MSU Board of Trustees approves release of Larry Nassar documents
Troves of Nassar investigative documents released by MSU Board
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has repeatedly asked for the documents to be released, but the school previously declined. She said she wanted the more-than-6,000 documents to see how the investigation was handled. Nassar, a former sports doctor at MSU and with the USA Gymnastics, is currently in prison after pleading guilty to assaulting seven people.
EAST LANSING, Mich. (FOX 2) - Thousands of documents related to the Dr. Larry Nassar sex abuse investigation will be released after a vote by the Michigan State University Board of Trustees on Friday.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel has repeatedly asked for the documents to be released, but the school previously declined. She said she wanted the more-than-6,000 documents to see how the investigation was handled. Nassar, a former sports doctor at MSU and with the USA Gymnastics, is currently in prison after pleading guilty to assaulting seven people.
Nessel officially closed the investigation into Nassar in 2021 after the school declined multiple requests to provide her with relevant files.
But it wasn't just Nessel who was frustrated by the board's refusal.
"I do not want any other individual to go through what we have gone through and me personally, if I can prevent it happening ever again, especially at Michigan State, then I would like to do all that I can," said Jennifer Hayes.
Hayes was among the hundreds who were victimized by Nassar. Closing this chapter on the investigation is long overdue, she says.
"We want to try to ensure that anyone who worked with Larry Nassar to molest and take advantage of all us girls and women for so many years, decades, are held accountable," said Hayes.
Friday's decision came with unanimous approval by the MSU board.
After Friday's decision, Nessel responded in a statement, saying that she is encouraged by the news.
"The students, the MSU community at-large, and most importantly, the victims of Larry Nassar have long been owed this transparency. I am encouraged to see the MSU Board of Trustees finally make the right decision on a long-promised, and long-delayed, measure of transparency," she said. "We appreciate the opportunity to review these documents and will reopen and expedite our investigation as soon as they are received."
It's unclear if the documents will be released to the public.