Former U.S. gymnastics coach dies by suicide after arrest for alleged sex crimes in Michigan

[GregariousGroundhog]

Source: NBC News

Police found the body of a former U.S. gymnastics coach, who has ties to disgraced doctor Larry Nassar, hours after he was criminally charged in Michigan on Thursday.

John Geddert died by suicide and was discovered in Grand Ledge, Michigan, according to Kelly Rossman-McKinney, a spokeswoman for Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel.

Geddert's lawyer could not be immediately reached for comment.

Geddert had agreed to surrender at a sheriff's office on Thursday before a 2:15 p.m. arraignment but he never showed up, Rossman-McKinney said.

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/former-u-s-gymnastics-coach-arrested-charged-alleged-sex-crimes-n1258862

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I'm not sure why the headline says "after arrest" when the article says Geddert never showed up at the Sheriff's office to turn himself in.

[BumRushDaShow]

1. Wow

I saw all the breaking news banners this afternoon about him being charged. What a sick coward.

[Jirel]

3. Meh.

He’s dead. Less money wasted on him, closure for the women he abused, less notoriety for him. It all works out. It’s probably the only decent thing he’s done in years, so “cowardly” is beside the point.

[whathehell]

7. It may not be "beside the point" for his victims

Who may well have needed to see his ass in open court being held accountable.

[hlthe2b]

11. Maybe this will allow them to move on--more so than being subjected to a horrendously public

trial and likely years and years of appeals or even new trials.

I'd like to see a lot of the victims get together for whatever might constitute a private healing session--just for them. No press.

Perhaps those who want to find "healing in doing," might help to design safeguards for Olympic gymnastic training programs of the future.

[whathehell]

13. Maybe, maybe not..

I've heard numerous victims and victims' family members state the opposite.

[NurseJackie]

14. He will always be (technically) "innocent" because he was never "proven guilty".

That kinda sucks.

Just like Ken Lay is "innocent" because he died before his appeal could be heard, and his judgement was set aside (is "vacated" the right word?) ... in any case, Ken Lay is technically innocent (even though he's not).

[SharonClark]

19. Why twist yourself into knots over this?

The case will be dismissed. Dismissing a case doesn't make the defendent innocent.

[NurseJackie]

21. Technically, it does. "Innocent until proven guilty." He wasn't proven guilty.

Why twist yourself into knots over this?

It's not clear to me why anyone would think that I am in such a knotted-up state.

Dismissing a case doesn't make the defendent innocent.

Natually, it doesn't mean that he "didn't do it"... it means (in my estimation) that he wasn't proven guilty... he wasn't convicted... he wasn't sentenced.

[BlueInPhilly]

22. Technically

Ken Lay might still be alive somewhere drinking margaritas with Epstein and Elvis

[NurseJackie]

31. Bastard...

... i hope he's burning in hell. So many lives ruined.

[Jirel]

25. Oh yes - because rape and trafficking victims LOVE being cross examined.

Why TF do you think so many didn’t come forward until years later? Because they were sure they’d be believed? Because they were looking forward to being slandered all over court, and media, and social media? Because they desperately wanted to take heat and gain notoriety for the crimes committed against them for which they had pain and shame for years, even decades? RARE are the women who want that day in open court.

They have just avoided having a spotlight shone on them, insinuations and direct accusations that they are liars and sluts, having to hire their own lawyers and maybe PR firms, dealing with stress and nonstop disruptions of their lives for months or years through the process, sideways glances and whispers from family, friends, colleagues, clients, employees, and vendors, loss of dignity yet AGAIN...

Yeah. I’m sure that most of them are effin’ HEARTBROKEN.

[whathehell]

34. As a SURVIVOR of sexual assault, I hardly need a lecture from YOU

and I believe that is ALL I need to say. Have a nice one..

[moriah]

40. Don't think a suicide just before trial is necessarily better.

Every survivor is different, as is every case of rape/abuse/sexual trauma.

Sometimes suicide, depending on the circumstances, is the one last thing their rapist can do to cause them emotional pain.

And I've seen what happened when an asshole made that decision. Sure, it made sure his bio kids got survivors checks from Social Security, and they wouldn't have gotten any financial support at all had he been convicted. It also made sure the tape of him admitting to what happened was never aired in court, so to this day half the family calls her a murderess.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. I expect that there might be or are a number of civil suits queued up

and now that avenue to get compensation for the trauma is going to be more difficult.

[Sophiegirl]

12. WTF

These young women will be damaged for the rest of their lives. I can attest to that as I am a victim of childhood sexual abuse.

Sure....he’s dead. But to me....THAT IS THE EASY WAY OUT!!! The young women he abused are in for a lifetime of pain that can’t be wiped away with a simple, “well he’s dead, so that is closure for them.”

You know nothing of the lifelong trauma that a sexual abuse victim suffers. Shame on you.

[NurseJackie]

15. Yes.

[niyad]

16. There are no adequate words for what you, and so many, have endure. I am so very sorry.

All,I can offer is a hug.

[Sophiegirl]

17. Thank you. The one thing I can say about this is....

....you learn to be a survivor and not a victim. But the damage is forever. You have to mitigate what you are capable of mitigating.

[Ferrets are Cool]

27. ...

[Jirel]

28. Don't make silly assumptions about my own experiences and those I directly have dealt with.

If you feel that way, then that’s your emotion, and nobody can tell you whether it is right or wrong. Like many women, I have been sexually assaulted. I have worked cases of sexual assaults in the courts. Got off “easy?” Hardly. Easier than it could have been? Yes. Did many women who dreaded the next months or years of their lives in the ensuing media/social media/court circus also have some measure of relief? Yes.

No justice available is perfect. One of the best outcomes possible may have been this one - firing, disgrace, notoriety for his acts, and self-inflicted death penalty.

[Sophiegirl]

30. That was not my point.

Diminishing the lifelong damage to the victim was my point. Not whether or not the perpetrator got his/her comeuppance.

Maybe you were able to “move on,” but most women cannot easily set it aside so easily. Especially if they have experienced the abuse/assault as children and more often than not, have no voice out of fear of not being believed.

[lisa58]

2. Wow...

[Stuart G]

4. This story and the one about Larry Nassar very sad, and hard to believe..K and R

[whathehell]

9. Sad..Not, unfortunately, hard to believe. n/t.

[shrike3]

20. Predators go where there are kids. Or figure out good ways of luring them. There were two (married)

Firefighters not far from me who had a little thing going out of the firehouse.

[Polybius]

6. Women's gymnastics was on last week and I just happened to think about that

I can only imagine how rampant it might be. Young girls in small outfits constantly around older men coaching them. Not saying all are perverts but I’m sure many of those men are.

[RussBLib]

8. I guess that means he was guilty

Sick fuck. As long as you get away with it, cool. Get caught, and suicide!

That is a really bad message.

[PJMcK]

18. In the end, Geddert did the right thing

These abusers don't deserve the air they breathe.

Rather than wasting everyone's time and our tax dollars, he offed himself.

Thanks, asshole.

[roamer65]

35. I agree.

[alphafemale]

23. I hope it hurt.

I really do.

[PJMcK]

36. Well, we can know one thing for sure

Geddert knew that his life was over. That had to be a devastating realization. He must have known his criminality was going to destroy his life and that he would be consumed with his legal and financial problems with a very dire future.

He saved everyone time, money and effort.

[dchill]

24. Tried, judged and sentenced. DIY.

[Lucky Luciano]

26. RIH

[JohnnyRingo]

29. Hopefully it brings closure.

I'm not going to celebrate his death because I'm sure he has family that is mourning, but I understand why he did it. He must have known what it was he did would warrant a lengthy sentence, probably life.

Unfortunate that his choices affected so many others, but now I hope they can begin to heal.

[Xipe Totec]

32. Not to put too fine a point on it, you don't die by suicide; you kill yourself.

die by suicide makes it seem passive, like "I was walking down the street and then, suddenly, a suicide happened to me."

[erronis]

33. I agree. Apparently "committed suicide" is unacceptable now. So many word police...

[PJMcK]

37. Perhaps that's a legal distinction

Death by suicide.

Death by manslaughter.

Death by chocolate. (Just kidding.)

Maybe it's a term of art?

[dawn frenzy adams]

38. So....

When is Gym Jordan going to be arrested?

[Submariner]

39. Probably after the George Clooney Docu-series about Gym comes out