Ex-MSU coach Kathie Klages found guilty of lying in Larry Nassar scandal, misconduct in office

INGHAM COUNTY, Mich. – A jury found a former Michigan State University gymnastics coach guilty of lying to a peace officer and misconduct in office.

Kathie Klages faced a judge Friday to make her case in Lansing. She was accused of lying to Michigan State police detectives about alleged knowledge prior to 2016 of Larry Nassar’s sexual misconduct.

Klages was charged with one felony and one misdemeanor count of lying to a peace officer. Survivors of Nassar’s sexual abuse have claimed they reported it to Klages, some reports were allegedly made more than 20 years ago.

Klages said she does not remember any conversation. Klages spent 27 years at MSU as a gymnastics coach and was one of Larry Nassar’s most vocal defenders.

The prosecution challenged Klages about her memory in 1997, which is when two of her former gymnasts told her Nassar had abused them. She said she remembered her first meeting with her team after the Indy Star article broke the story in 2016.