Disgraced USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar fears he's mentally unable to handle a week of commentary and testimony from women he admitted to sexually abusing, he wrote in a letter to Judge Rosemarie Aquilina.
Nassar pleaded guilty to 10 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in November. He also pleaded guilty to federal child pornography charges in December and was sentenced to 60 years in prison. His plea deal allows all the women who say Nassar abused them - including Olympic gold medalists McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, and Simone Biles - to speak to the court at his sentencing hearing if they would like to do so.
His letter shared his concern about the effect of the victim testimony on his mental health, and also accused Aquilina of turning his sentencing hearing into a "media circus," according to ESPN's Dan Murphy.
"I have to say, this isn't worth the paper it's written on," the circuit court judge said Thursday. "There's no truth in here. It's delusional. ...
"You may find it harsh that you are here listening. But nothing is as harsh as what your victims endured for thousands of hours at your hands."
Maroney spoke to the court Thursday. Of the 135 women who have accused Nassar of abusing them, more than 100 are expected to address him over the course of the hearing.
