Thu Sep 12 01:31:13 UTC 2024: ## Michigan AG Closes Investigation into MSU’s Handling of Nassar Abuse, Blasts School for Withholding Documents
LANSING, MI – Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office has closed its investigation into how Michigan State University (MSU) handled the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal, citing the lack of new information in a trove of 6,000 documents withheld by the university for years.
The investigation, reopened in 2023 after the documents were finally released, revealed no new evidence about MSU’s knowledge of Nassar’s abuse. However, Nessel’s office sharply criticized the school for its prolonged obstruction, calling it “stonewalling” and “circling the wagons” to avoid accountability.
“This review does not give us reason to revise our prior statements that MSU ‘circled the wagons’ and ‘stonewalled’ when it came to providing us with the promised full cooperation in our investigation,” the office stated.
The AG’s office also dismissed MSU’s claim of client-attorney privilege for withholding the documents, highlighting the prolonged delay in providing answers to victims.
“This review has provided additional support for those statements and created a sense of bewilderment as to why MSU withheld these documents for so long,” the statement continued, adding that the school’s resistance delayed closure for victims by years.
Nassar, a former MSU sports doctor and USA Gymnastics physician, was sentenced in 2018 to between 40 and 175 years in prison for sexually assaulting hundreds of young gymnasts, including Olympic athletes.
Despite the closure of the investigation, the AG’s office remains baffled by the lack of evidence of MSU’s awareness of Nassar’s abuse, given the university’s size and the extensive number of employees.
“It seems sort of improbable to us, right? This is a major university, obviously extensive number of employees that work there. I guess the expectation is that we would find a little bit more than we did,” Nessel said.
To date, only three MSU officials have been charged in connection to the Nassar case, with two charges dropped. The investigation continues to raise concerns about the university’s culture and its failure to protect its students.
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