LANSING, Mich. (WWJ) – The Michigan Court of Appeals has dropped former Michigan State University Gymnastics coach Kathie Klages’s conviction of lying to police.
The former coach was convicted in February 2020 in connection with the Michigan Attorney General’s investigation into the sexual abuse of young girls by disgraced MSU sports doctor Larry Nassar.
Klages’s charges stemmed from a statement she made about not remembering two young gymnasts – ages 14 and 16 at the time, who were participating in a youth program at the school – telling her in 1997 about Nassar’s abuse.
In an opinion released Tuesday, the Court of Appeals reversed the conviction, saying Klages’s statement about not remembering those conversations did not affect the AG’s investigation.
“This argument misstates the law in a critical respect. The investigation into ‘who knew what and when about Larry Nassar’ was supposed to have been an investigation of potential criminal conduct, not a roving inquiry designed to expose MSU’s mistakes and to further embarrass the institution,” the judges’ opinion reads. “Tellingly, the assistant prosecuting attorney then admitted that a search warrant of Klages’s electronics would not have revealed anything because, ‘You’re not going to have something from 2017 talking about information from 1997.’”
Klages had been sentenced to 90 days in jail and 18 months of probation, though she only served 50 days, according to the Detroit News.
Klages’s attorney, Mary Chartier, told the Lansing State Journal she’s thrilled with the court’s decision.
“It has been a long battle, but Mrs. Klages has finally been vindicated,” said Chartier. “This prosecution should never have been brought by the Attorney General, and the thorough analysis by the Court of Appeals explains why this case was flawed from the beginning.”
John Manly – a lead attorney representing Nassar’s victims – however, called the ruling “erroneous.”
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If the Michigan Attorney General’s Office wishes to appeal the decision, they must go to the Michigan Supreme Court.
Nassar was sentenced to 175 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges of criminal sexual misconduct. He was also sentenced to 60 years on child pornography charges.
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