A victim makes her "impact statement" to Larry Nassar during a sentencing hearing as he puts his head down in front of Judge Rosemarie Aquilina. Photo / AP
A victim makes her "impact statement" to Larry Nassar during a sentencing hearing as he puts his head down in front of Judge Rosemarie Aquilina. Photo / AP
Day three of the Larry Nassar sentencing kicked off on a strange note Thursday, when the disgraced doctor submitting a letter to the court.
The Daily Mail reports Nassar wrote that Judge Rosemarie Aquilina was conducting a "four-day media circus" for her own gain, and claimed that "listening to impact statements is detrimental to his mental health".
Fifty women have so far made victim impact statements, and another 55 are still scheduled to speak as more women are calling the district attorney's office to add their names to the list each day.
"She wants me to sit in the witness box next to her for all four days so the media cameras will be directed toward her," Nassar wrote in his six-page, single-spaced complaint.
Later in the day, the attorney general's office read a statement on behalf of 2012 Olympian McKayla Maroney, who could not be in court.
There had been concern she might not be able to speak without incurring a US$100,000 ($137,000) fine as part of her 2016 settlement with USA Gymnastics, which included a non-disclosure agreement that Maroney is now challenging in a lawsuit.
Judge Aquilina, who has spent the past two days individually addressing each victim after they made their statements in court, did the same for Nassar after his comments.
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina addresses a woman after her victim impact statement. Photo / AP
She began with a caveat however, explaining: "I am not a therapist. But if I was, I would not be yours."
Judge Aquilina did show some empathy for the convicted child molester, responding to Nassar's claim that he twice passed out before his federal sentencing back in December by saying: "I'm sorry about that, sir. I wish you well."
But continued: "This isn't worth the paper it's written on, there's no truth in there, it's delusional," said Judge Aquilina, who pointed out that Nassar signed off on this when he accepted a plea deal.
Spending four or five days listening to them is significantly minor considering the hours of pleasure you've had at their expense and ruining their lives.
"I didn't orchestrate this, you did," she reminded Nassar.
Judge Aquilina also referred to his words as "mumbo jumbo" during her 10-minute response to Nassar's mental health concerns, before pointing out that he got off easier than the women in the courtroom.
"You may find it harsh that you are here listening. But nothing is as harsh than what your victims endured for thousands of hours at your hands," said Judge Aquilina.
"Spending four or five days listening to them is significantly minor considering the hours of pleasure you've had at their expense and ruining their lives."
She then noted: 'None of this should come as a surprise to you.'
Nassar then got even more bad news when Judge Aquilina reminded him that 125 women were offered the chance to speak and said she would extend the hearing for as long as it took for each of those victims to make their impact statements.
Judge Aquilina also found some time for humour while addressing Nassar's complaint, as the serial predator sat silently in the witness stand.
"Now this is entertaining to me," she said at one point, before reading from Nassar's letter: "'Aquilina said if I pass out she'll have the EMTs revive me and prop me up in the witness box'."
The judge paused before looking at Nassar and saying: "I suspect you have watched too much television. It's delusional. You need to talk about these issues with a therapist and that's not me."
She then moved on to his next grievance: "'Aquilina is allowing them all to talk. She wants me to sit in the witness box next to her for all four days so the media cameras will be directed at her'."
Judge Aquilina looked at Nassar in disbelief, before responding: "I don't have a dog in this fight, sir. I didn't want even one victim to lose their voice."
It was also revealed while Judge Aquilina was going through the letter that court adjourned early on Wednesday so Nassar could receive treatment from mental health professionals.
Olympian Jamie Dantzscher was the first to speak on Thursday. The member of the 2000 team that went to Sydney looked right at her abuser.
Larry Nassar in court. Photo / AP
"'Dr. Nassar is no doctor at all, I'll refer to him as Larry," she said to start.
"I remember your obnoxious laugh and how you would slurp the drool off your lip," recalled the bronze-medallist.
"I don't see you laughing now."
She declined to detail her abuse however, and explained her reason.
"I'm not going to say everything you did to me because I know a sick bastard like you will enjoy hearing it," said Dantzscher.
Dantzscher did describe the aftermath of the abuse though, saying: "I struggled with anorexia, bulimia, and depression so severe that I was hospitalised for attempting suicide."
Then, she let Nassar have it, saying: "How f***ing dare you say 'sorry' for all you've done. We all see through your bulls*** now. You're a pathetic monster who's only sorry he got caught."
She was not the only Olympian to speak in court on Thursday, when McKayla Maroney's victim impact statement was also read out.
"It all started when I was 13 or 14 years old, at one of my first national team training camps, in Texas, and it didn't end until I left the sport," read the letter.
"It seemed whenever and wherever this man could find the chance, I was 'treated'. It happened in London before my team and I won the gold medal, and It happened before I won my silver medal."
The letter continued: "The scariest night of my life happened when I was 15 years old. I had flown all day and night with the team to Tokyo. He'd given me a sleeping pill for the flight, and the next thing I know, I was all alone with him in his hotel room getting a 'treatment'. I thought I was going to die that night."
Maroney also made a point of calling out those who let Nassar thrive for so long.
"How could have Larry Nassar been allowed to assault so many women and girls for more than two decades?" she asked.
"The answer to that question lies in the failure of not one, but three major institutions to stop him: Michigan State University, USA Gymnastics and the United States Olympic Committee."
