Attorney general launches investigation on Michigan State University

The Associated Press

EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Latest on the fallout from the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal at Michigan State University (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette is conducting an investigation into how much Michigan State University officials knew about claims of sexual abuse by patients of disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar.

Schuette, who is running for governor, told reporters Saturday that “it is abundantly clear that a full and complete investigation of what happened at Michigan State from the president’s office down is required.”

The announcement comes a day after athletic director Mark Hollis retired amid sharp criticism of the East Lansing school’s response to the allegations. School president Lou Anna Simon resigned Wednesday.

Nassar, a former Michigan State employee and gymnastics doctor for the U.S. Olympic team, was sentenced this week to 40 to 175 years in prison for molesting young girls and women under the guise of medical treatment.

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11:50 a.m.

Michigan State University didn’t share the full conclusions of a 2014 Title IX investigation into disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar with a patient who accused him of sexual assault.

The patient, Amanda Thomashow, received an abbreviated version of the 2014 report, which found that Nassar’s conduct wasn’t sexual in nature and therefore didn’t violate the school’s sexual harassment policy.

But the Lansing State Journal and The Detroit News report that the school didn’t give Thomashow the rest of its findings. Among them were that Nassar’s failure to explain the “invasive, sensitive procedures” he was using and to obtain prior consent from patients “is opening the practice up to liability and is exposing patients to unnecessary trauma based on the possibility of perceived inappropriate sexual misconduct.”

A school spokesman says Thomashow was told the investigation had resulted in recommended policy changes at the Sports Medicine clinic where Nassar worked.

Nassar was sentenced Wednesday to 40 to 175 years for molesting young female athletes. He also worked for USA Gymnastics.

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12:25 a.m.

Michigan State football coach Mark Dantonio says he’s always worked with the correct authorities in cases involving sexual assault allegations.

After an ESPN report detailed various allegations involving Spartans football and basketball players, Dantonio addressed reporters Friday night.

Dantonio says “any accusations of my handling of any complaints of sexual assault individually are completely false.” The coach also says each incident mentioned in the report was documented by either police or the university’s Title IX office.

Earlier Friday, MSU athletic director Mark Hollis announced his retirement. USA Gymnastics also confirmed that its entire board of directors would resign as requested by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The moves came two days after the university president resigned over the school’s handling of sexual abuse allegations against convicted former sports doctor Larry Nassar.