Nassar survivors submit new evidence, accuse MSU Board of Trustees of perjury
EAST LANSING, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - Earlier this week, attorneys for a group of Larry Nassar survivors and their families filed new evidence that they allege shows the Michigan State University Board of Trustees decided not to release documents related to the Nassar investigation in a closed-door meeting. Something members of the board swore in affidavits didn't happen.
"We know there are emails that support our allegations, that decisions were made behind closed doors," said Azzam Elder, an attorney for the Parent of Sister Survivors Engage, also called POSSE. "They don't want to have to vote in public and be scrutinized."
The email in question is from April this year that POSSE claims they anonymously obtained through a parent of a survivor of Nassar. Elder alleges the email shows the board did discuss releasing the documents in question behind closed doors. According to the court filing provided to CBS News Detroit, Trustee Brianna Scott allegedly wrote in part:
"We were not in agreement with releasing the privileged documents. Not once was the B-O-T asked if we wished for this go to a vote," she wrote.
"I believe that if we're able to uncover more emails, and I believe that if the court allows me to depose them under oath, I feel that there is a high likelihood that perjury could be established," Elder said.
Elder says what the group wants is pretty simple - they want a public vote by the board to decide whether to release the documents.
"We filed this lawsuit because the trustees, in our opinion, are just lying politicians who are double-talking the public, and they can cure everything by voting publicly," he said. "That way, we know how each trustee votes, and we know whether or not they should be supported in the next election. It's pretty simple.
A call and email to the Michigan State University Board of Trustees was not returned on Wednesday.
