Ex-gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar facing sentencing today

Former MSU physician Larry Nassar will learn his punishment Tuesday for sexually assaulting young girls after yet another gymnastics superstar came forward with her own accusations against him.

Nassar will be in a Lansing courtroom later this morning for his sentencing as part of a  four-day sentencing phase. He will learn his official punishment on Friday, when it's expected to be handed down.

The former doctor recently pleaded guilty to molesting females at his MSU office, his home, and a Lansing area gymnastics club.

One of the latest victims to come forward is Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles.

 

 

The Michigan Attorney General's office is pushing for a 40-year sentenced. Nasser has already been sentenced to 60 for child pornography charges.

The first victim named Kyle came forward after remaining anonymous throughout the process in what she said was her final step in accepting the sexual abuse was not her fault.

She says it began when she was just 6 years old in the boiler room of Nassar's home, where he exposed himself to her.

"He told me if you want to see it - all you have to do is ask," she said. "He used his power as an adult to manipulate me. Over a 6 year period he progressed from exposure to masturbating in front of me while playing hide and go seek." 

All of this happening while her parents, her sibling, and Nassar's wife and children were upstairs, she said.

She went on to describe how the abuse drove a wedge between Kyle and her parents, who did not believe what was happening. It wasn't until she was older that it all came to light.

"My father and I did our best to patch up our tattered relationship before he committed suicide in 2016," she said. "Admittedly my father was experiencing debilitating health issues but had he not had to bear the shame and self loathing that stemmed from his defense of Larry Nassar, I believe he would've had a fighting chance for his life."

She closed by saying she testifies to let the world know that Nassar is a compulsive liar.

"We have all done our part to get to this point and will continue to do our part to combat the diseased societal thinking that kept 100 plus victims quiet for decades," she said.

Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Rosemarie Aquilina responded blatantly: The system has failed you.

"This voice that you have just let out publicly will have that rippling effect to change legislation to change the lives of children being abused to speak up," she said.

Prosecutors say they expect around 90 people to give victim impact statements.