Ex-US gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar reportedly stabbed in prison
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Larry Nassar, the former sports doctor convicted of sexually abusing female gymnasts, was stabbed multiple times in a Florida federal prison, The Associated Press reported Monday.
The incident reportedly occurred Sunday at United States Penitentiary Coleman, where Nassar has been incarcerated since 2018. Sources said Nassar was stabbed during an altercation with another inmate, and was reportedly in stable condition after receiving medical attention.
Nassar "has a collapsed lung" and "was stabbed twice in the neck, six times in the chest, and twice in the back," Joe Rojas, a prison union leader for USP Coleman, told The Daily Beast. Rojas added that Nassar "is lucky to be alive and the only reason he is alive, in my opinion, is because of the staff members who were there." Prison officials were surprised by the incident because Nassar "kept to himself" and rarely had issues with other inmates, Rojas said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Nassar is serving decades in prison after convictions in both federal and state court on charges related to sexually assaulting numerous female gymnasts over many years. Following a law enforcement investigation, Nassar admitted to abusing gymnasts while working as a doctor for both Team USA and Michigan State University. He also pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography in a separate charge.
The Indianapolis Star first reported in 2016 that multiple gymnasts had accused Nassar of sexual assault. In the following two years, many prominent gymnasts, including Olympians McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, and Simone Biles, also accused Nassar of assault. In 2021, more than 500 survivors of Nassar reached a $380 million settlement.
A separate investigation by the Star alleged that USA Gymnastics officials "failed to alert authorities to many allegations of sexual abuse by coaches." A Justice Department report found that when the FBI was finally tipped off about Nassar in 2015, they failed to act properly.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
The environmental cost of GLP-1sThe explainer Producing the drugs is a dirty process
-
Nuuk becomes ground zero for Greenland’s diplomatic straitsIN THE SPOTLIGHT A flurry of new consular activity in the remote Danish protectorate shows how important Greenland has become to Europeans’ anxiety about American imperialism
-
‘This is something that happens all too often’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Maxwell pleads 5th, offers Epstein answers for pardonSpeed Read She offered to talk only if she first received a pardon from President Donald Trump
-
Hong Kong jails democracy advocate Jimmy LaiSpeed Read The former media tycoon was sentenced to 20 years in prison
-
Ex-Illinois deputy gets 20 years for Massey murderSpeed Read Sean Grayson was sentenced for the 2024 killing of Sonya Massey
-
Why have homicide rates reportedly plummeted in the last year?Today’s Big Question There could be more to the story than politics
-
Demands for accountability mount in Alex Pretti killingSpeed Read Pretti was shot numerous times by an ICE agent in Minneapolis
-
FBI bars Minnesota from ICE killing investigationSpeed Read The FBI had initially agreed to work with local officials
-
ICE kills woman during Minneapolis protestSpeed Read The 37-year-old woman appeared to be driving away when she was shot
-
Campus security is under scrutiny again after the Brown shootingTalking Points Questions surround a federal law called the Clery Act
