More than 100 women have made sexual assault accusations against USA Gymnastics team physician Larry Nassar, including athletes Gabby Douglas, Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, and McKayla Maroney.
But apparently he doesn't want to hear about it — it's too "mentally" hard to listen to their testimonies, according to a six-page letter Nassar wrote to Judge Rosemarie Aquilina, who's presiding over his sentencing. Nassar pled guilty to 10 sexual assault charges, and as part of a plea deal he agreed to let women and girls who reported abuse give statements, or have them read through a proxy, during his sentencing hearing, according to the Lansing State Journal in Michigan, where the proceeding is being held. More than 100 are expected to do so.
"You may find it harsh that you are here listening, but nothing is as harsh as what your victims endured for thousands of hours at your hands, collectively," said Aquilina, after reading the letter in court on Thursday. She ended the court session early on Wednesday, according to NBC, so Nassar could talk to mental health professionals, but they didn't recommend accommodations for him.
"Spending four or five days listening to them is significantly minor considering the hours of pleasure you’ve had at their expense and ruining their lives. None of this should come as a surprise to you.”
Aquilina reminded Nassar that he was present for the victim impact statements, sitting in the witness box, "not for my entertainment, quite honestly, [but] so that your victims can face you in the eye without turning back constantly."
Nassar, who is currently serving a 60-year sentence in federal prison for possession of child pornography, also accused Aquilina of using the trial for "seeking media attention."She wasn't having a bar of it. "Writing this mumbo jumbo? It doesn’t help you, sir."
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