Nessel appeals dismissal of charges against former MSU president Simon

Beth LeBlanc
The Detroit News

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel's office will appeal the dismissal of a case against former Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon alleging she lied about her knowledge of serial molester Dr. Larry Nassar.

Simon was bound over for trial in late October on charges of lying to police, but Eaton County Circuit Court Judge John Maurer dismissed the case because prosecutors didn't produce sufficient evidence. 

In late June, Nessel filed a claim of appeal, but has not yet filed any briefs in support of the appeal. 

Nessel promised to appeal the decision in May, with her office arguing that District Court Judge Julie Reincke, who heard arguments "firsthand," had made the right decision. 

Lou Anna Simon

Simon stepped down as MSU's president in 2018 under public pressure during the nine-day sentencing of Nassar. Dozens of women said Nassar had assaulted them and criticized MSU and USA Gymnastics for not acting on early reports of the behavior. 

She was charged with two felony and two misdemeanor counts of lying to a peace officer after a May 2018 interview, in which she allegedly told police she knew in 2014 that an MSU sports medicine doctor was "under review" but knew "nothing of substance" beyond that. 

Police have argued notes from the meeting prove that Nassar had been mentioned by name during the meeting. 

Separately, a former dean for the MSU osteopathic medical school and Nassar's boss, William Strampel, was jailed for sevent months after being convicted of two counts of willful neglect of duty related to his supervision of Nassar. He also was found guilty of misconduct in office linked to inappropriate comments directed toward female students. 

Former Michigan State gymnastics coach Kathie Klages was convicted in February on felony and misdemeanor counts of lying to investigators about how and when she learned of Nassar's sexual abuse. Her sentencing was postponed last week after a water main broke in front of the court house.

eleblanc@detroitnews.com