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Report: Nassar Googled whether gloveless treatments were 'illegal' prior to arrest

April 3, 2018
Larry Nassar is escorted out of the courtroom during the first day of sentencing for Larry Nassar on Jan. 31, 2018, in the Eaton County courtroom. Nassar faces three counts of criminal sexual conduct in Eaton County.
Larry Nassar is escorted out of the courtroom during the first day of sentencing for Larry Nassar on Jan. 31, 2018, in the Eaton County courtroom. Nassar faces three counts of criminal sexual conduct in Eaton County. —
Photo by Matt Schmucker | The State News

Ex-MSU and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar had Googled whether it was illegal to not use gloves with "intravaginal manipulations" more than once before his 2016 arrest, Michigan Radio reports.

MSU Police Det. Sgt. Andrea Munford's 2016 police report of the investigation into Nassar's sexual misconduct, obtained by Michigan Radio, noted a sample of more than 57,000 pages of searches found on Nassar's cell phone and laptop.

Detailed in the report were searches including the following:

  • "pelvic floor manipulations in athletes"
  • "Legal use of medical exam gloves"
  • "Is it illegal not to use gloves with intervaginal manipulations"
  • "Intravaginal manipulations for back pain"
  • "Pubic Hair Removal Demonstration (18+) YouTube"
  • "Vaginal massage"
  • "Is it illegal not to use gloves with intravaginal manipulations"

Munford interviewed Nassar at the MSU Police station a day after sitting down with Rachael Denhollander and her husband, Jacob Denhollander. The investigation was opened after Rachael Denhollander filed a complaint with the department, shortly after which they were interviewed by Munford regarding Nassar's abuse.

Jacob Denhollander tweeted that the search history contradicted Nassar's excuses regarding his "treatments."

Munford described Nassar as becoming increasingly nervous over the course of the interview, according to the police report. 

After asking questions about the 2014 Title IX investigation, Munford told Nassar of Rachael Denhollander's complaint. Munford told Nassar both Denhollander and her mother had seen a visible erection during two treatments, and Munford asked Nassar if he'd ever had an erection while treating patients.

“It should be noted that several times during this interview Nassar severely stuttered over his words,” Munford said in the report, according to Michigan Radio.

Nassar initially said he obviously did not, but later changed his story, saying he did not understand why it would be occurring, that he was not "trying to get my jollies out of this," and later stuttered heavily while attempting to say any arousal would be random, according to Michigan Radio.

"When you’re a guy, sometimes you get an erection … it’s embarrassing to have that happen … that’s not appropriate," Nassar told Munford, according to Michigan Radio.

Nassar is serving a 60-year sentence in an Arizona federal prison for child pornography-related charges. Nassar has also been sentenced to 40 to 175 years in Ingham County and 40 to 125 years in Eaton County on first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges. More than 260 women and girls have accused Nassar of sexually abusing them under the guise of medical treatment.

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