During his plea agreement, Nassar said he wants survivors and the community “to heal.” The judge said she believed that process could happen only with Nassar behind bars.
“I agree that now is a time of healing, but it may take them a lifetime of healing while you spend your lifetime behind bars—thinking about what you did in taking away their childhood,” Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said. “You were trained as a healer and what you did is harm them. You violated an oath that you took, which is to do no harm, and you harmed them, selfishly.”
Following the sentence, USA Gymnastics President and CEO Kerry Perry expressed support for survivors. “I will not waiver on my commitment to focus each and every day on our organization’s highest priority–the safety, health and well-being of our athletes,” she said. “We will create a culture that empowers and supports them. Our commitment is uncompromising, and it is my hope that everything we do going forward makes this very clear.”
This article was originally published on Sept. 1, 2021, at 10:54 a.m. PT and updated on Dec. 13, 2021, at 6:45 p.m. PT to reflect news of the settlement.
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