act as a mechanism 385 00:25:29,840 --> 00:25:34,720 Speaker 1: to achieve institutional change in non monetary concessions. So the 386 00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:38,160 Speaker 1: acts of sexual abuse like this will never happen again 387 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:41,800 Speaker 1: to young athletes and students. He continued to stress to 388 00:25:41,880 --> 00:25:45,919 Speaker 1: reporters that protecting children is more important than enhancing the 389 00:25:46,000 --> 00:25:50,680 Speaker 1: reputation of the athletic system that invites their participation. Children 390 00:25:50,800 --> 00:25:54,240 Speaker 1: are vulnerable because they trust, and once that trust and 391 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:59,800 Speaker 1: innocence is stolen, it cannot be easily restored. Rachel Dinelander, 392 00:25:59,840 --> 00:26:02,160 Speaker 1: the the only plaintiff in the lawsuit who was willing 393 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:05,320 Speaker 1: to be named, expressed what it was like to experience 394 00:26:05,359 --> 00:26:09,480 Speaker 1: such terrible mistreatment as a child and to gain understanding 395 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:13,280 Speaker 1: of what it transpired in adulthood. The fear and shame 396 00:26:13,359 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 1: in myself was my own misunderstanding, she told reporters. The 397 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:20,680 Speaker 1: reality of sexual abuse is that a pedophile is only 398 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:23,760 Speaker 1: as powerful as people around him allow him to be. 399 00:26:27,800 --> 00:26:32,280 Speaker 1: On January twenty fourth, twenty seventeen, Larry Nasser's medical license 400 00:26:32,320 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 1: was officially revoked, finally putting an end to the medical 401 00:26:36,040 --> 00:26:40,480 Speaker 1: career that had served as a smoke screen for sexual assault. Further, 402 00:26:40,760 --> 00:26:45,800 Speaker 1: the influx of institutional accountability continued when on January twenty six, 403 00:26:45,920 --> 00:26:50,040 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen, police in Texas confirmed they were investigating a 404 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:54,399 Speaker 1: sexual assault case related to Larry Nasser that involved inquiries 405 00:26:54,480 --> 00:26:58,640 Speaker 1: at the renowned Coroli Ranch. Coroly Ranch was a gymnastics 406 00:26:58,680 --> 00:27:00,959 Speaker 1: camp facility that was the site of the main training 407 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:05,200 Speaker 1: center for the United States Women's national gymnastics team. An 408 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:08,520 Speaker 1: invitation to train at Coroli Ranch could be a career 409 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:12,400 Speaker 1: game changer for aspiring young gymnasts, and so parents would 410 00:27:12,400 --> 00:27:16,600 Speaker 1: support their daughter's attendants there, even though parental supervision was 411 00:27:16,640 --> 00:27:21,160 Speaker 1: not allowed. Attorney Gary Jewell, representing ranch owners and legendary 412 00:27:21,200 --> 00:27:25,040 Speaker 1: Olympic coaches Bella and Marta Coroli, set shock waves through 413 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 1: the public when he disclosed the Texas Rangers had visited 414 00:27:28,400 --> 00:27:31,960 Speaker 1: the acclaimed facility as part of their Larry Nasser investigation. 415 00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:36,080 Speaker 1: Needless to say, it was ultimately discovered that the Coroli 416 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:39,800 Speaker 1: Ranch had been a breeding ground for child abuse. Tucked 417 00:27:39,840 --> 00:27:43,400 Speaker 1: away from their parents, young gymnasts were subjected to routine 418 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 1: mistreatment by USA Gymnastics staff working at the ranch. According 419 00:27:48,040 --> 00:27:52,400 Speaker 1: to US Olympian Jamie Dansher, Larry Nasser was actually considered 420 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:54,840 Speaker 1: by most of the gymnasts training there to be the 421 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:58,680 Speaker 1: best of a bad lot. Larry was the only nice 422 00:27:58,680 --> 00:28:01,280 Speaker 1: adult who was part of USA, say gymnastic staff, she 423 00:28:01,359 --> 00:28:06,159 Speaker 1: remembered in the documentary athlete A. Numerous gymnasts back up 424 00:28:06,200 --> 00:28:09,760 Speaker 1: this alarming claim by Jamie, sharing that the trainers would 425 00:28:09,840 --> 00:28:13,560 Speaker 1: routinely say things like you're a pig and fat cow 426 00:28:13,680 --> 00:28:16,760 Speaker 1: to the girls. Not to mention the allegations of Marta 427 00:28:16,760 --> 00:28:21,000 Speaker 1: Coroli slapping them, leaving her ring imprints on their faces. 428 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:25,080 Speaker 1: In light of the toxic training atmosphere, Jamie Dansher said 429 00:28:25,080 --> 00:28:27,359 Speaker 1: that she didn't realize at the time that Larry Nasser 430 00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:30,840 Speaker 1: was doing something wrong. On the contrary, she says she 431 00:28:31,040 --> 00:28:36,280 Speaker 1: shockingly appreciated his emotional support in an otherwise harsh atmosphere 432 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,840 Speaker 1: during training at the Coroli Ranch. I felt like we 433 00:28:39,840 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 1: weren't allowed to even smile in the gym, Jamie recalled, 434 00:28:42,960 --> 00:28:46,800 Speaker 1: so getting treatment included Dr Nasser just joking around and 435 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:50,000 Speaker 1: talking about how horrible the coaches were. It was kind 436 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:51,920 Speaker 1: of like a bright light, I guess you could say. 437 00:28:52,760 --> 00:28:55,560 Speaker 1: Without any cell phone reception at the Coroli Ranch and 438 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,000 Speaker 1: no adults genuinely looking out for their well being, these 439 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:03,840 Speaker 1: young gymnasts were very much alone. The Coroli's legendary facility, 440 00:29:03,920 --> 00:29:07,360 Speaker 1: the training ground for so many gymnastics champions, was now 441 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:14,360 Speaker 1: pulled into the Larry Nasser investigation, public awareness and outrage 442 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:18,200 Speaker 1: reached a fever pitch on February nineteenth, twenty seventeen, when 443 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:22,200 Speaker 1: on the heels of the Caroli Ranch bombshell, gymnast Jamie Dansher, 444 00:29:22,360 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 1: Jeanette Anteline, and Jessica Howard shared their harrowing experiences with 445 00:29:26,320 --> 00:29:30,680 Speaker 1: Larry Nasser in a candid sixty minutes interview. No one 446 00:29:30,760 --> 00:29:32,800 Speaker 1: wanted to step out of line because there's a group 447 00:29:32,840 --> 00:29:36,280 Speaker 1: of people that were making decisions that dictated whether you'd 448 00:29:36,320 --> 00:29:39,840 Speaker 1: be successful or not, Jeanette Anteline said, So you just 449 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:43,600 Speaker 1: complied with what you were told to do. The sixty 450 00:29:43,640 --> 00:29:47,760 Speaker 1: minutes expose provided an emotional focus for the public, highlighting 451 00:29:47,800 --> 00:29:51,000 Speaker 1: the human toll of Larry Nasser's abuse and the systemic 452 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 1: failures that had allowed it to continue. Justice would not 453 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 1: be put off any longer. The public would not tolerate 454 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 1: further dilly dallying when it came to realizing justice for 455 00:30:01,280 --> 00:30:06,080 Speaker 1: Larry Nassar's victims. On February seventeenth, twenty seventeen, a district 456 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 1: judge confirmed after a preliminary hearing that there was sufficient 457 00:30:09,720 --> 00:30:13,120 Speaker 1: evidence for Larry Nasser to stand trial in Ingham County 458 00:30:13,160 --> 00:30:18,040 Speaker 1: Circuit Court on three sexual assault charges. Mere days later, 459 00:30:18,360 --> 00:30:23,040 Speaker 1: on February twenty second, twenty seventeen, new sexual assault charges 460 00:30:23,080 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 1: were lodged against Larry. These charges were intricately linked to 461 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:30,200 Speaker 1: his roles at Michigan State University and his work with 462 00:30:30,240 --> 00:30:34,360 Speaker 1: Twis Stars gymnastics club, and more criminal charges in other 463 00:30:34,480 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 1: courts soon followed. The civil lawsuit against Larry Nasser and 464 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:43,240 Speaker 1: the institutions that seemingly protected him had ballooned too. Whereas 465 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 1: the suit had started with just eighteen plaintiffs, by twenty seventeen, 466 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 1: there were one hundred and nineteen, and that number would 467 00:30:50,640 --> 00:30:55,840 Speaker 1: continue to grow. Karma was coming for Larry Nasser, and 468 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:59,920 Speaker 1: he knew it. On July eleventh, twenty seventeen, he fired, 469 00:31:00,000 --> 00:31:04,440 Speaker 1: only accepted some responsibility, and pleaded guilty to three federal 470 00:31:04,560 --> 00:31:09,480 Speaker 1: child pornography charges, acknowledging his possession of thousands of sexually 471 00:31:09,520 --> 00:31:14,400 Speaker 1: explicit images of children. NPR reported that Acting US Attorney 472 00:31:14,440 --> 00:31:18,040 Speaker 1: Andrew Birge said were doctor Nassar's admissions of guilt on 473 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:21,880 Speaker 1: federal charges. Today, victims and the public can be assured 474 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:25,479 Speaker 1: that a day of reckoning is indeed in doctor Nassar's future. 475 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:29,680 Speaker 1: Today's guilty plea insures at all of doctor Nasar's victims, 476 00:31:29,720 --> 00:31:32,640 Speaker 1: including those who are not victims of the current charges 477 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:35,959 Speaker 1: or referenced in the plea agreement, will have an opportunity 478 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:40,320 Speaker 1: for vindication through the broad federal sentencing process. My office 479 00:31:40,360 --> 00:31:43,520 Speaker 1: will be aggressively pursuing a sentence that accounts for all 480 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:48,320 Speaker 1: of doctor Nassar's conduct. US Attorney Burge kept his word, 481 00:31:48,520 --> 00:31:51,800 Speaker 1: and Larry Nasar's guilty plea led directly to a sentencing 482 00:31:51,840 --> 00:31:56,360 Speaker 1: on December seventh, twenty seventeen, sixty years in federal prison. 483 00:31:56,960 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: Since Larry was already fifty four years old, this will 484 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:03,760 Speaker 1: what many referred to as a pine box sentence, meaning 485 00:32:03,760 --> 00:32:07,320 Speaker 1: he would be leaving prison in a coffin, but still 486 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:10,920 Speaker 1: even facing the rest of his life in prison. Larry 487 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:15,720 Speaker 1: Nasser's troubles were far from over because now high profile 488 00:32:15,840 --> 00:32:20,080 Speaker 1: gymnasts from the twenty twelve US Olympic team, including Mikayla Maroney, 489 00:32:20,320 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: Ali Raisman, and Gabby Douglas, had decided to speak out. 490 00:32:24,360 --> 00:32:27,520 Speaker 1: They publicly disclosed their abuse by Larry Nasser in late 491 00:32:27,560 --> 00:32:32,280 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen, drawing significant media attention to his case. And 492 00:32:32,400 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 1: furthering public outrage. Michaela recounted a particularly terrifying ordeal, recalling 493 00:32:38,200 --> 00:32:40,560 Speaker 1: how Larry had given her a sleeping aid during the 494 00:32:40,640 --> 00:32:44,000 Speaker 1: flight to the twenty eleven World Championships. When she got 495 00:32:44,040 --> 00:32:47,320 Speaker 1: to his hotel room for supposed treatment, she was not 496 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 1: feeling like herself. It was very, very hard for me 497 00:32:51,000 --> 00:32:54,160 Speaker 1: not to acknowledge the fact that this was not treatment. 498 00:32:54,760 --> 00:32:58,680 Speaker 1: I was being abused. I was bawling, naked on a bed, 499 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:02,240 Speaker 1: him on top of me, like fingering me. I thought 500 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:06,440 Speaker 1: I was going to die. It was escalating. Mikayla recalled 501 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:09,360 Speaker 1: that it seemed like Larry became a different person during 502 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:12,680 Speaker 1: the assault. I didn't feel like it was him anymore. 503 00:33:13,160 --> 00:33:16,160 Speaker 1: It was this other thing that took over the dark 504 00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:20,720 Speaker 1: part of him. Even his pine Box sentence of December seventh, 505 00:33:20,720 --> 00:33:25,280 Speaker 1: twenty seventeen was insufficient punishment for Larry Nassar. As these 506 00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:28,200 Speaker 1: new accounts now from some of the world's top athletes 507 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:35,280 Speaker 1: surfaced relentlessly, it was Judge rose Marie Aquilina who ultimately 508 00:33:35,360 --> 00:33:39,240 Speaker 1: drew a line under Larry Nassir's horrific crimes after reading 509 00:33:39,240 --> 00:33:42,640 Speaker 1: aloud a six page single space letter from Larry to 510 00:33:42,680 --> 00:33:45,600 Speaker 1: the court, in which he stated that he feared for 511 00:33:45,800 --> 00:33:48,960 Speaker 1: his mental health amid the parade of women speaking out 512 00:33:48,960 --> 00:33:51,880 Speaker 1: against him, and accused the judge of turning the hearing 513 00:33:51,920 --> 00:33:54,520 Speaker 1: into a media circus by placing him in the witness 514 00:33:54,560 --> 00:33:57,160 Speaker 1: box to face his victims in view of the cameras. 515 00:33:57,320 --> 00:34:00,320 Speaker 1: She was livid. I have to say this is isn't 516 00:34:00,320 --> 00:34:04,080 Speaker 1: worth the paper it's written on. Judge Aquallina admonished him, 517 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:06,840 Speaker 1: you may find it harsh that you are here listening, 518 00:34:07,320 --> 00:34:10,320 Speaker 1: but nothing is as harsh as what your victims endured 519 00:34:10,360 --> 00:34:13,800 Speaker 1: for thousands of hours at your hands. Spending four or 520 00:34:13,840 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 1: five days listening to them is minor considering the hours 521 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:22,239 Speaker 1: of pleasure you've had at their expense, ruining their lives. Then, 522 00:34:22,320 --> 00:34:26,719 Speaker 1: on January twenty fourth, twenty eighteen, Judge Aquallina sentenced Larry 523 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:29,520 Speaker 1: Nasser to up to one hundred and seventy five years 524 00:34:29,520 --> 00:34:33,399 Speaker 1: in prison, declaring, Sir, you do not deserve to walk 525 00:34:33,440 --> 00:34:37,080 Speaker 1: outside of a prison ever again. I just signed your 526 00:34:37,160 --> 00:34:46,320 Speaker 1: death warrant. Mmmmmm, I'm having some celebration fruit punch with raspberries, strawberries, lemon, 527 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:50,399 Speaker 1: mint and orange. After that outcome, nothing tastes quite as 528 00:34:50,400 --> 00:34:53,800 Speaker 1: sweet as knowing those women took back their power, stood 529 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:57,000 Speaker 1: up for their rights, and served up some serious justice. 530 00:34:57,480 --> 00:35:01,840 Speaker 1: But while Larry Nasser's maximum convey provided some closure for 531 00:35:01,920 --> 00:35:06,440 Speaker 1: his victims, the scandal was far from over. Questions lingered 532 00:35:06,440 --> 00:35:10,319 Speaker 1: about the depth of institutional failure and the extent to 533 00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:14,120 Speaker 1: which a culture of silence and complicity had empowered a criminal. 534 00:35:14,960 --> 00:35:17,040 Speaker 1: What happened to all the other dirty players in this 535 00:35:17,160 --> 00:35:21,160 Speaker 1: disturbing saga. Come back next week and join me your host, 536 00:35:21,239 --> 00:35:25,000 Speaker 1: Jay Harris, as I dish out the outcomes for USA Gymnastics, 537 00:35:25,400 --> 00:35:29,640 Speaker 1: Michigan State University, and all the other organizations implicated in 538 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:33,440 Speaker 1: Larry Nasher's crimes on the next episode of Playing Dirty 539 00:35:33,719 --> 00:35:47,239 Speaker 1: Sports Scandals. Playing Dirty Sports Scandals is a production of 540 00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:51,759 Speaker 1: Dan Patrick Productions, Never Ever Productions and Workhouse Media from 541 00:35:51,800 --> 00:35:56,760 Speaker 1: executive producers Dan Patrick, Paul Anderson, Nick Panela, Maya Glickman, 542 00:35:56,880 --> 00:36:00,920 Speaker 1: and Jennifer Clary, Hosted by Jay Harris, Written and produced 543 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:05,000 Speaker 1: by Jen Brown, Francie Hanks, Maya Glickman, and Jennifer Clare.