Disgraced Gym Doctor Rebuked After Begging Judge to Stop Witness Statements

Disgraced USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar pleaded to end the “media circus” of his sentencing hearing in a letter read aloud in court Thursday.

Nassar wrote that Judge Rosemarie Aquilina was parading victims for her own gain, and claimed that “listening to impact statements is detrimental to his mental health.”

“She wants me to sit in the witness box next to her for all four days so the media cameras will be directed toward her,” Nassar wrote of Aquilina in his six-page complaint, which the judge read to the court.

The former doctor and serial sexual abuser plead guilty to seven counts of criminal sexual conduct in Ingham County, Michigan, in November. But as part of his sentencing, each of Nassar’s more than 125 victims are given the opportunity to read statements in court detailing the impact his actions have had on their lives.

As of Thursday morning, more than 50 women had spoken, and more than 55 more were expected to give statements to the court. New women have also called the district attorney’s office each day to add their names to the list of victims.

In the letter, Nassar claimed he was worried about his mental stability and his ability to handle hearing more victim impact statements.

“I’m very concerned about my ability to be able to face witnesses this next four days mentally,” he wrote. “Aquilina said if I pass out she’ll have the EMTs revive me and then prop me up in the witness box,” he added, claiming he passed out twice on the day of his federal sentencing.

The judge told the court Nassar’s letter was “mumbo-jumbo” and delusional. She also rejected the disgraced doctor’s request to discontinue the reading of victim impact statements, citing a requirement of his plea agreement.

“You may find it harsh that you are here listening, but nothing is as harsh than what your victims endured for thousands of hours at your hands, collectively,” Aquilina said. “Spending four or five days listening to them is significantly minor considering the hours of pleasure you’ve had at their expense and ruining their lives.”

“None of this should come as a surprise to you,” she added.

Separately on Thursday, a victim impact statement from former Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney was read in court. Maroney is one of several members of the gold medal-winning USA Gymnastics teams, including Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas and Simone Biles, who have alleged sexual abuse by Nassar.

Aside from Nassar’s impending sentencing for seven counts of sexual abuse, he was sentenced in December to 60 years in prison for possessing thousands of images of child pornography.