Larry Nassar, the former USA gymnastics doctor who sexually abused young athletes under the guise of medical treatment, was sentenced to 40 to 175 years in jail on Wednesday.
At Nassar's weeklong sentencing hearing in the Ingham County Courthouse in Michigan, Judge Rosemarie Aquilina allowed anyone who wished to deliver a victim impact statement to do so.
In the end, 168 people — which included Nassar's victims as well as their loved ones — did.
During the sentencing, Aquilina read aloud from a letter that Nassar sent her, in which he said he was concerned about his mental capacity to listen to days of victim impact statements. She tossed it aside.
Judge Aqulina tosses aside Larry Nassar’s letter submitted to the court: "Would you like to withdraw your plea?"
"Would you like to withdraw your plea?" Aquilina asked Nassar, noting sections of his letter presented himself as a victim.
Aqulina criticized Nassar, telling him, "You have not yet owned what you did."
Judge Aquilna tells Larry Nassar: "You have not yet owned what you did. You still think somehow you are right, that… https://t.co/mO8NufxoTP
"You still think somehow you are right, that you are a doctor, that you don't have to listen, and that you did treatment?" asked Aquilina. "I wouldn't send my dogs to you, sir."
She then told Nassar it was her "honor and privilege" to sentence him, and that he does "not deserve to walk outside of a prison ever again."
Judge Aqulina to Larry Nassar: "It is my honor and privilege to sentence you. Because sir, you do not deserve to wa… https://t.co/HjMpVF29pa
“I just signed your death warrant,” Aquilina told Nassar.
People are praising Aquilina's blunt words, with many saying the sentencing is "one of the most powerful #MeToo moments of 2018."
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina is a badass: letting all 140+ Larry Nassar / USA Gymnastics abuse victims come forward to… https://t.co/PIAD7VRI3y
Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles, who was one of Nassar's victims, thanked Aquilina on Twitter and gave a "shout out to all of the survivors for being so brave."
To Judge Aquilina : THANK YOU, YOU ARE MY HERO & Shout out to all of the survivors for being so brave & speaking… https://t.co/LMgmYeH8Vy
The image of Aquilina tossing Nassar's letter has emerged as one of the standout moments of the trial.
This GIF of Judge Aquilina throwing away the letter Larry Nassar wrote the court about how hard it is for him to li… https://t.co/QC9o888IKl
And people have called her reading of the letter "Tony-worthy."
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina is thoroughly disgusted and out of giveable fucks. Her reading of the letter Larry Nassar… https://t.co/f2m01yTCjq
Many are calling her a hero.
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina in the Nassar case is a true hero. She is giving a voice not just to the brave women who s… https://t.co/bv1FuDlPy5
Hero of 2018: Judge Rosemarie Aquilina “Leave your pain here. Go out and do your magnificent things.”
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina and her words are vindication for all of us that have screamed #MeToo. It is proof we ar… https://t.co/wBSCt9Ax3F
And tons of people are calling her a "great example of what happens when women are in charge."
Judge Aquilina is a great example of what happens when women are in charge.
Judge Rosemarie Aquilina exemplifies one of the reasons we need more women—and more women of color—on the bench.… https://t.co/yQKB7k5LgT
Larry Nassar was forced to listen to the statements of all 168 girls and women he sexually assaulted read out in co… https://t.co/nqS7uesdnX
"Let 2018 be the year of women throwing trash men out of Congress, the media, Hollywood, the courts, the service sector, and society, broadly with the fiery grace of Judge Aquilina," one person said.
Let 2018 be the year of women throwing trash men out of Congress, the media, Hollywood, the Courts, the service sec… https://t.co/F5XxRfflX7
"Rosemarie of the House Aquilina," another said, "First of Her Name, the Outspoken, Queen of the Courtroom, Protector of the Sister Survivors, Breaker of Molesters and Mother of Sentencing."
Rosemarie of the House Aquilina, First of Her Name, the Outspoken, Queen of the Courtroom, Protector of the Sister… https://t.co/XQ2GVhxfPK
Telling the court she had received interview requests from journalists around the world, the judge said she wouldn't comment publicly until after Nassar's appeal. She also said she wouldn't speak to the press without one of his victims present "because it is their story."
