Disgraced Sports Doctor Larry Nassar Stabbed Multiple Times at Florida Federal Prison, Sources Confirm

Larry Nassar, a disgraced sports doctor who was convicted of sexually abusing female gymnasts, including Olympic medalists, endured multiple stab wounds during an altercation with another inmate at a federal prison in Florida.

According to two individuals familiar with the matter who spoke to The Big Big News, the attack took place on Sunday at the United States Penitentiary Coleman. As of Monday, Nassar’s condition was reported to be stable.

One of the sources revealed that Nassar had been stabbed in the back and chest. The prison was facing staffing shortages, and one of the informants mentioned that the officers assigned to Nassar’s unit were working mandatory overtime shifts.

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The sources spoke on condition of anonymity to the Associated Press as they were not authorized to publicly discuss the details of the attack or the ongoing investigation.

Nassar is currently serving several decades in prison for his convictions in both state and federal courts. He admitted to sexually assaulting athletes while employed at Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics, an organization that trains Olympic athletes. Additionally, Nassar pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons has faced significant staffing shortages in recent years, which gained attention when disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein died by suicide in a federal jail in New York in 2019. An investigation by The Big Big News in 2021 revealed that nearly one-third of federal correctional officer positions were vacant nationwide, leading to prisons assigning non-security personnel like cooks, teachers, and nurses to guard inmates. These staffing shortages have hindered emergency response efforts in various prisons, including cases of suicide.

On Sunday, both officers assigned to Nassar’s unit were working overtime shifts. One of the officers had completed a third consecutive 16-hour shift, while the other was on their second consecutive shift, according to one of the sources.

During victim impact statements in 2018, numerous athletes testified that they had disclosed Nassar’s sexual abuse to adults, including coaches and athletic trainers, but the reports went unheeded.

Over 100 women, including Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, jointly sought over $1 billion from the federal government due to the FBI’s failure to intervene when allegations against Nassar were brought to their attention in 2015. Nassar was only arrested by the Michigan State University police more than a year later, in 2016.

In July 2021, the Justice Department’s inspector general stated that the FBI had made “fundamental” errors in investigating the sexual abuse allegations against Nassar and did not treat the case with the necessary seriousness. Further athletes came forward, stating they were molested prior to the FBI taking action.

The inspector general’s investigation was prompted by allegations that the FBI had neglected to promptly address complaints made in 2015 against Nassar. USA Gymnastics had conducted its own internal investigation, and the organization’s then-president, Stephen Penny, reported the allegations to the FBI’s field office in Indianapolis. However, it took months before a formal investigation was initiated.

While the FBI acknowledged their conduct as “inexcusable and a discredit” to the country’s premier law enforcement agency, at least 40 girls and women reported being molested during the 14-month period when the FBI was already aware of other sexual abuse allegations involving Nassar. USA Gymnastics officials also reached out to FBI officials in Los Angeles in May 2016 after eight months of inactivity from the agents in Indianapolis.

Michigan State, accused of missed opportunities to stop Nassar over the course of many years, agreed to pay $500 million to over 300 women and girls who were victimized by him. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee reached a $380 million settlement.

In June 2022, the Michigan Supreme Court denied Nassar’s final appeal. Nassar’s attorneys argued that he was treated unfairly in 2018 and deserved a new hearing, citing vengeful remarks made by a judge who referred to him as a “monster” destined to “wither” in prison, similar to the wicked witch in “The Wizard of Oz.”

“Ingham County Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said of Nassar’s 40-year sentence, ‘I just signed your death warrant.'”

The state Supreme Court acknowledged that Nassar’s appeal presented a “close question” and expressed concerns about the judge’s conduct. However, they noted that Aquilina, despite her provocative comments, adhered to the sentencing agreement negotiated by the lawyers involved.

The court issued a two-page order stating, “We decline to expend additional judicial resources and further subject the victims in this case to additional trauma where the questions at hand present nothing more than an academic exercise.”

Over 150 victims provided statements or spoke during an unprecedented seven-day hearing in Judge Aquilina’s courtroom over four years ago.

Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to publicly accuse Nassar, expressed her relief, saying, “It’s over… Almost six years after I filed the police report, it’s finally over.”

Reported by Sisak from New York.

Correction: This story has been amended to reflect that Nassar’s final appeal was rejected by the Michigan Supreme Court in June 2022, not June 2023.

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