Father who rushed Nassar in court released from custody
CHARLOTTE -- A father who rushed Larry Nassar during his sentencing hearing Friday morning was held in direct contempt of court, but will not be fined or detained.
"There is no way this court is going to issue any type of punishment due to the circumstances of this case," Eaton County Circuit Judge Janice Cunningham said Friday.
Randall Margraves was detained Friday morning after he attempted to attack Nassar following the conclusion of statements from two of his three daughters who said they were assaulted by Nassar.
Cunningham said she can't fathom what Margraves was experiencing, given that he was hearing some of the details of his daughters' victim impact statements for the first time Friday.
Cunningham said she had the option of issuing a fine or jail time for Margraves, but decided against it with a warning:
"I cannot tolerate or condone vigilantism or any other type of action that basically comes down to an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," Cunningham said.
Margraves apologized to the court and the deputies who were forced to tackle him.
"I'm not here to upstage my daughters," Margraves said. "I'm here to help them heal."
(Here is Margraves speaking to the judge:)
Eaton County Sheriff Tom Reich said the investigation into Margraves' attempted attack continues and, at its conclusion, would be sent to prosecutors. Reich said he’s trying to balance emotions involved in case with what the law is.
“Here we got a victim’s father who heard for the first time in the courtroom of what occurred," Reich said. "I’m a parent myself, and hearing that for the first time, I can only imagine what he went through.”
Eaton County Prosecutor Doug Lloyd, in a statement Friday, said he will review a charge request if it's submitted by Reich's office, but charges would not be issued "based solely on live-stream video of an event."
During a press conference Friday evening, Mick Grewal, Margraves’ attorney, said a GoFundMe page set up in support of Randall Margraves was not authorized and asked that it be taken down.
By the end of the day Friday, about $16,000 had been raised through the fundraising site. A GoFundMe spokesman said he was working with the organizer to ensure the funds were handled appropriately.
Margraves nearly reached Nassar when he rushed the doctor shortly before 10 a.m., but was blocked by Nassar’s attorney Matthew Newburg and then restrained by at least three deputies. He was handcuffed by MSU Police Detective Andrea Munford, the lead investigator on Nassar's cases in Ingham and Eaton counties.
“Give me one minute with that bastard,” Margraves said after he was tackled.
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Margraves' daughters, Lauren and Madison Rae, had just finished speaking when he addressed the judge. Morgan Margraves read her victim impact statement during Nassar's Ingham County sentencing in January.
"I would ask you as part of this sentencing to grant me five minutes in a locked room with this demon," Randall Margraves said following his daughters' statements.
Cunningham said she couldn't do that. He asked for a minute, and she said she couldn't allow that.
Randall Margraves then ran at Nassar and nearly reached him before Newburg and deputies intervened.
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Assistant Attorney General Angela Povilaitis, the lead prosecutor, warned the gallery not to repeat Margraves' outburst, saying it's not helping the victims or the community. She told them to use their words, not physical violence.
"You cannot behave like this," Povilaitis said. "This is letting him have his power over us."
In a statement Friday, Newburg said he appreciated the quick response of the Eaton County Sheriff's deputies in the courtroom.
"They have gone to great lengths to ensure our safety in and out of the courtroom," Newburg said.
After the civil contempt hearing, Grewal spoke with reporters in the hallway outside the courtroom and said the Sheriff’s Office will continue a criminal investigation, which could be sent to prosecutors. Grewal added that he hopes it won’t come to that and that Margraves reacted the way he did after hearing the details of what happened to his daughters.
About a half dozen law enforcement officers have been in the courtroom all day, with three Eaton County deputies sitting near Nassar, which is an increase from the typical number inside a courtroom for a sentencing hearing. Several law enforcement officers have been sitting in the back of the courtroom gallery as well.
Additional security did not appear to have been added following Margraves' attempted attack.
Friday was the second day of Nassar's Eaton County sentencing on three sexual assault charges, which is expected to conclude Monday.
Nassar, 54, was sentenced last month to between 40 and 175 years by Ingham County Circuit Court Judge Rosemarie Aquilina on seven sexual assault charges. In December, a federal judge sentenced him to 60 years in prison for three child pornography charges. His sentencing in Eaton County began Wednesday.
An Indianapolis Star investigation of USA Gymnastics, begun in 2016, uncovered widespread sexual abuse of athletes by coaches and others and failures to alert authorities. The IndyStar, part of the USA TODAY Network, revealed the first allegations of abuse by Larry Nassar.
Live: Day 2 of Larry Nassar's 3rd sentencing hearing
Contact Reporter Beth LeBlanc at 517-377-1167 or eleblanc@gannett.com. Follow her on Twitter @LSJBethLeBlanc. Contact Matt Mencarini at (517) 267-1347 or mmencarini@lsj.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattMencarini.