{"id":18226,"date":"2021-02-26T07:22:03","date_gmt":"2021-02-26T12:22:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/?p=18226"},"modified":"2021-02-26T07:22:03","modified_gmt":"2021-02-26T12:22:03","slug":"john-geddert-ex-us-olympics-coach-found-dead-after-sex-assault-charges","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2021\/02\/26\/john-geddert-ex-us-olympics-coach-found-dead-after-sex-assault-charges\/","title":{"rendered":"John Geddert: Ex-US Olympics coach found dead after sex assault charges"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p><b class=\"ssrcss-14iz86j-BoldText e5tfeyi0\">A former US Olympics gymnastics coach has killed himself hours after he was charged with sexual assault and human trafficking, officials say.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Michigan&#8217;s attorney general confirmed the death of John Geddert, hours after outlining 24 charges against him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Geddert was head of the women&#8217;s gymnastics team in 2012 and worked closely with team doctor Larry Nassar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p><a class=\"ssrcss-hiczm3-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/sport\/gymnastics\/51320417\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Nassar was sentenced to up to 300 years in jail in 2018<\/a>\u00a0for abusing more than 250 girls from his position.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The widespread abuse revelations have caused intense scrutiny of USA Gymnastics and criticism of how it safeguards athletes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Geddert, 63, had owned the training facility in Michigan where Nassar had served as the gym&#8217;s doctor. A number of gymnasts accused him of abusive behaviour when they testified during Nassar&#8217;s trial.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1pzprxn-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi3\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-hiczm3-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-42725339\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">The 156 women who confronted a predator<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-hiczm3-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/sport\/gymnastics\/56203877\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">British gymnasts take legal action over alleged abuse<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>He was expected to turn himself in on Thursday afternoon but did not appear, the attorney general&#8217;s office said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>&#8220;My office has been notified that the body of John Geddert was found late this afternoon after taking his own life,&#8221; Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel later said in a statement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>&#8220;This is a tragic end to a tragic story for everyone involved.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-mysbf6-ComponentWrapper-CrossheadComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"crosshead-block\">\n<h2 class=\"ssrcss-qozapo-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">What was Geddert accused of?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Earlier,\u00a0<a class=\"ssrcss-hiczm3-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.michigan.gov\/ag\/0,4534,7-359-92297_47203-552927--,00.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Ms Nessel had announced 24 separate charges against Geddert<\/a>\u00a0that &#8220;focus around multiple acts of verbal, physical and sexual abuse perpetrated by the defendant against multiple young women&#8221;.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Two of the counts involved the alleged sexual assault of a girl between the age of 13 and 16.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>He also faced 14 human trafficking charges for allegedly subjecting &#8220;his athletes to forced labor or services under extreme conditions that contributed to them suffering injuries and harm&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Geddert &#8220;neglected those injuries that were reported to him by the victims and used coercion, intimidation, threats and physical force to get them to perform to the standard he expected,&#8221; the attorney general&#8217;s statement said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>A lawyer for some of Geddert&#8217;s alleged victims had earlier welcomed the interpretation of human trafficking laws in the case and said it marked &#8220;an important step in child protection&#8221; to potentially deter similar actions by others.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Geddert was also accused of lying to investigators in 2016 during the probe into the allegations against Nassar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-mysbf6-ComponentWrapper-CrossheadComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"crosshead-block\">\n<h2 class=\"ssrcss-qozapo-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">What is the latest on US gymnastics scandal?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>In January 2020,\u00a0<a class=\"ssrcss-hiczm3-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/sport\/gymnastics\/51320417\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">USA Gymnastics announced a plan to pay a $215m (\u00a3164m) settlement to the group of athletes abused by Nassar<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>USA Gymnastics president and chief executive Li Li Leung has said they &#8220;recognise how deeply we have broken the trust of our athletes and community, and are working hard to build that trust back&#8221;.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>But some, including the US&#8217;s most decorated gymnast, Simone Biles, believe the organisation &#8220;has not taken full accountability for its actions&#8221; over the scandal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Biles, 23, who was one of the gymnasts abused by Nassar, has called for an independent investigation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i83\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-3z08n3-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>&#8220;We bring them medals. We do our part. You can&#8217;t do your part in return?&#8221; she told CBS last week. &#8220;It&#8217;s just, like, it&#8217;s sickening.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-56205049\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\">A former US Olympics gymnastics coach has killed himself hours after he was charged with sexual assault and human trafficking, officials say. Michigan&#8217;s attorney general confirmed the death of John Geddert, hours after outlining 24 <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2021\/02\/26\/john-geddert-ex-us-olympics-coach-found-dead-after-sex-assault-charges\/\" title=\"John Geddert: Ex-US Olympics coach found dead after sex assault charges\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18227,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[2115,7600,3019,480,1584,3021],"class_list":{"0":"post-18226","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-usa","9":"tag-human-trafficking","10":"tag-john-geddert","11":"tag-larry-nassar","12":"tag-michigan","13":"tag-sexual-assault","14":"tag-usa-gymnastics","15":"pmpro-has-access"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18226"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18226\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18228,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18226\/revisions\/18228"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}