CHARLOTTE (WKZO AM/FM) — The father of two of Dr. Larry Nassar’s victims took to the podium in the Eaton County courtroom where victim impact statements are being heard and asked the judge if he could have five minutes alone with Nassar in a locked room. ‘
His response came after hearing for the very first time, the graphic detail of what happened during Nassar’s examinations of his three daughters.
The judge said ‘no’.
Then he asked if he could have one minute and the judge said that’s now how the system works.
That’s when Randall Margraves appeared to lunge at Nassar and was subdued in the melee that followed. Nassar’s defense attorney suddenly was acting like a defensive lineman, blocking Hargreaves, until two court officers swept in an instant later and tackled him to the floor.
Nassar was not harmed in the fracas and quickly escorted from the courtroom. Hargreaves was cuffed and led away.
After a 25-minute recess the victim impact statements resumed.
Later, Hargreaves was returned to the courtroom and appologized profusely, saying he was overcome with guilt having heard what his daughters endured and feeling like a failure for not protecting them.
See the video HERE (NOTE: The content contained in this video includes profanity)
Judge Janice K. Cunningham declined to press charges for criminal contempt of court, but the Prosecutor in Eaton County still could.
That’s just one of the more interesting sidebars to be generated by the hearings in Eaton County. One of Nassar’s of his attorneys has made comments about the victims that may be so controversial that even Nassar is distancing himself from them. 265 survivors have now come forward.
Shannon Smith told WWJ, and then repeated her comments to ESPN, that while she concedes some were abused, she thinks some of them now only think they were sexually assaulted now that they have heard other athletes talk about it, and she thinks that’s sad. Smith says listening to the women talk, she says it just doesn’t seem plausible that Nassar could have pulled off that many criminal sexual attacks with parents in the room and gotten away with it.
Nassar has issued a statement saying he never authorized the comments, that he has taken and oath pleading guilty to the charges and calls Smith’s statements a distraction that he apologizes for.
John McNeill contributed to this story
