Judge signs order restricting comments in Nassar case | The Detroit News

A Michigan judge hearing a case against former MSU employee Larry Nassar issued a gag order on Tuesday, limiting what accusers and their lawyers can say about the sexual-assault allegations.

Attorneys for Nassar argued public statements have created a “mob mentality” and could hinder a fair trial.

Prosecutors took no position on the defense motion, which was granted with some modifications by Ingham County Court Judge Rosemarie Aquilina.

The gag order bars parties from talking about material not already in the court record.

Another restriction says Nassar must be referred to by his name or “the defendant.” This comes after a press conference by state Attorney General Bill Schuette, which he called Nassar “a monster.”

The Detroit News added the motion highlighted comments on social media by David Mittleman, an attorney with Church Wyble law firm in Okemos, Mich.

The law firm currently represents several alleged victims suing Nassar, MSU and USA Gymnastics. In a series of posts, Mittleman called Nassar “dangerous” and a “serial pedophile predator,” the Detroit News reports.

Judge bars potential Nassar victims from speaking publicly | Lansing State Journal

The State Journal reported the same information about the gag order, however it adds:

“It’s unclear who could be considered a potential witness because witness lists have not yet been filed in the case. Nassar’s attorneys could call former Nassar patients who say the doctor didn’t sexually assault them. In the documents they filed on Monday, Nassar’s attorneys said they will “definitely” call two of the civil attorneys as witnesses.”

They ended their report with background about Judge Aquilina, an adjunct professor at the MSU College of Law, a private school that works as an affiliate of MSU. Aquilina’s daughter, Jen Davis, will start as the MSU Media Communications team’s public relations director on April 17. Nassar was charged in November, Davis applied for the position in October.

Nassar, his attorneys and the Attorney General’s Office, which is prosecuting Nassar, agreed with Aquilina regarding no conflict of interest surrounding her daughter and the case, the State Journal reports.

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