Jerry Sandusky accused of sexually abusing his own grandchild and other two boys
The latest accusation brought against former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky is that he sexually abused his own grandchild, according to his lawyer.
Jerry Sandusky is accused of molesting at least eight boys over a 15-year period.
Former Penn State coach’s lawyer Joe Amendola said the accusation comes from Jill Jones, ex-wife of one of Jerry Sandusky’s five adopted sons, Matt.
Two new cases emerged yesterday, both referring to victims under the age of 18.
Joe Amendola told ABC News: “The allegations are ridiculous and unfounded. Jerry has absolutely denied any inappropriate contact with his grandkids.”
The incident was not reported to authorities until after Jerry Sandusky was charged earlier this month, he said.
Neither the person who made the complaint, nor the alleged victims, have been publicly identified.
Jerry Sandusky adopted a total of six children with his wife Dorothy.
If the two new allegations are found to be credible they will be the first involving alleged victims who are still under the age of 18.
Their accounts will be investigated by the state’s children and youth services rather than the police as they are classified as minors.
The latest accusation brought against former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky is that he sexually abused his own grandchild, according to his lawyer
Jerry Sandusky, who maintains his innocence, faces 40 criminal counts involving the sexual abuse of eight boys beginning in the mid-1990s.
Jerry Sandusky is free on bail, but has not been required to post any bail money.
Earlier this week a judge delayed his preliminary hearing in the Centre County Courthouse for three weeks until December 13.
Joe Amendola told ABC’s Good Morning America he feared new criminal allegations would land his client in jail.
Meanwhile a grand jury indictment has revealed a shocking account by the mother of one former Central Mountain High School pupil.
The mother claims her son was frequently taken off school grounds by Jerry Sandusky despite no parental permission having been given.
According to the mother’s account, the school’s principal Karen Probst repeatedly urged her not to report the abuse allegations to police.
The mother claims neither Karen Probst nor the school counsellor took his complaints seriously and she stormed out of a meeting when they refused to act.
She said of the principal and school counsellor: “They were not helpful. They wanted me to go home and forget all about it.”
The mother, who has removed her son from the school, said the boy first met Jerry Sandusky in 2005 or 2006 through his children’s charity aged 11 or 12.
She recalls meeting Jerry Sandusky at the charity’s annual parent awards ceremony as well as frequently seeing him hanging round the school.
The mother said towards the end of eighth grade her son’s behaviour changed and he began “lashing out” and becoming “mouthy and nasty at home”.
She also said she was alerted to the possibility that something was seriously wrong one evening when her son asked her how to look up “sex weirdos”.
Believing her son was just playing a game she claims she asked him who he wanted to look up and he replied “Jerry”.
The boy then allegedly went on to tell her that he was being taken out of school several times a week, sometimes on a daily basis by Jerry Sandusky.
According to both the alleged victim and his mother, football coach Steve Turchetta had authorized Jerry Sandusky to do this – despite no parental permission being given.
Realizing the seriousness of the situation she states she arranged to meet with the school counsellor.
The mother said: “I didn’t know how to start the conversation with the high school counsellor because I didn’t know how to come out and say: <<I think Jerry Sandusky is doing something to my kid>>.
“I finally said to the counsellor <<You’re a mother. I’m a mother. I have a gut feeling that something isn’t right>>.”
But the mother claims the school shrugged off her concerns, with principal Karen Probst saying: “Jerry has a heart of gold.
“He’s been around all these kids and you really should go home and think about what this is going to do to your son and your family if you do that.”
Lawyers for one of the alleged victims, identified only as Victim 4, today requested for an injunction that would stop the children’s charity that Jerry Sandusky founded The Second Mile from disbanding.
In the wake of allegations that Jerry Sandusky used the charity to get close to his victims, The Second Mile has said it was considering transferring its programs.
But Victim 4’s lawyers said that they want to make sure the company’s assets are safeguarded. The criminal charges against Jerry Sandusky could be followed by civil lawsuits.
Lawyers Benjamin Andreozzi and Jeffrey Fritz said in a statement. “We believe it is in the best interest of our clients, as well as the other victims, to ensure that the organization is being financially responsible.
“We have reached out to attorneys for The Second Mile in the hope that appropriate safeguards against the dissipation of assets can be reached, but are proceeding with these legal measures in order to protect the interests of our clients and other victims in the event we are unable to come to an agreement.”
The allegations have rocked Pennsylvania and led to the ousting of its celebrated football coach, Joe Paterno.
Aside from the case, Jerry Sandusky’s defence lawyer Mr Amendola, 63, is said to have got a teenage girl called Mary Lavasile pregnant when she was 17 and he was 49, before later marrying her.
The age of consent in Pennsylvania is 16.