Attorney General Dana Nessel is renewing a formal request for Michigan State University’s Board of Trustees to turn over documents for the department’s investigation into Larry Nassar.
In previous years, the board declined to cooperate with multiple requests from the attorney general to access thousands of documents related to the Nassar sex abuse scandal, citing attorney-client privilege.
The board's inaction on the request in 2021 drew a backlash from campus community members, with some criticizing the board for a lack of transparency.
Since then, the board has seen substantial turnover, with two new trustees and a new chairperson elected to lead the group.
Nessel says the new membership gives her hope that her office can complete its investigation and determine “what information was known to Michigan State University regarding Nassar’s criminal behavior.”
Nessel is asking for all documents to be released unredacted by next Friday, April 28.
In a response to a request for comment, MSU Board of Trustees Chair Rema Vassar said the group has received Nessel's request.
"The MSU Board of Trustees is aware of the recent request by the Attorney General, and this is a topic we are discussing internally," she wrote in a text message.
In a previous interview with WKAR, Vassar said she supports the release of the documents.