Disgraced former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar is among the more than 20,000 people whose names have been removed from Michigan’s sex offender registry.
The controversial move comes after the Michigan Supreme Court ruled on September 9 that the state cannot retroactively apply its current registration requirements to those who committed sex offenses before July 2011.
Nassar, 63, is currently serving a 40- to 175-year prison sentence for sexually abusing hundreds of young girls during his time with USA Gymnastics and as the team doctor at Michigan State University. He is also facing 60 years in prison due to additional child pornography charges.
The court’s ruling does not affect his prison sentences.
The Easton County Prosecutor’s Office released a statement via Facebook on Sunday, September 27, railing against the ruling, calling out Nassar and former Lansing doctor Kassem Hallak by name.
Hallak, 67, was convicted in 2013 of criminal sexual conduct involving several female patients. He was sentenced to seven to 15 years in prison and has since been released.
“The Michigan Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate [Sex Offender Registration Act] requirements for these offenders is deeply concerning. Our community, along with the victims of these crimes, expected the registry to provide a measure of protection and awareness — assurances that have now been removed by the Court’s ruling,” the statement read. “Reversion to the version in existence in 2011 was an option for the court and would have allowed for sex offenders to remain on the registry. Rather the court chose to toss the scalpel aside and use a chainsaw.”
Since the allegations against Nassar first came to light, many of his victims have spoken publicly about what they endured. In 2018, 141 survivors of his abuse appeared on stage at the ESPYs to accept the Arthur Ashe Courage Award.
“Speaking up and speaking out is not easy,” former gymnast Sarah Klein told the crowd. “Telling our stories of abuse over and over and over again in graphic detail is not easy. We’re sacrificing privacy. We’re being judged and scrutinized. And it’s grueling and it’s painful, but it is time.”
Team USA gymnast Aly Raisman also spoke, revealing all the times Nassar’s victims spoke up about what they endured, only to be ignored or for his actions to be rationalized.
“All those years we were told, ‘You are wrong. You misunderstood. He’s a doctor. It’s OK. Don’t worry, we’ve got it covered. Be careful. There are risks involved,’” she said. “The intention? To silence us in favor of money, medals and reputation. But we persisted, and finally someone listened and believed us.”
