NEW: Infamous Sexual Abuser Larry Nassar Stabbed In Prison

Larry Nassar, a former sports doctor who was convicted on (and confessed to) multiple counts of sexually abusing female gymnasts, was stabbed multiple times in a federal prison located in Florida according to the Associated Press. The stabbing happened on Sunday at the United States Penitentiary Coleman. The disgraced doctor’s condition had stabilized by Monday. Nassar was stabbed in his back and in the chest. The reason given for the lack of intervention by the guards is that the prison was understaffed and the guards were overworked given mandated overtime shifts.

One officer on duty was reportedly on the third straight work shift – working 16 hours nonstop – when the stabbing happened. The other officer was on their second straight work shift.

A 2021 investigation by the Associated Press into the federal prison system found that there was a 1/3rd national vacancy rate for federal correction officers. This chronic vacancy forced prisons to substitute using a host of employees who were not hired for that purpose. Cooks,  teachers, nurses, and other workers were drafted to guard prison inmates.

Over 100 women, including Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, sought $1 billion from the federal government for their covering up of Nassar’s abuses. They note that FBI agents became aware of the allegations against Nassar back in 2015 and only arrested Nassar in 2016 – over a year later. The Inspector General of the Justice Department admitted back in 2021 that the bureau made “fundamental” errors when they were tasked with investigating Nassar and that they did not treat the case with the “utmost seriousness” thereby allowing more athletes to be abused.

The Associated Press relayed that “[a]t least 40 girls and women” report being molested by Nassar in the 14-month FBI probe. The FBI itself acknowledged that “inexcusable” conduct happened by the bureau. Nassar was sentenced to 40 years in prison. Nassar also pled guilty to possessing child pornography.

More than 150 victims of the doctor gave testimony in verbal or written form during the course of his trial.  As one witness, the first woman to accuse Nassar of sexual assault, said of the verdict, “[i]t’s over. … Almost six years after I filed the police report, it’s finally over.”

Nassar’s lawyers took issue with the judge’s conduct during their client’s trial. They observed that the judge called Nassar a “monster” who would “wither” away in jail like “The Wizard of Oz”‘s wicked witch. The judge proclaimed after signing the sentencing document for Nassar, “I just signed your death warrant.” The Michigan Supreme Court declined to take up the appeal and cited the judge’s adherence to the sentencing agreement worked out by the lawyers as their reason to refuse taking up the matter.