TRIGGER WARNING - F/up On Abuse By Geddert

[nog]

Bahahaha

 

[XMaestro]

My understanding is that they are labor related and not sex trafficking.

I would love to see the charging documents.

 

[rlayt]

WaPo says only 1 count is related to Nassar. There’s probably a paywall.

“ Danielle Hagaman-Clark, an acting division chief with the Michigan attorney general’s office, said at a news conference Thursday that Geddert faces only one count that directly relates to Nassar. “Mr. Geddert knew that Nassar was sexually abusing his patients and failed to take action,” she said. “When he was asked about it … he lied about that.” The remaining counts, she said, are “specific to the defendant’s behavior and the defendant’s behavior alone.”

The charges stem from a three-year investigation centered around Michigan State following the Nassar scandal that rocked the gymnastics world. Nessel acknowledged the trafficking charges are “not typically used and applied to the set of circumstances that I think exists in this case.” “But we spent many, many months reviewing the law, reviewing case law and reviewing the facts and analyzing them extensively and we do believe the human trafficking charges are applicable to the set of circumstances you’ll be hearing about once all the evident is produced in court,” she said. Describing the 20 trafficking counts, Nessel said Geddert “used force, fraud and coercion against the young athletes that came to him for gymnastics training for financial benefit to him." “The victims suffer from disordered eating, include bulimia and anorexia, suicide attempts and self-harm, excessive physical conditioning, repeatedly being forced to perform even when injured, extreme emotional abuse and physical abuse, including sexual assault,” she said. "Many of his victims still carry the scars from this behavior today.” “I think it’s important to note that human trafficking can affect all types of people. … It can happen to anyone, anywhere,” Nessel continued. “And just like the perpetrators of domestic violence and sexual assault, traffickers can seize an opportunity at any time and use the vulnerability of their victims to their advantage.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2021/02/25/john-geddert-gymnastics-human-trafficking/

 

[KorbutFan]

In prison that’s what they call a “Tramp Stamp.”

 

[JaJa]

Right. For the most part none of the charges are related in any way to Nassar. Just the lying to a police officer charge.

The really serious charges are of course the sexual assault – first and second degree – which according to the AG relate to a minor 13-16 years of age. I believe he can get life for the first degree charge.

Then there are the human trafficking/forced labor charges. 20 counts. And here is where I guess we see why it took them so long to charge him. I can just see these prosecutors investigating Geddert and understanding how truly evil this guy was and the extent of harm he did to so many young girls and feeling somewhat confused about a lack of any obvious way to charge him in a way that was commensurate with what he actually did. They took their time figuring this out, doing really careful legal and factual analysis and then being a little creative basically. Because this just isn’t the way human trafficking or forced labor laws are typically – or ever as far as I know – applied. But the idea is that Geddert regularly forced and coerced and intimidated and threatened with bodily harm the gymnasts in the every day operation of his club and did so for his own financial gain. I think the penalty in Michigan for trafficking a minor is up to 20 years. And he faces 20 counts. Is this a stretch? I don’t know. But at a minimum it will allow them to get a whole lot of really horrible evidence in against Geddert.

Lets see how this all plays out but these prosecutors clearly put a huge amount of thought and strategy into this. My guess is he is facing a very very substantial sentence.

 

[Dex]

Has he been arrested yet? How long will ik take before this goes to court?
I hope this will be another monster that dies in prison

 

[XMaestro]

He turned himself in.

 

[JaJa]

Here is the arrest warrant. WARNING THIS GETS GRAPHIC AND CAN BE TRIGGERING

https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/AG/releases/2021/february/Geddert_Warrant.pdf?rev=26f3fd4b204e4f71af23bf0bcba4d804

 

[RedBirdie]

Notably, counts 22 and 23 are the ones dealing with sexual assault.

 

[ArnoldRimmer]

He’s committed suicide.

 

[megansothername]

Oh my god. Did it happen in custody? Or had he not yet turned himself in?

 

[nog]

https://www.wlns.com/news/michigan/michigan-ag-to-announce-results-of-lansing-area-criminal-investigation-expected-to-announce-charges-against-olympic-gymnastics-coach/

 

[QuietColours]

I don’t know. They were reporting this morning he had surrendered himself, but I don’t think we have a clear timeline

 

[Sasha]

It’s reported he used a gun, so I can’t imagine he was in custody.

I’m flabbergasted.

 

[QuietColours]

The NBC article reports that he agreed to surrender himself by 2:15 eastern and never showed up

 

[Bogwoppit]

Why didn’t they arrest him, and then publicly announce the charges? Did they hope he would kill himself? Seems like they were asking for this result.

 

[JaJa]

I’m not surprised at all. I was wondering if he was going to try to flee or kill himself. He saw Nassar’s fate and frankly that was what was awaiting him. Worse, because he would have ended up in state prison. He would not be so rough and tough there as he was with the prepubescent girls he tormented.

 

[JaJa]

No. They were not hoping he would kill himself. It’s not unusual for prosecutors to arrange with defense lawyers for a defendant to self surrender. And he likely knew or had some inkling that he was looking at very very serious charges.

 

[Sasha]

How is it that a man suspected of using counterfeit bills is killed by police, but a man charged with a series of serious crimes gets to turn himself in virtually at his leisure?

 

[JaJa]

He likely had this planned for a long time.