Two more lawsuits accuse Nassar of sexual abuse
Two more young women have filed suit against a former Michigan State University sports doctor, adding to the growing chorus of female athletes who allege they were sexually assaulted by Dr. Larry Nassar during medical treatments over the past two decades.
While scores of gymnasts have complained against Nassar, who was also a former USA Gymnastics physician, the latest two cases involve a swimmer and a dancer.
The swimmer, 15, sought treatment from Nassar in 2010 for shoulder, back and neck pains, along with headaches. He sexually assaulted her, according to the complaint, by putting his hands under her sports bra and massaging her breasts “outside the scope of medicine under the guise of providing legitimate medical treatment for claimant’s shoulder, back, and rib pain.”
The dancer, 16, sought treatment from Nassar in 2002 for right groin pain, meeting with him weekly. Nassar would tell her to lie on her back and he would digitally penetrate her, the complaint says. He did not wear gloves and a nurse was not present.
She “believed the ‘treatment’ she received to be legitimate medical procedures until reports surfaced in or about September 2016 of similar allegations made by other women,” according to the suit.
The latest lawsuits come as Nassar, 53, is facing federal child pornography and destruction charges along with state charges as he is being held without bond at the Ingham County Jail. On Sunday, he was the subject of a 60 Minutes segment that portrayed him at the center of a sexual assault scandal. Last week, he was bound over for trial on three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct involving a person younger than 13, which is punishable by up to life in prison. He has pleaded not guilty.
The two new lawsuits bring the total number up to 39, said Okemos-based attorney, Mick S. Grewel, who is representing 12 women and investigating four more complaints.
“More and more people are understanding the fact that Dr. Nassar assaulted people under the guise of medical treatment when in fact they were sexual assaults,” Grewel said.
Meanwhile, MSU police is working with the Attorney General’s Office and investigating 65 complaints, with new information coming in, university spokesman Jason Cody.
He declined to comment on pending litigation.
kkozlowski@detroitnews.com