Judge To Larry Nassar: ‘I Just Signed Your Death Warrant’

Larry Nassar Image by Getty

By Ari Feldman January 25, 2018

Larry Nassar, the former doctor of the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team, was sentenced to between 40 and 175 years in prison Wednesday, the New York Times reported. Nassar was convicted of multiple sex crimes and accused by prominent gymnasts, like Aly Raisman and Simone Biles, of sexual abuse.

His seven-day trial saw 156 women testify in front of Nassar about suffering sexual assault and abuse at his hands.

“I just signed your death warrant,” said Judge Rosemarie Aquilina in passing the sentence.

Nassar was given a chance to speak in front the court before the end of his hearing.

“Your words these past several days have had a significant effect on myself and have shaken me to my core,” he said as some of his former victims sobbed in the courtroom. “I will carry your words with me for the rest of my days.”

Before passing the sentence, Aquilina read a letter Nassar sent the court last week asking the state for lenience. The letter included the line, “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

“This letter tells me you have not yet owned what you did,” Aquilina said. “You still think somehow you are right, you’re a doctor, that you’re entitled, so you don’t have to listen. That you did ‘treatment.’ I wouldn’t send my dogs to you, sir.”

Contact Ari Feldman at feldman@forward.com or on Twitter @aefeldman

Ari Feldman is a staff writer at the Forward. He covers Jewish religious organizations, synagogue life, anti-Semitism and the Orthodox world. If you have any tips, you can email him at feldman@forward.com. Follow him on Twitter @aefeldman.

A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO