Former U.S. gymnastics doctor and convicted child molester, Larry Nassar, was reportedly stabbed multiple times on Sunday night in a federal prison in Florida. Sources indicate that Nassar was involved in an altercation at United States Penitentiary Coleman, though the exact extent of his injuries remains unknown. However, it has been confirmed that Nassar is now in stable condition. According to one source, the convicted doctor was stabbed in the back and the chest during the incident.
Nassar, who once treated some of the most prominent figures on the U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastic team, is currently serving a life sentence in federal prison after over 150 women and girls accused him of sexually abusing them over a span of two decades. The former doctor, who worked at Michigan State University, admitted to exploiting his medical position to molest young girls. In court, a total of 156 victims, including renowned athletes like McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles, and Rachael Denhollander, bravely shared their experiences and confronted Nassar for his crimes. Denhollander was the first to come forward in 2016 and provide detailed accounts of Nassar’s abuse.
Approximately 90 of Nassar’s victims, including Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, filed a lawsuit against the FBI last year, seeking $1 billion in damages for the agency’s failure to intervene and stop Nassar’s abuses. The Department of Justice acknowledged that FBI agents were aware as early as 2015 of allegations against Nassar but failed to take any meaningful action. Consequently, Nassar continued to assault young girls and women under the guise of treating them for the USA Gymnastics Team for over a year.
USA Gymnastics officials had alerted local FBI agents in 2015 about three gymnasts who had accused Nassar of assault during his tenure as the team doctor. However, the FBI neglected to open a formal investigation or inform authorities in Michigan, where Nassar was employed by Michigan State University. These revelations were uncovered by the Department of Justice’s inspector general, Michael Horowitz. Furthermore, despite initiating a sexual tourism investigation against Nassar in Los Angeles a year later, the FBI failed to alert Michigan authorities. Ultimately, it was the Michigan State University police who arrested Nassar in late 2016.
Last year, the Department of Justice announced that it would not pursue charges against the agents involved in mishandling the Nassar case, although it acknowledged the shortcomings in its handling of the matter. The revelations surrounding the FBI’s negligence in responding to reports of Nassar’s abuse have further intensified public scrutiny of the agency and raised questions about its ability to protect victims and hold perpetrators accountable.
Larry Nassar’s stabbing incident in prison adds another twist to an already convoluted and deeply disturbing saga. While the motive behind the attack remains unclear, it serves as a stark reminder of the far-reaching impact of Nassar’s actions and the profound anger and resentment they have generated among his victims and the broader public.
