Documents obtained by reporter Alexandra Ilitch show other individuals — not just former MSU dean William Strampel — were made aware of new guidelines put into place following the 2014 Amanda Thomashow Title IX investigation into ex-MSU doctor Larry Nassar's medical practices.
Jeffrey Kovan, the team doctor for MSU's track, softball, soccer and basketball teams, was made aware of the new medical practice guidelines, handwritten notes from former Title IX investigator Kristine Moore show. Kovan, the doctor Amanda Thomashow reported to, was one of eight university employees interviewed by law enforcement after the 2014 Title IX investigation.
MSU previously said no one but Strampel — then the dean of MSU's College of Osteopathic Medicine and Nassar's boss — knew about guidelines put into effect after the 2014 investigation, Ilitch noted in a Twitter post.
In an email correspondence dated shortly after Nassar was cleared of allegations brought forth in 2014 by Thomashow, Strampel and Nassar discussed the guidelines Nassar was required to follow in order for him to return to his practice.
The guidelines agreed upon included requiring another person to be in the room while Nassar conducted appointments, limiting skin-to-skin contact in sensitive regions and informing new employees of the new guidelines, the emails said.
Nassar sent the agreed-upon guidelines and an apology to former Title IX investigator Kristine Moore. Moore forwarded his email to university attorney Theresa Kelley.
The Michigan Attorney General's Office said Strampel "failed to properly supervise Nassar by allowing him to return to work during the 2014 Title IX Thomashow Investigation," but one of the emails shows Kelley allowed Nassar to return to work, Ilitch wrote in the post.
Kelley then emailed Strampel.
"I just want to close the loop on this matter," Kelley wrote in the email. "One of the recommendations of 13's report was to ensure patient complaints of this type get referred to an appropriate person at the practice. Is that something you want to cover with Jeff Kovan or I can if you like."
Notes handwritten by Moore show Kovan knew about the new guidelines — and agreed to inform people of them, including Nassar.
Moore's notes also included several statements made to investigators in the 2014 investigation. Some of those statements are omitted from the investigation's final reports drafted by Moore, Ilitch wrote.
Moore's notes from her interview with Kovan included him admitting Nassar touching under a patient's underwear was "inappropriate." It also included Kovan saying Nassar's Facebook page had been taken down by Facebook because of "all young girls," the documents show.
In another interview with Brooke Lemmen — the MSU doctor who in 2016 removed patient files for Nassar — Lemmen said Nassar was a "mentor" and a "good friend."
According to Moore's notes, Lemmen said she kept a close eye on Nassar for eight years after her husband questioned Nassar's involvement with young women.
Lemmen also said Nassar "explains everything" to his patients, and though she could see how some might view the treatments as sexual in nature, it wasn't "intentional."
The 16-page report released by the Attorney General's Office Dec. 21 said MSU's Title IX Office had "failed to properly investigate 2014 allegations against Nassar." Moore is referenced in the report and the Attorney General's Office said she did not disclose all aspects of how Thomashow had been treated by Nassar.
"Moore's notes reveal that she conveyed discrete aspects of Ms. Thomashow's complaint, like the fact that Nassar did not stop when she complained of pain, but there is no evidence she specifically told the doctors that Nassar placed three fingers on top of the patient's vagina and rubbed in a circular motion," the report said.
However, another handwritten note from Moore's interview with Thomashow does describe the motion Nassar made:
"Massaging me w/3 fingers/circular motion — vaginal area on vagina. If I hadn't said anything, he would've inserted finger," the note said.
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Because the Attorney General's Office referenced Moore's handwritten notes, Ilitch asked why other names and statements had not been included as part of the Attorney General's investigation. Andrea Bitely, spokeswoman for the Attorney General's Office, said the Dec. 21 report was not final.
"First and foremost: It is important to note this is not a final report and it is entirely possible that additional information could come to light that could result in additional charges," Bitely said in a statement.
When MSU fired Nassar in 2016, it was on the grounds of him failing to follow the aforementioned guidelines. He was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in Ingham County and 40 to 125 years in Eaton County earlier this year after being found guilty on multiple counts of criminal sexual conduct.
Strampel currently faces four criminal charges, including a count of felony misconduct in office, a count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of willful neglect of duty.
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