JUDY PUTNAM

Putnam: At Nassar sentencing, Judge Aquilina plays role of jurist and therapist

Judy Putnam
Lansing State Journal

Note: Story has been updated to reflect correct spelling of Nicole Reeb's last name.

LANSING – Poor Larry Nassar.

Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina addresses Larry Nassar Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018, about a letter he wrote the courts prior to the third day of victim impact statements.  She shut down Nassar's claims that her court was a "media circus" as he had purported.

He’s been sitting in the witness stand, forced to face the women and girls making victim impact statements hour after hour as he awaits sentencing.

On Thursday, Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina spoke in court about a six-page letter he had written, apparently before the hearing started on Tuesday, saying he didn't think he could handle four whole days of impact statements. 

Well, tough.

Aquilina said as much Thursday. More than 100 are expected to give statements in the hearing, which now could spill into next week. 

In the letter, Nassar suggested the judge is showboating for the benefit of the cameras in the courtroom and creating a media circus.

“I don’t have a dog in this fight, sir,” Aquilina snapped back.

(Watch Judge Aquilina's reaction to the Nassar letter to the court) 

But as she enters the fourth day of the sentencing hearing, Aquilina is gaining attention for her words. A CNN columnist called her the "judge the victims needed" while ESPN published an open letter to her thanking her on behalf of victims.

Sounding more like a spiritual adviser or therapist than a jurist, Aquilina encouraged the women who testified by praising them and nudging them to move forward.

Somebody needed to do that. After years of silence, Larry Nassar's victims are finally having their say, and Aquilina is clearly listening.

“Push away those nightmares. He’s gone. Your words replace what he’s done to you,” Aquilina told Taylor Cole, who testified she suffers from anxiety, sleep and relationship difficulties because of abuse by Nassar.

"I hate to be touched," Cole told the court.

Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina looks at a letter from Larry Nassar Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018, in her  courtroom before the third day of victim impact statements.

Nicole Reeb, a dancer who tearfully talked about her struggles after she sought help from Nassar, said she has had thoughts of suicide.

"Only the defendant (Nassar) would be better off if you were not here. Please stay with us. Stay with your family. Your children need you," Aquilina told her.

Related:

Lindsey Lemke's spirited attack on Nassar and organizations he worked with wins applause at sentencing hearing

Olympic medalists call Larry Nassar a 'monster' at sentencing hearing

Nassar’s been exposed as a serial molester who used his reputation as a renowned Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics team doctor to gain the young athletes’ trust. He's already been sentenced in federal court to 60 years for child pornography.

He is facing a minimum sentence of 25 to 40 years with a maximum up to life after he pleaded guilty to seven sexual assault charges. He also pleaded guilty to charges in Eaton County, where he'll be sentenced on Jan. 31.

As Nassar looked down or shielded his eyes with his hand as if the sun were glaring, one after another of his victims poured their hearts out and painted graphic, nauseating images – crying in the bathroom before appointments, gripping the edge of the exam table in pain, hearing him grunt as he groped them, knowing something was terribly wrong but not understanding what. 

Some expressed guilt that they didn’t stop him from hurting others. Many described emotional struggles and anxiety that they now trace back to Nassar's treatments.

There's been a lot of pain pouring from Aquilina's courtroom this week. But it's also opened a window to healing.

One by one, women stepped up, faced Nassar and declared themselves not victims but survivors.

“For years I had difficulty standing up for myself but not anymore. I am changing that today,” Jennifer Hayes, a former skater at MSU, told him Wednesday.

Aquilina praised and thanked the women. She reminded them they were not alone. She told them they were crying "good tears." She told their parents to let go of guilt.

"Your voices have been heard, taken into consideration, loud and clear," she said. 

Several thanked the judge back.

"You have provided so much comfort and love to us this week I’d personally like to say I’ll be forever grateful for that," said Lindsey Lemke, a 22-year-old MSU student and former gymnast who started seeing Nassar when she was 10.

Larry Nassar enters circuit court Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018, during the third day of victim impact statements.

She described treatments at Nassar's home several times a week that "piece by piece" took away her childhood.

Jessica Smith said she was molested by Nassar at age 17. She started the #MeTooMSU Facebook page.

"I want to thank you, your honor, for the very large role you've played in the healing process," she said.

Judy Putnam is a columnist with the Lansing State Journal. Contact her at (517) 267-1304 or at jputnam@lsj.com. Follow her on twitter @judyputnam.