Michigan State University reached a $500 million settlement this week with the hundreds of women that Larry Nassar sexually abused under the guide of medical treatment while working in the gymnastics community. The New York Times says that the settlement is the largest ever in a sexual abuse case involving an American university. Lawsuits against U.S.A. Gymnastics, the U.S. Olympic Committee, and other organizations still are pending. Nassar worked at Michigan State for 20 years, and some of his victims have said that the university ignored complaints about his behavior dating back to at least the late 90’s. Keep reading for more news.
Karolyi Ranch. The Texas Tribune reports that some of Nassar’s victims are calling upon the Texas Attorney General’s Office to become involved in investigating and prosecuting well-known gymnastics coaches Martha and Bela Karolyi, who operate a training ranch near Houston. Some of Nassar’s victims allege that they were abused at the ranch and that the Karolyis enabled Nassar’s crimes. The Attorney General’s Office noted that the Texas Rangers in coordination with local prosecutors and law enforcement officers are conducting an investigation that it expects will “achieve justice for the victims of these alleged crimes.”
Fentanyl Exposure. WRAL reports that a Fayetteville police officer returned to work late last week after being exposed to fentanyl while executing a search warrant. Officer Samuel Cook began experiencing overdose symptoms shortly after executing the warrant. Fortunately, Fayetteville officers carry Narcan nasal spray and Cook’s fellow officers administered two doses of the overdose reversal drug upon recognizing his symptoms.
CSL Sues ABA. The ABA Journal reports that the now-closed Charlotte School of Law has filed a lawsuit against that American Bar Association alleging that the ABA violated the school’s due process rights when it placed the school on probation in late 2016. Among other things, the suit argues that the ABA been inconsistent in applying its written and unwritten accreditation standards to law schools.
Shut Up and Drive. There are plenty of things a person can do that are legal but nevertheless are a bad idea. One such thing that many of us are guilty of is talking on the phone while driving. The North Carolina Department of Transportation in partnership with Geico launched a campaign this week to encourage drivers to take advantage of the state’s highway rest areas to use their phones in “safe phone zones.” A DOT engineer quoted in the linked report says that distracted driving killed 152 people and seriously injured 25,000 others in North Carolina last year.
Flame of Hope. Law enforcement officers from across the state have been relaying the Special Olympics Flame of Hope across the state for the past month as the torch makes its way to Raleigh for the opening of the Special Olympics North Carolina Summer Games on June 1 at Reynolds Coliseum. Information about the law enforcement relay fundraiser, known as the North Carolina Law Enforcement Torch Run, is available at the link.
Special Counsel. Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of the appointment of Robert Mueller as special counsel to investigate possible Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. President Donald Trump noted the anniversary on Twitter Thursday morning, repeating his frequent assertion that the investigation is a political “Witch Hunt.” The Associated Press reported in a piece discussing the progress of the investigation to date that 19 individuals and 3 Russian companies have either been indicted or pleaded guilty to criminal charges arising from the ongoing investigation.