More Gymnasts Testify About How Larry Nassar Sexually Abused Themby Dvora Meyers
5/26/17 6:01pm
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The preliminary hearing in the criminal case against former Michigan State and USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar continued today in a Michigan court, with four victims testifying about how they say the doctor sexually abused them under the guise of medical treatments. This hearing was a continuation of the proceedings that started on May 12. Nassar had pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.
Today’s hearing began with the cross examination of Victim D by the defense attorneys. (She had been questioned by the prosecution three weeks prior.) The focus of the questioning, at least initially, was Victim D’s injury history and whether or not her condition improved after being treated by Nassar.
Matt Mencarini @MattMencarini
Victim D said her discomfort level improved as treatments with Nassar went on. Def attys asked the first 2 women to testify this same ?
The defense also wanted to question the victim as to whether or not she had filed a civil suit against Nassar, but the judge stopped that line of questioning because the victim is a minor and can’t hire an attorney for herself. On redirect, the prosecutor asked the witness whether or not Nassar had asked for her consent before the penetration. She said he had not, and she then differentiated between the penetrative parts of the “treatment” and the non-penetrative parts.
Matt Mencarini @MattMencarini
Victim D asked she felt when Nassar digitally penetrated her: "Uncomfortably" " yucky."
Matt Mencarini @MattMencarini
Asked how she felt during other parts of medical appointments: "I felt fine and those were helpful."
7:13 AM - May 26, 2017
After a brief recess to determine which members of the media could remain in the courtroom, the hearing continued with the questioning of Victim A, a teenage gymnast at Twistars, the club that Nassar had been affiliated with until the first round of abuse allegations last September. It’s at Twistars that Victim A first encountered Nassar, where he treated her for a rib injury.
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
She first saw him at Twistars when she was about 9-10 yrs old. Says Nassar put his hand up her leotard, massaging and digitally penetrating.
7:43 AM - May 26, 2017
Later, when Victim A was 11 and dealing with a foot injury, she went to Nassar’s clinic office with her father. She said her family knew Nassar professionally through Michigan State.
Nassar told the victim’s father that her treatment would take awhile and gave her a pair of baggy shorts to change into. The victim was not wearing any underwear. When Nassar returns, he was alone and not wearing gloves, she said. Almost immediately, he digitally penetrated her, which greatly confused her.
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
"I didn't understand how touching would help my heel issue. Then I was embarrassed," Victim A says. Goes into detail regarding penetration
7:50 AM - May 26, 2017
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
"He was quite sweaty and very into it, I guess you would say?" Victim A says he's leaning over her on the table, rubbing her thigh.
7:52 AM - May 26, 2017
She said no one else was in the room before the massage and no consent or prior notice had been given. Victim A said that she didn’t tell her parents because she believed it was legitimate medical treatment. Victim A did note that when her mother, a doctor, accompanied her to Nassar, he didn’t penetrate her on those visits.
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
Her mother is a medical professional who knew Nassar. When her mom would go w/ her to treatment, Nassar did not penetrate her, she says.
7:57 AM - May 26, 2017
Victim A said that the gymnasts at Twistars would discuss Nassar’s methods among themselves.
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
Says she and other gymnasts would talk about Nassar. "He's kind of touchy," one gymnast said. "Yeah, but that's Nassar," they'd all say.
7:55 AM - May 26, 2017
When Victim A heard about Rachael Denhollander’s and Jane Doe’s allegations against Nassar in the Indianapolis Star last year, she decided to tell her parents about what had happened to her. Her mother called the police, who interviewed her at Small Talk, a place for kids who had been sexually abused. She initially told the police she wasn’t penetrated because she didn’t know what it meant.
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
She told police interviewer that she wasn't "penetrated" because she didn't know what penetrated meant, thought it involved rapid movement.
8:00 AM - May 26, 2017
Victim A also spoke about how the realization about the abuse has affected her.
Matt Mencarini @MattMencarini
Assistant AG asked if the process since coming forward has been easy. She said it hasn't.
Matt Mencarini @MattMencarini
"There have been lots of nights where I just cried and cried."
8:03 AM - May 26, 2017
Victim A said that it wasn’t until she read the account in the Star that she better understood what had happened to her because the details in Denhollander’s story closely resembled her own experience.
Matt Mencarini @MattMencarini
Victim A said the mention in the @indystar story about lack of gloves was a red flag for her.
8:25 AM - May 26, 2017
After lunch, two more victims testified. Victim E, now 18, started gymnastics at age 2. She was 12 when she first started seeing Nassar.
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
"It made me very happy to be seen by him, because he was the best of the best," Victim E says of gymnastics posters, celebrity signatures
10:43 AM - May 26, 2017
Victim E said that when she was 13, Nassar penetrated her during treatment, claiming it was myofascial release.Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
Victim E says Dr. Nassar inserted two fingers inside her vagina. "He made certain comments, does this feel better? I said it felt better."
10:46 AM - May 26, 2017
According to the victim, Nassar never discussed penetration with her or her father.
Nassar also engaged in grooming behaviors, giving the victim a present shortly after the 2012 Olympics.
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
At the same appointment, 5 days after 2012 Olympics, he handed her an Olympic pin. Said he "thought of all his gymnasts, especially me."
10:51 AM - May 26, 2017
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
She was 13 at the time. Victim E says Nassar told her he "wanted to make sure I got one," referring to the pin. Says she felt special.
10:51 AM - May 26, 2017
This was the only time that Nassar penetrated her. She said she indicated to her father afterwards that Nassar had done something weird.
Matt Mencarini @MattMencarini
Victim E said a physical therapist later performed myofascial release on her, but it did not include digital vaginal penetration.
10:55 AM - May 26, 2017
Victim E said that the exercises Nassar gave her to do at home helped her but she didn’t feel that what he did during the appointments did much to alleviate her pain.
Matt Mencarini @MattMencarini
Asked why she told him it felt better, Victim E said, "I said it felt better because I wanted him to stop what he was doing."
11:06 AM - May 26, 2017
Like several other women who have come forward, Victim E said that the account in the Star helped her realize she had been sexually abused during that appointment.
During cross examination, Shannon Smith, one of two defense lawyers on Nassar’s team, opened by talking about the fact that she has a daughter who does gymnastics at Victim E’s gym.
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
Ummm defense attorney says her kids go to the same gym as Victim E and Victim E has taught her kids
11:02 AM - May 26, 2017
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
"You don't recognize me, correct?' Smith asks. "Correct." "My kids are not as good as you are," Smith laughs.
11:02 AM - May 26, 2017
Smith then focused on the issue of gloves, or the lack thereof, during Nassar’s penetrative treatments. (They did this with the previous witness.)
Many of the victims have said that the absence of gloves during treatments to the genital area was one of the indications that something was amiss; the defense is trying to make the case that this is not as significant as the prosecution and victims are saying it is.Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
Another big point for the defense: that Rachael Denhollander's article made a "big deal" about not using gloves
11:12 AM - May 26, 2017
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
Basically, the defense is trying to point out that alleged victims "assume" that not wearing gloves is a giveaway that's something wrong
11:13 AM - May 26, 2017
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
Looks like they're gearing up for an argument that Nassar did have a valid reason for not wearing gloves, and then say women misunderstood
11:14 AM - May 26, 2017
Smith also questioned her about the gift Nassar gave her, pointing out that Nassar gave it to her in front of her father and indicated that Nassar brought back pins for many other patients. Victim E agreed that this was accurate
The final witness to testify was Victim B, who was treated by Nassar for severe back pain when she was 11. Like several others before her, she said that a parent was in the room while Nassar treated her but that her mother’s view was obstructed. She said that Nassar digitally penetrated [her] vagina during her during treatment and she never gave him permission to do this.Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
Victim B says Nassar once asked her, "is this alright, goof?" Was that a nickname she used, prosecutor asks? No, she says.
11:54 AM - May 26, 2017
She said that during her last visit, he gave her leotard.
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
Gave her the leotard as they were leaving, B says. Doesn't recall him saying anything. Felt "very confused. We weren't close at all."
11:57 AM - May 26, 2017
Victim B said she first told her parents about what Nassar had done to her after she read the Star’s story on the first allegations.
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
Victim B says she reads the articles, sees that Nassar claims he never uses vaginal penetration. "That's when I knew it was sexual assault."
12:03 PM - May 26, 2017
The defense would seize upon Victim B’s belated awareness that she had been abused (as they did with previous witnesses) to suggest that the Star article influenced them.Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
Would appear that the defense will argue that 1) it's only after hearing abuse allegations that these witnesses think they were abused, too
12:18 PM - May 26, 2017
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
And 2) that witnesses are taking the word of other women, like Denhollander, that what happened to them was abuse.
12:19 PM - May 26, 2017
Victim B said that the fact that Nassar never sought consent for penetration was problematic. The defense attorney pointed out that her mother drove her to her appointments with Nassar, but didn’t directly address the issue of whether or not she and her mother, since she was a minor, consented to an invasive procedure involving penetration.
Kate Wells @KateLouiseWells
How you doing, kiddo, judge asks. "That wasn't fun," B says, tearing up. "better than the dentist?" "I'd much rather go to the dentist."
12:27 PM - May 26, 2017
The next preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 23