Former gymnast recounts Nassar story, calls for change

EAST LANSING - When Larissa Boyce told MSU's women's gymnastics coach in 1997 that Larry Nassar digitally penetrated her, the coach immediately called a meeting with the other members of a youth gymnastics program, Boyce told reporters on Friday.

The coach, Kathie Klages, then asked the other members of the Michigan State University Youth Gymnastics program if Nassar had done the same thing to them, Boyce said, and one other gymnast said he had.

Boyce added that Klages had her and the other gymnast speak with MSU's gymnasts about Nassar's treatments. She also said that Klages didn't tell her parents about her complaint.

Boyce, now in her 30s, was a teen when she raised concerns about Nassar two decades ago. She is one of more than 80 women or girls suing MSU, Nassar or USA Gymnastics who have said in court documents that Nassar sexually assaulted them during medical appointments and that the organizations didn't do enough to protect them.

In her lawsuit filed in federal court Boyce is identified by the pseudonym Jane BMSU Doe, but she recently decided to use her name and share more about her story, which included additional details about her 1997 conversation with Klages. She spoke with several reporters on Friday at her attorneys' office.

Boyce was the first person to say in court documents that Klages was aware of concerns about Nassar prior to September, when an Indianapolis Star story detailed sexual assault allegations agaisnt Nassar by two gymnasts. Boyce said Klages cautioned her against reporting Nassar, saying it could have serious repercussions for Nassar and Boyce, who was about 16 years old at the time.

"I'm only one of the voices, one of the silent screams, one of the hundreds of lives that have been affected by a man who grossly abused his power and trust — a predator and manipulator " she said on Friday to a group of reporters at the law office of the attorneys representing her. "How does something like this happen and go on for so long?"

Boyce said she decided to come forward and use her name because she wants to see change in the way people and society respond to abuse allegations.

"Let's be proactive," she said. "Let's educate, train and hold people accountable when they don't do right thing, when they don't immediately report concerns of abuse."

RELATED:
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-Attorney: MSU failed to 'adequately investigate' 2014 Nassar complaint
-At MSU: Assault, harassment and secrecy

Klages has been named as defendant by several of the law firms suing in federal court. Her attorney, Shirlee Bobryk, said they are "not going to try this in the press" and referred to a statement released in February.

"Dr. Nassar was trusted by Ms. Klages to competently and ethically treat her team members," Bobryk said in the February statement. "Had she ever received any information to cast doubt on the appropriateness of that trust in Dr. Nassar, she would have reacted immediately to protect her gymnasts."

Klages resigned from her position at MSU in February, a day after the university suspended for the way she handled a September meeting with her gymnasts to tell them about the IndyStar story.

Nassar, 53, of Holt, worked for decades at MSU and with USA Gymnastics. The university fired him in September and he left USA Gymnastics in fall 2015 with little notice.

Boyce said Klages appeared to be surprised when she told her that she was uncomfortable with Nassar's treatments. Klages told Boyce she must be misunderstanding what Nassar was doing and then called her teammates into the room to talk about Nassar's treatments, Boyce said.

One other gymnast then told Klages that Nassar had done something similar, Boyce said.

That gymnast, a woman now in her 30s, also is part of the federal lawsuit with Boyce and others, their attorney, David Mittleman, confirmed.

That gymnast was about 14 years old in 1997 when, according to court documents, Nassar sexually assaulted her in his MSU office under the pretense of medical treatment.

Her parents were often in the room for treatments, according to court documents, but were blocked from seeing what Nassar was doing.

The experience is similar to that of of Tony Guerrero, the father of a teenage girl who says in court documents that Nassar sexually assaulted her during medical appointments between 2014 and 2016.

Guerrero and his daughter are part of the federal lawsuit Mittleman's law firm filed. He spoke to reporters at Mittleman's office the same day Boyce did. He said he was often in the room when the now fired MSU doctor abused his daughter but couldn't see what was happening, although he once took a photo because he had some concerns.

Guerrero said he and his daughter weren't told about the protocols MSU put in place for Nassar after a 2014 internal investigation cleared Nassar of sexual assault claims. He said he thinks he should have been told about the protocols and the investigation, and that those who allowed Nassar to keep seeing patients "should be held accountable."

ContactMatt Mencarini at (517) 267-1347 or mmencarini@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter@MattMencarini.