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ANN ARBOR, Mich, —
\nUniversity of Michigan leaders plan to stay the course with their own investigation into allegations that a deceased team doctor may have molested hundreds of people going back decades, apparently ignoring the state attorney general’s offer to get involved in the probe and angering lawyers for the accusers, who described the school’s stance as shameful.<\/p>\n
\nIn response to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel saying Thursday that she would investigate the claims against Dr. Robert E. Anderson and how the school dealt with them if the school fully cooperates, the university released a statement Friday from its president, Mark Schlissel, and eight-member board of regents.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe have met with, and sought counsel from, survivors, doctors and mental health experts and believe we are overseeing a process that will ultimately serve as the best course of action for the survivors and University community,\u201d the school said.<\/p>\n
\nThe response didn’t mention Nessel or the calls from accusers and their lawyers for her to get involved.<\/p>\n
\nNessel said she would welcome a request from the university to investigate, but she first asked for a commitment to waive attorney-client privilege and to turn over documents, explaining she didn’t want \u201chalf-truths.\u201d She also said the Legislature should commit to funding an investigation.<\/p>\n
\nThe attorney general’s investigation into sexual abuse allegations against Larry Nassar at Michigan State University led to charges against three former school officials despite a court battle over documents. Nessel, though, does not appear to be interested in moving forward with a probe without Michigan’s cooperation.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe last thing we want to do is give people false hope that we’re going to be able to truly explain exactly what it is that occurred when we know there’s no way that we’ll be able to do that if the university is not going to cooperate with an investigation,” Nessel said. \u201cWe just can’t.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nWhen asked for a reaction to Michigan’s response on Friday, a spokeswoman for Nessel said the office of the attorney general stands by her previous statement.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe have learned our lesson from our MSU experience,” spokeswoman Kelly Rossman-McKinney said.<\/p>\n
\nMichigan State agreed nearly two years ago to pay $500 million to settle claims from more than 300 women and girls who said they were assaulted by Nassar, a former sports doctor who pleaded guilty to a raft of charges and is serving sentences that will likely keep him locked up for life. <\/p>\n
\nAn attorney general’s office investigation into Nassar and Michigan State, which began under Nessel’s predecessor, has been at an impasse. The attorney general and the East Lansing school are still discussing issues relating to attorney-client privilege, more than 6,000 documents, and an interview with former interim president John Engler, who took over following Lou Anna Simon\u2019s resignation.<\/p>\n
\nThe University of Michigan’s response to the attorney general’s request was sharply criticized by attorneys for people accusing Anderson of abuse and the school of covering it up. <\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe attorney general was very specific: Will you be transparent? Clearly, the answer this morning is, `No, we won’t,'” John Manly, an attorney for more than 50 accusers, told The Associated Press. \u201cWe’re going to have to go down the road, it appears, and fight.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe\u2019re going to fight in the Legislature. We\u2019re going to fight in the media. And, we\u2019re going to fight in the courts. You don’t get to do what this institution did and come out with thoughts and prayers and we feel your pain. No one is buying it,\u201d Manly added.<\/p>\n
\nAttorney Mike Cox, who has filed lawsuits against the University of Michigan alleging that Anderson abused his clients, said the school’s latest statement was shameful.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cAttorney General Nessel gave the University of Michigan the opportunity to show that they are the leaders and the best,” Cox, a former state attorney general, said in a phone interview. \u201cInstead of being transparent and open to the public \u2014 and especially the men and perhaps women who’ve been victimized by Dr. Anderson \u2014 they have chosen to lawyer up like they’re members of the mob.”<\/p>\n
\nFollowing a second meeting with the school\u2019s vice president and general counsel earlier this week, attorney Parker Stinar publicly called on Nessel to investigate Anderson’s conduct and how Michigan handled decades of allegations against him.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe university has an obligation to its students, alumni and public to uncover decades upon decades of institutional cover-ups,” Stinar told the AP. \u201cThe board of regents\u2019 failure to allow the attorney general to conduct a full and complete investigation suggest the current administration is hiding something, too.”<\/p>\n
\nNumerous men have alleged that Anderson sexually assaulted them while they were members of the football, hockey and wrestling teams. The Ann Arbor school revealed last month that it was investigating multiple allegations of abuse against Anderson, who died in 2008. Last week, the school said it had received more than 100 complaints.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cWe recognize that trust in the University has been broken,” the school said in its latest statement. \u201dAs leaders, we understand the tremendous importance of integrity, and we will strive to always uphold the public\u2019s trust in our University.”<\/p>\n
\nThe revelations at Michigan echo other high-profile allegations and investigations of sexual abuse made by patients of sports doctors at other universities, including Michigan State University, Ohio State University and the University of Minnesota. Ohio State said Friday that it had reached an unspecified settlement with nearly half of the roughly 350 men who allege that university officials ignored their complaints and failed to stop the late team doctor Richard Straus, who they say sexually abused athletes and other students throughout his two decades there.<\/p>\n
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\nAssociated Press writer David Eggert in Lansing contributed to this report.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n