Nassar victims file another lawsuit against Michigan State, USA Gymnastics

Victims to speak out in Texas

A lawsuit filed Wednesday claim women ranging from age 14 to age 41 were sexually molested by Larry Nassar in the 1990s. 

Michigan State University, its Board of Trustees, USA Gymnastics and seven individuals including Nassar are named as defendants in the new lawsuit -- view here

Seven women are named as plaintiffs. The civil complaint calls for "declaratory, injunctive, equitable, and monetary relief for injuries sustained by Plaintiffs as a result of the acts, conduct, and omissions of Lawrence G. Nassar, Michigan State University, Board of Trustee of Michigan State University, William D. Strampel, Jeffrey R. Kovan, Douglas Dietzel, Gary Stollak, Kathie Klages, Destiny Teachnor-
Hauk, and USA Gymnastics, and their respective employees, representatives, and agents."

The lawsuit indicates the plaintiffs were mostly minors at the time of the abuse that took place between 1996 and 1999 at Michigan State's Sports Medicine Clinic, and through Nassar's involvement with USA Gymnastics and Twistars. 

The lawsuit states that during the course of Nassar’s “treatments,” he inserted “his bare, ungloved and unlubricated hand into the vagina or touched the vaginal area and bare breasts” of a number of the victims.

The lawsuit also alleges that USA Gymnastics, the organization that hired the doctor, breached its duty to reveal the abuse to the victims’ families, the U.S. Olympic Committee, Michigan State University, and law enforcement agencies.

Separate suit filed in Texas

A separate lawsuit filed on behalf of one of the plaintiffs names Cypress Academy in Houston, Texas as a defendant. The suit explains the victim started training at Cypress Academy in 1993. 

From the lawsuit: 

"Plaintiff was an elite minor gymnast, a member of USAG and the USA Gymnastics Team who competed in national competitions. In approximately May 1996, Plaintiff was competing in the U.S. Classic Gymnastics competition, an elite USAG sponsored gymnastics competition in Colorado Springs, Colorado when she was instructed by her Cypress Academy coaches to seek treatment with Defendant Nassar. Nassar was on staff with Defendant USAG and acting as the USAG Team Physician. Under the guise of treatment, Nassar sexually assaulted, battered abused and molested Plaintiff by touching and rubbing her genital area and digitally penetrating her vagina without the use of gloves or lubricant and without Plaintiff’s consent or the consent of Plaintiff’s parents. Plaintiff was approximately 15 years old at the time of the assault."

Here is a statement from one of the attorneys representing the victims: 

“As a former athlete who competed in a sport for the United States myself, I know the complete trust these young women put in their coaches, their trainers, and organizations like FIG and USAG. Not only did they fail to protect these young women, they also have continued to engage in a culture of silence that is designed to protect their multi-million dollar institutions and enterprises rather than protect the bodies and spirits of these young female athletes,” said victims’ attorney Michelle Simpson Tuegel.

Victims will be present at a press conference with their legal team at 12 p.m. Thursday (CST) at the law firm of Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Sorrels, Agosto & Aziz, located at 800 Commerce Street, Houston, Texas 77002.

Nassar behind bars

Earlier this year Nassar was sentenced 40 to 175 years in prison for sexually abusing young athletes. 

More than 150 victims -- 156 to be exact -- delivered impact statements during a seven-day sentencing hearing. Nassar, who worked as a physician for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, sat and listened to each statement as many were followed by a courtroom applause. 

Nassar spoke at the sentencing. 

"Your words these past several days have had a significant emotional effect on myself and have shaken me to my core," he said. "I also recognize that what I am feeling pales in comparison to the pain, trauma and emotional destruction that all of you are feeling. No words can describe the depth and breadth of how sorry I am for what has occurred. An acceptable apology to all of you is impossible to write and convey. I will carry your words with me for the rest my days."

In November, Nassar pleaded pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting young athletes including some girls under the age of 13. The 54-year-old originally was charged with more than 20 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and was scheduled to go to trial on Dec. 4. Instead he agreed to a plea deal that could have gotten him a minimum prison sentence of 25 years. He admitted he sexually assaulted the girls for his own pleasure without any medical grounds. 

Michigan State dean Strampel faces 4 charges in Nassar case

William Strampel, who is the former dean of Michigan State University's College of Osteopathic Medicine, was arraigned March 27 on several charges including 4th-degree criminal sexual conduct. 

Strampel is accused of sexually propositioning female medical students and compiling nude student selfies on his work computer. He is the first university official to face charges from an investigation into how complaints against disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar were handled.

He was Nassar's supervisor for several years. 

Jordyn Wieber files lawsuit

Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Jordyn Wieber filed a lawsuit earlier this month against USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University in connection with the Nassar sexual abuse case.

Wieber's lawsuit alleges that Michigan State, USA Gymnastics, former USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny and former Chairman Paul Parilla "failed to disclose and hid former Olympic Team and MSU team doctor Nassar’s criminal conduct from the public and law enforcement by virtue of defendants' conspiratorial and fraudulent conduct.”

Read more here.