Former MSU president charged with lying in abuse probe

Lou Anna K Simon, the former president of Michigan State University (MSU), has been charged with lying to state police during an investigation into sexual abuse by former MSU sports doctor and former USA Gymnastics physician Larry Nassar.

Simon resigned from her post in January over allegations that the university failed to act when Nassar’s misconduct was reported to at least 14 MSU officials over the two decades before Nassar’s arrest.

The Michigan Attorney General’s office charged Simon on 20 November with four counts of lying to a police officer – two misdemeanour and two felony counts. The penalty, if convicted, is up to four years in prison and a US$5,000 fine.

It is alleged that in May investigators asked her if she knew of any investigation of Nassar before 2016 and she falsely or misleadingly said that in 2014 she knew that a sports medicine doctor at the university was under review, when in fact she knew it was Nassar. She is also alleged to have falsely stated that she was unaware of the nature of the Title IX [sexual discrimination] complaint that was being investigated.

Michigan State University said in a statement on 20 November that it was aware of the charges brought against Simon and she was taking an immediate leave of absence, without pay, “to focus on her legal situation”.

Simon’s lawyer, Lee Silver of Grand Rapids, said the charges have “no merit whatsoever” and are “completely baseless”, according to The Detroit News.

“I have not seen a shred of evidence to support these charges, which I believe are completely baseless,” Silver said. “We are confident that when we have our day in court, Dr Simon will be exonerated.”

Abuse of athletes

On 24 January Nassar was sentenced to between 40 and 175 years in prison for seven counts of felony criminal sexual conduct involving abuse of athletes in his care, as reported by University World News. He had pleaded guilty to 10 counts of first-degree sexual misconduct in two counties.

During Nassar’s sentencing hearing, 156 girls, including former MSU athletes, gave impact statements on the effects of the abuse they had suffered at his hands. Another two dozen submitted private letters to the court to be taken into consideration.

A number of them directed their anger not only at Nassar, but also at MSU for its handling of the case. Several victims stated they told MSU coaches, trainers and officials about the abuse at various points over the years but felt pressured to drop the matter or angry at the lack of action taken.

In May this year, attorneys representing 332 survivors of abuse by Larry Nassar in lawsuits against Michigan State University and attorneys for the university announced a global settlement in principle worth US$500 million dollars to victims of his sexual abuse.

The settlement was nearly five times as high as the US$109 million that Pennsylvania State University paid out to more than 30 survivors of abuse by former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky and was thought to be the highest of any payout related to sexual misconduct and a university.