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Former MSU doctor with connections to Nassar cleared in licensing inquiry

November 28, 2018

The Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, or LARA, has ended its investigation into Brooke Lemmen, former co-worker and friend to ex-MSU doctor Larry Nassar.

Lemmen worked with Nassar at both MSU and Twistars Gymnastics Club. She resigned from MSU in January 2017.

At Nassar’s request, Lemmen removed some of Nassar’s patient files from the university in 2016, according to a police report from MSU Police Sgt. Andrea Munford. Lemmen later returned the documents and told police about what happened.

Michigan Radio obtained the police report, which says Nassar asked Lemmen to obtain charts to help him identify a "Jane Doe" who had filed a federal lawsuit against him. 

Lemmen expressed trepidation in giving the files to Nassar and went to police.

“There is this accusation and it’s hard,” Lemmen told police, according to Michigan Radio. “This is a friend that is going through a crappy time. If he is guilty that is bad. We all sin. Some sins might be felt to be worse than others. I’m not that judge. I am still a friend... (Nassar) is one of those people that I tell him I love him."

She went on to ask police if the 11 individuals who had publicly accused Nassar of abuse at the time were merely misunderstanding his treatment.

“What’s happening? Is it not being explained well? Is there a misunderstanding? If I’m not sexually active…and I think the whole thing between my leg is a vagina then I might not have a great understanding of what just happened and I might have felt uncomfortable,” Lemmen said to police. 

During the 2014 Title IX investigation into Nassar, Lemmen was one of the experts interviewed. The experts in the investigation were chosen based on Nassar's recommendation, regardless of their personal relationships to him.

Lemmen is also a defendant in a lawsuit that says Nassar drugged and raped a former MSU athlete. The lawsuit goes on to say MSU Trustee George Perles interfered in an investigation into the abuse, which ultimately resulted in a pregnancy.

Davis’ lawsuit names five other MSU medical professionals who have been under investigation by LARA.

  • Douglas Dietzel, head of MSU's SportsMEDICINE clinic, where Nassar worked. He has been cleared by LARA.
  • Gary Stollak, former university clinical psychologist who permanently surrendered his license after investigation. Survivor Kyle Stephens said she reported her sexual abuse at the hands of Nassar to Stollak in 2004, when Stollak was an MSU clinical psychologist.
  • Jeffrey Kovan, team doctor for MSU's basketball, soccer, track and softball teams. Amanda Thomashow reported to him in 2014 about her abuse at the hands of Nassar. He has been cleared by LARA.
  • William Strampel, former dean of MSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine and boss of Nassar. Strampel is facing several charges regarding sexual harassment and neglect, including felony misconduct in office and fourth degree criminal sexual conduct.
  • Destiny Teachnor-Hauk, athletic trainer who is no longer employed by the university. She was used as a medical expert during MSU's 2014 Title IX investigation into Nassar. 

Lianna Hadden, an athletic trainer, is also under investigation. She works with swimmers and wrestlers and two survivors of Nassar's abuse have said they told Hadden about their concerns more than a decade ago.

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