The Michigan Supreme Court ruled that 2021 changes to the Sex Offender Registration Act cannot be applied retroactively, prompting Michigan State Police to remove more than 20,000 people convicted before July 1, 2011, from the public registry. Among those no longer listed is former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, who remains incarcerated on multiple long state and federal sentences. The decision does not affect Nassar's convictions, and officials say he would still be required to register if ever released. Prosecutors have sharply criticized the ruling as reducing protections for victims and communities.
Michigan Supreme Court Decision Removes Larry Nassar, 20,000+ From State Sex-Offender Registry
Ex-USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar removed from Michigan sex offenders list
Former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar and more than 20,000 other people convicted of sex offenses have been removed from Michigan's publicly available sex-offender registry after a state Supreme Court ruling.
On Sept. 9, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that 2021 amendments to the state's Sex Offender Registration Act (SORA) cannot be applied retroactively to require registration. The amendments had been the subject of multiple state and federal civil-rights challenges. Following the decision, Michigan State Police removed from the online registry more than 20,000 people whose offenses occurred before July 1, 2011.
What This Means For Larry Nassar
Searches for both "Larry Nassar" and "Lawrence Nassar" now return no entries on the Michigan Sex Offender Registry. The court's decision does not overturn or affect Nassar's criminal convictions. Nassar, 63, is serving multiple long sentences—ranging across state and federal terms—that will keep him incarcerated for decades. Officials note that, if he were ever released, current law would still require him to register as a sex offender.
Background And Reaction
Nassar was sentenced in 2018 after pleading guilty to multiple counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct for abusing athletes he treated while working for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University. He also received a federal sentence on child pornography charges. More than 150 women publicly described abuse as part of an award-winning Indianapolis Star/USA TODAY Network investigation; victims included high-profile Olympic gymnasts.
Eaton County Prosecutor's Office: "The Michigan Supreme Court's decision to eliminate SORA requirements for these offenders is deeply concerning. Our community, along with the victims of these crimes, expected the registry to provide a measure of protection and awareness — assurances that have now been removed by the Court's ruling."
Nassar joined USA Gymnastics' national medical staff in 1986, later becoming national medical coordinator, and worked with U.S. teams at the 1996, 2000 and 2008 Olympic Games before retiring in 2014. He served as a team physician and assistant professor at Michigan State beginning in 1997 and was fired in 2016.
He is currently incarcerated at U.S. Penitentiary Lewisburg in Pennsylvania. Reports state he was stabbed while incarcerated in a Florida prison in 2023.
This article is based on reporting originally published by USA TODAY.
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