Larry Nassar Sentenced to Up to 175 Years in Prison for Sexual Abuse

“I just signed your death warrant.”

Larry Nassar, the former doctor for USA Gymnastics who pled guilty to multiple counts of sexual assault and child pornography, has been sentenced to between 40 to 175 years in prison. The sentencing on Wednesday comes after seven days of often-wrenching testimony in a Michigan courtroom by 156 of his victims, most of them current and former gymnasts, who described sexual abuse while under his medical care.

“As much as it was my honor and privilege to hear the sister survivors, it is my honor and privilege to sentence you,” Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said. Because sir, you do not deserve to walk outside of a prison ever again.”

“Sir, I am giving you 175 years which is 2,100 months,” she continued. “I just signed your death warrant.”

Shortly before the sentencing, Aquilina read aloud excerpts from a letter Nassar had sent to the court last week, in which the disgraced physician defended his practices as medical, not sexual.

“I was a good doctor because my treatments worked, and those patients that are now speaking out are the same ones that praised and came back over and over, and referred family and friends to see me,” the letter read. “The media convinced them that everything I did was wrong and bad. They feel I broke their trust. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

 Aquilina’s reading of Nassar’s statement prompted audible gasps throughout the courtroom.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

“Lying.” “Disgusting.” “Scum.” “Slime.” “Corrupt.” “Enemy of the people.” Donald Trump has always made clear what he thinks of journalists. And it’s plain now that his administration intends to do everything it can to stop journalists from reporting things they don’t like—which is most things that are true.

No one gets to tell Mother Jones what to publish or not publish, because no one owns our fiercely independent newsroom. But that also means we need to directly raise the resources it takes to keep our journalism alive. There’s only one way for that to happen, and it’s readers like you stepping up. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate