Teary-Eyed Meridian Township Manager Apologizes to Nassar Survivor
In 2004, a 17-year-old Brianne Randall-Gay reported an incident of sexual misconduct regarding ex-doctor Larry Nassar to Meridian Township police.
According to Randall-Gay, Nassar's treatment involved genital penetration in addition to massaging her breasts and buttocks. She subsequently had a rape kit done after telling her mother what happened.
The police at the time sided with Nassar, who claimed that "the technique he used required touching those areas," the Lansing State Journal's Beth LeBlanc reported.
Today, Randall-Gay received an apology fourteen years in the making. Meridian Township Manager Frank Walsh apologized to Randall-Gay on behalf of the township police department.
"We are sorry that we were manipulated and deceived back in 2004," Walsh told Randall-Gay via a public Skype call.
During the initial investigation, Nassar provided the police with a Powerpoint presentation defending his practices.
LeBlanc wrote Nassar's use of bare hands in lieu of gloves during the appointment ranked among several red flags that caused concern for Randall-Gay's mother.
During her victim impact statement at Nassar's Ingham County sentencing, Randall-Gray mentioned Nassar tried to tie her complaint to body insecurities.
LeBlanc noted Meridian Township paid Randall-Gray's travel expenses from Seattle in order to attend the sentencing.