Opening statements and first witnesses were called yesterday in the criminal trial of the former dean of the College of Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University. Cheyna Roth was in the courtroom for the case of The People versus William Strampel.
Leah Jackson is an MSU medical student. She says she went to see then-Dean Strampel when she’d failed required tests to continue on in medical school. She says their conversation quickly turned to Strampel making inappropriate and sexualized comments. Jackson says she was blindsided.
“I really was just, ‘Is this really what’s happening?’ You know. I got – I was scared.”
Strampel’s attorney John Dakmak says the comments were taken out of context.
Strampel is accused of misusing his public office. He’s also charged with failing to properly oversee Larry Nassar after an internal investigation. Nassar was convicted of sexually assaulting his patients for years.
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—Cheyna Roth is a reporter for the Michigan Public Radio network. Contact WEMU News at 734.487.3363 or email us at studio@wemu.org
