LANSING (WWJ/AP) - Michigan's new attorney general provided updates about state investigations of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal at Michigan State University, the Flint water crisis and clergy abuse in the Catholic church.
Dana Nessel, who took charge of the office in January, issuing the updates on Thursday. All three probes began under her predecessor, Bill Schuette.
"Our work is not yet done and I want to remind the people of this state we will continue to seek the truth and provide justice for all affected by these tragedies," said Nessel.
Michigan State University
The office is investigating MSU's handling of Nassar, a former campus doctor convicted of molesting young athletes when they sought treatment. Several people are facing charges, including former Michigan State President Lou Anna Simon. The school last May reached a $500 million settlement with 332 women and girls who said they were assaulted by Nassar.
- With the agreement of and support from Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd, Nessel’s office is taking on the investigation of gymnastics coach John Geddert. Geddert founded Twistars, the gymnastics training center where Larry Nassar assaulted many of his victims.
- Danielle Hagaman-Clark, one of the state’s most prominent career sexual assault prosecutors, has been hired to lead the Geddert investigation. Hagaman-Clark will also be part of the investigative team working on the MSU and Catholic Church clergy abuse investigations.
- The state requested, has received and is reviewing documents related to former MSU trustee George Perles and the alleged forgiveness of his financial commitment in exchange for resigning from the board before the end of 2018.
- The office continues to work with the attorney for former interim president John Engler to schedule an interview with him.
- East Lansing District Court Judge Richard Ball has completed his review of privileged documents related to the AG’s investigation. Based on that review, it does not appear the Attorney General’s office will be getting any additional documents and MSU will be allowed to redact or withhold more than 6,000 documents from the AG’s investigation team.
- The Department of the Attorney General in coordination with the state Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs has served two MSU athletic trainers – Destiny Teachnor-Hauk and Liana Hadden – administrative complaints for giving false statements to investigators about their knowledge of sexual abuse of students by Larry Nassar.
Flint Water Crisis
Fifteen officials have been charged over Flint's lead-tainted drinking water, including seven who have struck deals. Flint was one of the worst man-made environmental disasters in U.S. history. While waiting for a new pipeline to bring water from Lake Huron, the majority-black city of 100,000 pulled water from a river in 2014-15 without treating it to reduce corrosive effects on old pipes and lead infected the distribution system. It wasn't until a doctor reported high levels of lead in children, which can cause brain damage, that officials looked into the problem.
- Nessel will work closely with her team on the 79 civil cases related to the Flint Water Crisis.
- Wayne County Prosecutor Kym L. Worthy and her office will be working in tandem with the Solicitor General to investigate and prosecute the Flint criminal cases.
- Todd Flood has been designated a Special Assistant Attorney General.
Abuse In Catholic Church
Michigan's probe of sex abuse by Catholic priests was prompted by a Pennsylvania grand jury report that said more than 1,000 children have been molested in that state since the 1940s, and that generations of bishops failed repeatedly to take measures to protect their flock or punish the rapists.
- In tandem with the Michigan State Police, simultaneous raids were executed on all seven Michigan dioceses – Detroit, Saginaw, Lansing, Marquette, Gaylord, Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids.
- Hundreds of thousands of pages of documents were seized and are being reviewed.
- The investigative team is reviewing each of the more than 300 tips received.
- The Attorney General’s office has asked the dioceses to suspend their own internal review process until the state’s investigation is complete – and urged victims to report any suspected abuse to law enforcement officers rather than church officials on the state’s clergy abuse hotline at 844-324-3374 or online at michigan.gov/clergyabuse.
- Nessel also challenged the dioceses to set up a fund for victims to be administered by the Attorney General’s office so that victims may get the help needed for the trauma they experienced.
