Father of Larry Nassar’s victims leaps to attack him in court
The father of three daughters who accused former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar of abusing them tried to attack Nassar in court.
Two of Randall Margraves‘ daughters, Lauren and Madison, testified in court about the abuse they suffered at Nassar’s hands. His third daughter, Morgan, wrote a statement that was read last month in Ingham County.
Margraves, who said that he had not known beforehand what his daughters would say and described himself as a “distraught father” asked Judge Janice Cunningham if he could go after Nassar for what he’d done, according to CNN.
“I would ask you, as part of the sentencing, to grant me five minutes in a locked room with this demon,” he asked. “Would you give me one minute?”
When the judge told him that was “not how our legal system works,” Margraves sprinted toward Nassar and had to be restrained.
“I want that son of a b****!” the man yelled as he was held back by security from reaching Nassar. “Give me one minute with that bastard.”
Michigan Assistant Attorney General Angela Povilaitis responded in court, saying, “You cannot behave like that. No one can behave like this. I want to make sure it’s crystal clear.”
“You haven’t lived through it, lady,” Margraves replied.
–Simone Biles says Larry Nassar ‘Took a part of me that I can’t get back–
The father apologizes
During a lunch break, Margraves returned to the court in handcuffs to apologize for his outburst.
He said that he was overcome with emotion when he heard his daughters testify and was furious when he saw Nassar shake his head “like it didn’t happen.”
“I lost control. I apologize a hundred times,” Margraves said. “I’m definitely calmed down. I’m embarrassed. I’m not here to upstage my daughters. I’m here to help them heal.”
While Judge Cunningham agreed to release him without punishment, she made sure to tell him, again, that his actions were not consistent with how justice works.
“You have to understand that this is a courtroom and this is where we carry out and enforce the rules of law,” she said.
“We cannot and I cannot tolerate or condone vigilantism or any other type of action that basically comes down to an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,” she added. “That’s not what’s best in this situation. What’s best here is that we take this horrible tragedy and we learn to educate people.”
