Larry Nassar removed from sex offender registry, a prosecutor said. MSP says he wasn't on it.

The Eaton County Prosecutor’s Office says disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar was one of 20,000 people removed from the Michigan sex offender’s registry after a ruling from the state supreme court last month – but Michigan State Police says that’s incorrect.

Sex offender registry changes in Michigan 

Big picture view:

More than 20,000 registered sex offenders were removed from the Michigan registry in September after a ruling by the state supreme court.

Dig deeper:

The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that by keeping those 20,000 individuals on the registry, which numbers 43,000 overall, the state was retroactively increasing their punishments.

Under the constitution, a penalty for a crime from the past can't be affected by a new law passed today. All of those whose names were removed, committed crimes before July 1, 2011.

At that time, sentences given out to offenders included a time-limited period on the registry with an expiration date.

Larry Nassar removed from sex offender registry

What they're saying:

The Eaton County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office said on Facebook this week that Nassar is among those delisted from the Michigan Sex Offender’s Registry after a state supreme court ruling. 

Nassar was prosecuted in both Ingham and Eaton counties, as well as federal court. 

The Eaton County prosecuting attorney’s office said Nassar was registered on the list at sentencing, and had been there until last week. Nassar is currently serving 

Dig deeper:

Some asked in the comments for clarification about the timeline of Nassar’s crimes and conviction, and how the ruling still applied to him. 

"His conviction was after 2011 for crimes committed prior to 2011. There are many many sex offenders in prison who are on the list. Nassar is no longer there because his conduct occurred before 2011 despite his convictions coming after," the office explained in one comment. 

And the office explained in another reply that, "the date is for the date of the offenses not the date of conviction," and said Nassar’s charging documents all reference crimes he committed prior to 2011. 

Meanwhile:

The prosecuting attorney’s office listed several other people who committed significant sex crimes that had also been removed from the list – and said the Michigan Supreme Court’s decision to eliminate sex offender requirements for these offenders was "deeply concerning."

"Our community, along with the victims of these crimes, expected the registry to provide a measure of protection and awareness—assurances that have now been removed by the Court’s ruling. As two members of the Court campaign this fall, they may wish to explain how their decision does not compromise these victim’s safety or sense of security," the post said. 

The Eaton County prosecutor is Doug Lloyd, who is the Republican nominee for attorney general in Michigan. 

Michigan State Police responds

The other side:

Michigan State Police, which maintains the public registry, says Nassar was not removed from the registry – and that he was not on it in the first place. 

What they're saying:

MSP explained to FOX 2: 

"Offenders not currently domiciled, temporarily residing, working, incarcerated, or going to school in Michigan do not have the duty to register in Michigan under Michigan’s Sex Offender Registry Act (SORA), and would not be visible on Michigan’s public Sex Offender Registry (SOR). Should the offender later domicile (including being incarcerated), temporarily reside, work, or go to school in Michigan, they would be expected to register and be placed on Michigan’s public SOR if still required under SORA at that time. 

Larry Nassar is currently serving a federal sentence out of state which must be served in its entirety before any credit is issued on his sentence under his Michigan convictions. His location in federal prison is publicly available.

Information suggesting that convicted sex offender Nassar was removed from the Sex Offender Registry by the Michigan State Police because of the Smith decision is incorrect."

Victims responded

What they're saying:

"The recent court decision to remove Larry Nassar from Michigan’s Sex Offender Registry is deeply troubling to the survivors he abused," said Brian McKeen, founder and managing partner of McKeen & Associates.

"While the court’s decision does not erase Nassar’s convictions or the harm he caused, removing his name from the registry can feel like another painful setback for those who fought so hard to be heard and believed.

"McKeen & Associates has represented survivors of Nassar’s abuse, and we stand with them. The truth remains. The harm remains. And so does our commitment to justice for survivors."

Larry Nassar sentencing

Big picture view:

Nassar was a Michigan State University sports doctor as well as a doctor at Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics. He is serving decades in prison for assaulting female athletes, including medal-winning Olympic gymnasts, under the guise of treatment.

Sentencing:

On Dec. 7, 2017, Larry Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in prison on federal child pornography charges brought by the U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. According to MSU Police, the child pornography investigation did not reveal any images of the survivors of his sexual abuse.

On Jan. 24, 2018, Nassar was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison for seven counts of felony criminal sexual conduct in Ingham County Circuit Court. On Feb. 5, 2018, he was sentenced to an additional 40 to 125 years in prison for three counts of felony criminal sexual conduct in Eaton County. 

His federal and state sentences run consecutively.

Crime and Public SafetyMichigan