Father who charged Larry Nassar in court: I delivered my daughters 'to a demon'
The father of three of convicted pedophile Larry Nassar’s victims who charged his daughters’ predator in court on Friday was later released from a holding cell and spoke with media about the incident.
While apologetic to the court, its officers and and his daughters and other victims for his outburst, he made very clear his feelings about his daughters’ abuser.
“I believe in God almighty. I believe in heaven and hell. I can only hope that when the day comes that Larry Nassar has ended his days on this earth that he will be escorted to one of the deepest darkest hottest pits in hell there is,” Randall Margraves said. “I hope there’s a lot of pain attached to it.”
Margraves thanked Judge Janice K. Cunningham, whom he had asked in court for five minutes alone with Nassar, for her leniency in not fining him for civil contempt of court. His attorney told reporters that he is hopeful that the local sheriff will not press charges.
His outburst in court was dramatic.
“Let me at that son of a bitch,” Margraves said while being pinned down by deputies after attempting to reach Nassar. “I want that son of a bitch. Give me one minute with that bastard. One minute.”
Margraves told the story of how his family became associated with Nassar during his news conference. He described his three daughters as active athletes who participated in cross country, basketball, gymnastics and other sports. With those sports came injuries, and he was advised to send his daughters to see Nassar, a well-respected doctor who treated athletes from Michigan State and USA Gymnastics.
“I fell for the Michigan state hype,” Margraves said. “I was blinded to the fancy degrees hanging on an office wall.
“I delivered unintentionally my three daughters to a demon who had his own twisted and sick agenda for his own demented desires. Now I have to live with the fact that I failed to protect my daughters.”
He described a previously strained relationship with his daughters that he didn’t fully understand until learning about Nassar’s abuse and concern that his daughters won’t ever be able to fully trust a man.
Margraves said that his outburst was not staged, that he woke up planning to attend the court hearing with his daughters in the morning and then go to work. But Nassar’s reaction to his daughters’ testimony pushed him over the edge.
“When I had to hear what was said in those statements and I have to look over at Larry Nassar shaking his head — that’s when I lost control, Margraves said. “I’m not advocating that everyone should do that. I feel very remorseful, very apologetic.”
Margraves was flanked by his attorney, his wife and three daughters. His daughter Morgan introduced him be saying he reacted how she expected most fathers would feel like acting if put in the same situation as he learned in court of some of the details of hers and her sisters’ abuse for the first time.
This was the third and final sentencing hearing for Nassar, with the focus on his relationship with and victims through Twistars, an elite gymnastics club in Michigan.
