Lawsuit Claims Larry Nassar Raped And Impregnated Field Hockey Player In 1992

A lawsuit against Michigan State University filed by former Michigan State field hockey player Erika Davis alleges that disgraced former university doctor Larry Nassar sedated, raped, and impregnated her. The suit also claims that former athletic director George Perles, who is now a university trustee, intervened on Nassar’s behalf, and that university police refused to help her.

According to the suit, Davis went to see Nassar after she hurt her knee while playing field hockey for the school, at which point Nassar—after giving her an inappropriate breast exam—asked her to return for a full examination a week later. Davis’s suit says that when she returned for the exam, Nassar had a camera set up to record the appointment and had Davis drink a crushed-up pill. The suit says Davis suddenly got tired and woozy, and awoke an hour later to find Nassar in the process of raping her.

The suit says Davis reported the incident to her coach, Martha Ludwig, who went to Nassar and demanded the recording of his appointment with Davis. Ludwig then went to talk to Perles, who allegedly shut the inquiry down. From the suit:

The coach then complained about what Defendant Nassar did to Plaintiff Erika to thecurrent Athletic Director at Defendant Michigan State University.

George Perles, former Athletic Director at Defendant Michigan State University intervenedand the charges were dropped against the coach, but she was forced to return the video,resign and sign a non-disclosure agreement. Upon information and belief, Coach Marthamade and retained a copy of the videotape.

The suit alleges that Davis went to the university police department to report the rape, but was told that she had to report it through the athletic department because she was an athlete. From the suit:

In October of 1992, Plaintiff Erika and her friends went to the Michigan State University police department and reported the rape. The police told them that since she was an athlete, she had to report it to the athletic department. The detective explicitly told them that he was powerless to investigate anything that takes place to the athletic department and to goto the athletic department.

Plaintiff Erika explained that the athletic department already dismissed it and the Sergeantresponded that George Perles is a “powerful man,” and she should just drop it.

Shortly after the alleged rape, Davis took a pregnancy test that came back positive, and later miscarried, according to the suit. Davis says she was a virgin before she was assaulted by Nassar, and that he was the only one who could have impregnated her.

You can read the full complaint below: