Victim's Dad lunges at Nassar in Court

Submitted by MGoBrewMom on
I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. Father of 3 daughters assaulted by Nassar asks for 3 minutes alone with Nassar. When judge says "you know I can't do that" father lunges and has to be restrained and handcuffed out of court. At end says to officers restraining him "what if this happened to you guys?" http://www.cnn.com/2018/02/02/us/larry-nassar-attack-court/index.html?a…

Pepper Brooks

February 2nd, 2018 at 2:48 PM ^

'Margraves was restrained by sheriff's deputies and hauled out of court. He returned a few hours later to apologize to Judge Janice Cunningham, who said there was "no way" she would punish him under her contempt of court powers. She noted the anguish felt by families over Nassar's crimes.'

 

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/international/ct-victims-father-at…

ijohnb

February 2nd, 2018 at 10:23 AM ^

is really nothing to charge him with.  Disorderly conduct?  I don't think he assaulted any officers or touched Nassar.

And no, "temporary insanity" or any variation of it would probably not fly unless he only very recent was made aware of the abuse (like this morning) or he had no reason to believe that Nassar would be there.

Squad16

February 2nd, 2018 at 2:04 PM ^

That's the thing I think is missing from this discussion...my sympathies are with the girls first and foremost, more than with the dad, and him acting like this is making an already traumatic experience for them much worse. It's not pleasant to see your parent taken down and arrested. 

 

You can hear one of the girls yelling "Dad, stop!" during it. 

 

I hope he's not charged, but I'm not going to applaud him for this outburst either. 

In reply to by ijohnb

Tools Of Ignorance

February 2nd, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^

If anything the judge could hold him in contempt, but she seemed fairly sympathetic. Since it happened rights in the courtroom, the judge has the opportunity to rule on his actions right then and there.

rc15

February 2nd, 2018 at 10:47 AM ^

Could be seen as a threat, contempt it court, idk... They won't charge him, but I was saying if they did for some reason. I think he could claim that even though he already knew about the abuse, seeing him that close for the first time causd him to go temporarily insane. He would just have to convince a judge and jury, which would all probably be wishing he was able to hit Nassar...

In reply to by ijohnb

swalburn

February 2nd, 2018 at 10:56 AM ^

There are plenty of things to charge him with.  Disturbing the Peace, Resist Obstruct, maybe even some sort of Obstructing justice.  My bet is that he gets charged but ends up with some sort of deferred sentence.  I don't blame the guy but you just can't allow that kind of stuff no matter how much the guy deserves it.

In reply to by ijohnb

swalburn

February 2nd, 2018 at 11:03 AM ^

The main reason I think he is charged is because the world is watching and if people see that there are no real consequences for this, it would be more likely to continue.   Contempt would be a good way to handle it.  The guy doesn't deserve a conviction for a crime out of this but like I said, the world is watching.

Blue_Bull_Run

February 2nd, 2018 at 12:18 PM ^

It's not about having a good defense (his actions are very understandable), its about avoiding the hassle of dealing with the legal system in the first place. If he did get charged, he'd undoubtedly be able to talk it down to a tiny slap on the wrist. But its a huge hassle, even if there's no penalty. I doubt he gets charged. 

KAYSHIN15

February 2nd, 2018 at 9:43 AM ^

And especially the victims, But I have to assume there is a huge amount of guilt held by the parents. This can happen to anyone’s child but for it to happen to 3 of his daughters makes me wonder if any of the 3 tried to tell the father about it and he ignored it.

Wendyk5

February 2nd, 2018 at 9:57 AM ^

Agree with your first point about the guilt. My husband's brother, who is 55, revealed to his mother several years ago that he was molested when he was 12. She is wracked with guilt - why didn't she notice a difference in his behavior? Why wasn't she there to protect him? etc...If I was the parent, the guilt would consume me. 

Wendyk5

February 2nd, 2018 at 9:57 AM ^

Agree with your first point about the guilt. My husband's brother, who is 55, revealed to his mother several years ago that he was molested when he was 12. She is wracked with guilt - why didn't she notice a difference in his behavior? Why wasn't she there to protect him? etc...If I was the parent, the guilt would consume me. 

WGoNerd

February 2nd, 2018 at 9:44 AM ^

I'm 100% with this guy. While I understand that our legal system can't allow it to happen, Nassar deserves whatever this guy would've given him and more.

ijohnb

February 2nd, 2018 at 10:38 AM ^

is not being said the "blame" parents or anybody except for Nassar, the victims and parents alike are all victims, but with the reports of some of the parents in the room..... I don't know.  After reading those reports, I kind of came away with a very ugly and uneasy feeling about gymnastics in general. 

Like, how much difference could it make to a parent whether it was legitimate medical treatment or not?  The actual "act" of what is being done is similar enough that the two can be confused by parents in the room?  Eh.  It would seem to me that if I was the parent involved, whether it was "treatment" or not, once I was told what the "treatment" involved I would have been on my way out the door with my daughter and going to sign her up for like basketball or something.  Like, "why don't we just get you involved in a sport where that doesn't happen" for any reason, medical or not.

Once again, I am not blaming the parents, I wasn't there and wasn't in there shoes.  But if there is a sport where that kind of "treatment" is even used regularly to the extent that it could be accepted as legitimate (or confused as such), should that really be a sport anymore?

In reply to by ijohnb

WGoNerd

February 2nd, 2018 at 10:59 AM ^

The way I understand it, Nassar would obscure the parent's view while the "procedure" was performed.  Either with lab equipment or a curtain, or even with his own body.

Parents trusted the guy because he was a USA Gymnastics coach, he was highly regarded, so in their minds, he must be on the up and up.

ijohnb

February 2nd, 2018 at 11:07 AM ^

get it, but what I am saying is that, one way or another, parents that were literally in the room were nearly 100% made aware, before, during, or subsequently (by their daughters) what the "treatment" entailed, at least in general terms.  I understood they thought it was legit, but I guess I can't see the distinction between "legitimate" and "illegitimate" being the only factor in my calculus there. 

What I am saying that if there is such a sport where such a treatment is sometimes legitimately used for optimal performance, that is very likely not a sport a want my daughter performing optimally in.  Is that fair?  It may not be, it is just want I found myself thinking upon reading that parents were in the room at times.

 

In reply to by ijohnb

SoDak Blues

February 2nd, 2018 at 11:14 AM ^

As much as I hated getting checked for hernias when I was playing football in grade school, I am pretty sure I would have hated it even more if it involved a digital rectal exam. Probably would have called it quits. Not sure I would want my daughter or son involved in sport where evaluation/treatment of their genitalia promotes optimal results. 

In reply to by ijohnb

You Only Live Twice

February 2nd, 2018 at 1:06 PM ^

Nassar was incredibily calculating.  One of the victims had mentioned at the first hearing (I think) that she thought he found out early on how easy it was. He seemed to approach his molestation of the girls in degrees.  If a parent was in the room, his back was turned, they couldn't see exactly what he was doing, and he somehow got them to accept that the famous doctor was performing a legit procedure that helped back pain by massaging the pelvic floor (or whatever).   He wouldn't have used this "technique" for a twisted ankle, and he wouldn't have also massaged a girl's breasts while a parent was in the room. However, once he gained trust of the parents, the abuse probably escalated.  

 

 

 

ijohnb

February 2nd, 2018 at 1:31 PM ^

am saying something a little more basic.

Doctor - "Yeah, looks like we there is some pain here, and what I am going to have to do is insert my fingers here and massage the pevic floor, got it?"

Me - "What the hell?  No.  Like, no no no no.  Not at all.  That is 0% OK."

Doctor - "Well, this will eliminate some pain and allow her to participate in gymnastic to the best of her ability."

Me - "Seriously?  No.  Put your fingers away.  I guess we aren't doing gymnastics anymore, then.  If this is the kind of treatment my daughter needs to perform in gymnastics, then performing in gymnastics is not something I am interested in her doing."

 

And I am using this exchange as an example of when the treatment could have been hypothetically completely legitimate.  In some cases, the girls that such a procedure would be legitimately performed on are very, very young.  If such a treatment were ever proposed on my daughter, even assuming it was 100% legit, I think I would take her out of gymnastics before allowing it to be performed.

The Krusty Kra…

February 2nd, 2018 at 9:45 AM ^

Violence *usually* isn't the answer but I am surprised this hasn't happened sooner to him or Geddert or the former gymnastics coach Klages. Death is too easy a punishment for Nassar but someone powerbombing him through a table in court would be a start.

B1G_Fan

February 2nd, 2018 at 10:01 AM ^

People always say violence is never the answer but, historically it's been the only answer anyone gives.

 Even in a protective custody situation, good luck finding a prison where Nassar didn't have an effect on someone family. If this guy lives 3 years in prison I'm shocked.

WGoNerd

February 2nd, 2018 at 9:52 AM ^

Don't they normally put monsters like Nassar in protective solitary so that that doesn't happen?

Because you're correct, even amongst criminals, child molesters are viewed as beyond the pale.  I'm reminded of the story of a burgler breaking into a house to rob it, finding a bunch of child pornography, and calling the cops on himself so they could take care of the home owner too.

what would Bo do

February 2nd, 2018 at 9:59 AM ^

My 2nd cousin is a prison guard in a high security prison, and while you are correct that that's what *should* happen, the guards and the inmates know exactly why everyone is in there.  I can tell you that almost all of the guards turn a blind eye to what they consider to be adequate justice.  There's a lot of truth to the saying, "there's honor even among thieves."

I can guarantee you that wherever Nassar ends up, every inmate and guard in that prison will know exactly what he did.  Given how high profile that case was, he may even remain protected for a while, but I wouldn't expect that to last.  I'd guarantee someone will end up giving him the beating (and likely much worse) that this man would have given him.