FILE - Disgraced former sports doctor Larry Nassar appears in court for a plea hearing, Nov. 22, 2017, in Lansing, Mich. Women sexually assaulted by imprisoned former Michigan State University sports doctor Larry Nassar have filed a lawsuit, Thursday, July 27, 2023, claiming school officials made “secret decisions” about releasing documents in the case. EAST LANSING, Mich.
Michigan State has been criticized for its handling of the Nassar investigation and its dealings with survivors in the aftermath of his arrest and conviction.Mark Bullion, a spokesperson for Michigan State, said Thursday in an email that the school does not comment on pending litigation, and that the school has not seen or been served with the new lawsuit.
“We contend that board members made a behind-closed-doors secret decision not to release the records in blatant violation of the Open Meetings Act,” victims' attorney Azzam Elder said in a release. “They followed that up with violations of the Freedom of Information Act when we requested emails that might show they discussed and made a closed-door decision on the matter in violation of law.”
Attorney General Dana Nessel has asked the school to release the more than 6,000 documents to help shine a light on what the school knew about the abuse.in 2021 of the school's handling of the Nassar case because the university refused to provide documents related to the scandal.