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UPDATE: Ex-prosecutor leading school's review of doctor

Posted
and last updated

2:50 p.m.

Michigan State University says former Chicago federal prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald is leading an internal review of the work of a sports doctor accused of sexually assaulting athletes.

The disclosure was made Friday in a statement read at a regular meeting of university trustees. Coincidentally, the meeting occurred while Dr. Larry Nassar was being ordered to trial on charges of sexual assault involving the daughter of friends many years ago.

Board Chairman Brian Breslin says "sexual assault has no place in our Spartan community." He says Fitzgerald and two law firms are assessing Nassar's work at the university, including his role with MSU athletics. The review began last fall.

Nassar was fired in September. He's being sued by dozens of women who say they were molested during treatments. He denies wrongdoing.

Fitzgerald presided over the prosecution of former Illinois Rod Blagojevich on corruption charges.

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12:15 p.m.

A judge has ordered a former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics sports doctor to stand trial on sexual assault charges.

Judge Donald Allen Jr. issued his ruling at the conclusion of a hearing near Lansing in which a 25-year-old woman testified that she was repeatedly molested as a child by Dr. Larry Nassar.

Nassar is charged with first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He has pleaded not guilty.

The woman says her parents were friends with Nassar and the abuse happened from age 6 until age 12 during family visits to his home. She says he rubbed his genitals on her and digitally penetrated her, among other things.

Separately, Nassar faces child porn charges and is being sued by dozens of women and girls who say he sexually assaulted them while they sought treatment over a roughly 20-year period.

Nassar denies any wrongdoing.

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11:10 a.m.

A 25-year-old woman has testified that a former Michigan State University sports doctor repeatedly molested her as a child during family visits to his home near Lansing.

The woman's testimony Friday came during a hearing to determine if there's enough evidence to warrant trying Dr. Larry Nassar on sexual assault charges.

The woman says Nassar sexually abused her from age 6 until age 12 at his home in Holt. She says he rubbed his genitals on her and digitally penetrated her, among other things. She also says when she eventually told her parents, her dad didn't believe her.

Nassar faces separate child porn charges and is being sued by dozens of women and girls who say he sexually assaulted them while they sought treatment for injuries over a roughly 20-year period.

Nassar has denied any wrongdoing. He also worked for Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics, which trains Olympians.

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1:15 a.m.

A judge must decide whether there's enough evidence to send a Michigan sports doctor to trial on sexual assault charges.

Dr. Larry Nassar will appear in a Lansing-area court on Friday. He's accused of assaulting a girl from the age of 6 until the girl was 12 at his home in Holt, Michigan. He's pleaded not guilty.

The allegations don't involve an athlete. But Nassar is being sued by dozens of women and girls who say they were assaulted while getting treatment for sports injuries over a roughly 20-year period. Police are investigating.

Separately, he's charged in federal court with possessing child pornography.

Michigan State University women's gymnastics coach Kathie Klages suddenly quit Wednesday, a day after she was suspended for defending Nassar to her team.