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A new abuse lawsuit has been filed against former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.
The new accuser claims he was abused about six years ago.
The case was filed in Philadelphia last month by Williamsport attorney Bret Southard, whose client was identified only by his initials, The Centre Daily Times reported.
The lawsuit claims Jerry Sandusky abused the boy during a shopping trip in 2008 or 2009, and after they attended a Penn State game in 2008 against Coastal Carolina University.
The trip would have come around the time law enforcement officials began investigating Sandusky in late 2008, based on a complaint involving a student in central Pennsylvania. They charged him in 2011.
Jerry Sandusky was convicted in 2012 for abusing ten boys and is serving a lengthy state prison sentence (photo ABC News)
Bret Southard told the newspaper his client represents a new case. The lawsuit seeks $550,000, along with punitive damages and interest. Penn State previously settled 26 cases for nearly $60 million.
The lawsuit describes the boy as a participant in The Second Mile, the charity for at-risk children Sandusky founded, the newspaper reported.
Second Mile official David Woodle said the charity would “engage with them and try just to understand what’s there and take it through the legal process”. He said The Second Mile now exists only as the owner of real estate that is currently for sale.
Jerry Sandusky, 70, was convicted two years ago for abusing ten boys and is serving a lengthy state prison sentence.
The lawsuit said the accuser was among the boys listed as Second Mile participants on a document taken from Jerry Sandusky’s home during the investigation. Some of the names had check marks next to them.
In a recent interview, Jerry Sandusky’s wife – Dottie Sandusky – revealed she still had hope even after his 45-count guilty verdict.
The former Penn State assistant football coach has been arrested, tried and convicted of abusing ten boys.
When the judge handed down a 30- to 60-year prison term for her husband, Dottie Sandusky said she fully comprehended his predicament.
Jerry Sandusky, 70, was convicted in 2012 of abusing ten boys over 15 years but maintains his innocence and is pursuing appeals. The scandal brought down the Penn State president and storied head coach Joe Paterno and eventually led the school to pay nearly $60 million to settle civil claims. Three former Penn State administrators await trial on charges they covered up allegations against Jerry Sandusky.
In recent weeks, Dottie Sandusky has been granting interviews, arguing her husband’s conviction was unjust and claiming the accusers who testified against him told inaccurate stories to cash in.
Speaking with The Associated Press, Dottie Sandusky said her husband had informed her when complaints were made against him regarding showering with boys in 1998 and 2001.
In recent weeks, Dottie Sandusky has been granting interviews, arguing her husband’s conviction was unjust and claiming the accusers who testified against him told inaccurate stories to cash in (photo NBC/Today Show)
Those complaints didn’t seem to worry Jerry Sandusky, she said, even though one spawned an investigation by police and child protective services and the other resulted in a restriction against him bringing children into Penn State facilities.
“He didn’t think a thing about it,” Dottie Sandusky said.
She said her husband also told her promptly about a 2010 investigation into his contact with a boy at a high school in central Pennsylvania that forced him to hire a lawyer and led to the filing of criminal charges.
“Jerry said when it first started it was really nothing,” Dottie Sandusky said.
In the interview, Dottie Sandusky repeatedly turned her focus to the eight young men who testified against Jerry Sandusky and the couple dozen others who have contacted Penn State with abuse claims.
“I know who he is, and I know what he is, and people need to look into some of the other situations,” she said.
Cliff Rieders, a Williamsport attorney who represents one of the accusers, said he viewed the interviews being given by Dottie Sandusky as an effort to influence public opinion and possibly help his appeal.
Dottie Sandusky said she is hoping the state Supreme Court grants her husband a new trial; he lost a lower-level appeal and the justices have not said whether they will take the case.
Her claim that witnesses were manipulated into giving false evidence was a key element of her husband’s criminal defense. The fact that jurors were not convinced doesn’t sway her – she said jurors had made up their mind before the trial began.
“I trust my husband,” she said.
Dottie Sandusky, who was a defense witness and did not see others testify, said the accusers’ testimony shouldn’t have been given more credence than her husband’s version of events.
Jerry Sandusky did not take the stand and has declined repeated requests for an interview.
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Penn State has spent $59.7 million on costs related to the scandal involving Jerry Sandusky, who was convicted of child abuse.
Penn State is paying the sum to 26 young men over claims of child abuse at the hands of former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.
The school said 23 deals are fully signed and three are agreements in principle, but did not disclose the names of the recipients. The school faces six other claims, and the university says it believes some of those do not have merit while others may produce settlements.
University president Rodney Erickson issued a statement calling the announcement a step forward for victims and the school.
“We cannot undo what has been done, but we can and must do everything possible to learn from this and ensure it never happens again at Penn State,” said Rodney Erickson, who announced the day Jerry Sandusky was convicted in June 2012 of 45 criminal counts that Penn State was determined to compensate his victims.
The settlements have been unfolding since mid-August, when attorneys for the accusers began to disclose them. Penn State followed a policy in which it has not been confirming them, waiting instead to announce deals at once.
Penn State has spent $59.7 million on costs related to the scandal involving Jerry Sandusky
Harrisburg lawyer Ben Andreozzi, who helped negotiate several of the settlements, said his clients were satisfied.
“They felt that the university treated them fairly with the economic and noneconomic terms of the settlement,” said Ben Andreozzi, who also represents some others who have come forward recently. Those new claims have not been presented to the university, he said.
Penn State has spent more than $50 million on other costs related to the Sandusky scandal, including lawyers’ fees, public relations expenses, and adoption of new policies and procedures related to children and abuse complaints.
It said Monday that liability insurance is expected to cover the payments and legal defense, and expenses not covered should be paid from interest paid on loans by Penn State to its self-supporting units.
Jerry Sandusky, 69, has been pursuing appeals while he serves a 30- to 60-year state prison sentence.
He was convicted of abusing 10 boys, some of them at Penn State facilities. Eight young men testified against him.
Jerry Sandusky did not testify at his trial but has long asserted his innocence. He has acknowledged he showered with boys but insisted he never molested them.
The abuse scandal rocked Penn State, bringing down football coach Joe Paterno and leading college sports’ governing body, the NCAA, to levy unprecedented sanctions against the university’s football program.
Three former Penn State administrators await trial in Harrisburg on charges they engaged in a criminal cover-up of the Sandusky scandal. Former president Graham Spanier, retired vice president Gary Schultz and retired athletic director Tim Curley deny the allegations, and a trial date has not been scheduled.
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Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was today sentenced to 30 years in prison for child sex abuse charges, effectively meaning he will spend the rest of his life in jail.
Wearing a bullet-proof vest and red jumpsuit, a defiant Jerry Sandusky gave a long, rambling statement in which he denied the allegations, talked about his life in prison and the pain of being away from his family.
The sentence, which came hours after he defiantly claimed his innocence and blamed his victims for orchestrating a conspiracy against him, means the 68-year-old cannot be released on parole before the minimum term is up. He plans to appeal.
Three of his victims told the court today of the emotional impact the abuse had on them and are said to have broken down as his sentence was read out.
One victim – who is now a father – talked about not being able to let his son out of his sight because of what happened to him at the hands of the former coach.
The judge said as he was handing down the sentence that the fact Sandusky continued to deny the crimes, ‘in my view makes you dangerous’.
Despite the fact Jerry Sandusky will die in prison after being handed a minimum 30 year sentence, many are questioning why he wasn’t given a life sentence.
Last night, the convicted child abuser released an extraordinary recorded statement from his jail cell, insisting he is innocent and blaming a slew of people for orchestrating a conspiracy against him.
Completely in denial over the decades of depravity he visited upon vulnerable young boys in his care, Jerry Sandusky: “They can take away my life, they can make me out as a monster, they can treat me as a monster, but they can’t take away my heart.”
Aired on Penn State radio, the recording continued: “In my heart, I know I did not do these alleged disgusting acts.”
“Why have so many people suffered as a result of false allegations? What’s the purpose?”
Jerry Sandusky also said he is the victim of a “well-orchestrated effort of the media, investigators, the system, Penn State, psychologists, civil attorneys” to set him up and frame him for the crimes.
In particular, Jerry Sandusky blamed the boys who came forward with the accusations of seeking “information, attention and potential perks” and calls one boy “a veteran accuser [who] always sought attention”.
In what will be a tough to hear stream of consciousness for many, the convicted sex offender went as far as to suggest that his case would “maybe it will help others”.
“Some vulnerable children who could be abused might not be because of all the publicity,” Jerry Sandusky said.
“That would be nice, but I’m not sure about it. I would cherish the opportunity to become a candle for others, as they have been a light for me.
“My wife has been my only sex partner, and that was after marriage. Our love continues.”
Flanked by sheriff’s deputies, Jerry Sandusky’s bullet-proof vest can visibly be seen under his jumpsuit
Joe Amendola, Jerry Sandusky’s lawyer, said he will make similar claims in court today.
Nobody else is expected to speak on Jerry Sandusky’s behalf during the sentencing hearing in Bellefonte, defense attorney Joe Amendola said.
“What I anticipate he’ll say is that he’s innocent,” Joe Amendola said outside the courthouse yesterday.
The attorney said others, including Jerry Sandusky’s wife, have submitted letters on his behalf and that Dottie Sandusky stands by her husband and will attend the sentencing.
“He’s going to fight for a new trial,” Joe Amendola said.
He said “the important thing” about sentencing for the defense “is it starts the appellate process”.
Joe Amendola made the comments yesterday afternoon before he participated in a closed-door meeting with prosecutors and Judge John Cleland to discuss hearing logistics.
Lawyers for the attorney general’s office said they would comment to reporters after the meeting.
Sentencing is expected to begin with a hearing to determine if Jerry Sandusky qualifies as a sexually violent predator under Pennsylvania’s version of Megan’s Law, after which Sandusky will be sentenced.
Jerry Sandusky will likely spend the rest of his life in prison, given his age and serious nature of his convictions of which many carry mandatory minimum sentences of five or 10 years.
Assuming Judge John Cleland gives him at least two years – the minimum threshold for a state prison sentence – Jerry Sandusky’s first stop will be the Camp Hill state prison near Harrisburg, where all male inmates undergo a couple weeks of testing to determine such things as mental and physical health, education level and any treatment needs.
Prison officials will assign him a security level risk and decide which “home prison” to send him to.
Although Jerry Sandusky’s home in the Lemont area of State College is only a couple miles from Rockview state prison, there is no way to predict where he will end up.
Because of who he is and what he’s done, depending on what kind of facility he finds himself locked away in, Jerry Sandusky could be in particular danger of sexual assault when behind bars.
His lawyer, Joe Amendola, said he expects Jerry Sandusky will be housed with nonviolent offenders at a minimum-security prison, and the Pennsylvania Corrections Department said it is committed to the safety of all inmates, though it would not comment on what it plans to do to protect Sandusky.
With thousands of inmates raped in prison in the U.S. each year, statistics compiled by the federal government show that sex offenders are roughly two to four times more likely than other inmates to fall victim.
In some ways, Jerry Sandusky, who has been held in isolation in a county jail since he was found guilty in June, is not a prime target for assault. Inmates who are young and small in stature are more likely to be sexually victimized; Jerry Sandusky is a senior citizen with an imposing frame.
Other inmates at high risk include gay men, those who have been previously victimized and those seen as timid or feminine.
But a convicted sex offender who spent 10 years in prison, and who works with other released sex offenders through the Pennsylvania Prison Society, said Jerry Sandusky won’t be able to keep a low profile.
Jerry Sandusky speaks out from behind bars
I’m responding to the worst loss of my life.
First, I looked at myself. Over and over, I asked why? Why didn’t we have a fair opportunity to prepare for trial?
Why have so many people suffered as a result of false allegations? What’s the purpose? Maybe it will help others.
Some vulnerable children who could be abused might not be because of all the publicity. That would be nice, but I’m not sure about it.
I would cherish the opportunity to become a candle for others, as they have been a light for me.
They can take away my life, they can make me out as a monster, they can treat me as a monster, but they can’t take away my heart. In my heart, I know I did not do these alleged disgusting acts.
My wife has been my only sex partner, and that was after marriage. Our love continues.
A young man who was dramatic, a veteran accuser and always sought attention, started everything.
He was joined by a well-orchestrated effort of the media, investigators, the system, Penn State, psychologists, civil attorneys and other accusers. They won.
I’ve wondered what they really won: attention, financial gain, prestige – will all be temporary.
Before you blame me, as others have, look at everything and everybody. Look at the preparation for the trial and the trial. Compare it to others.
Think about what happened. Why, and who made it happen?
Evaluate the accusers and their families. Realize they didn’t come out of isolation. The accusers were products of many more people and experiences than me. Look at their confidants and their honesty.
Think about how easy it was for them to turn on me given the information, attention and potential perks. I never labeled or put down them or their families. I tried and I cared, then asked for the same.
Please realize all came to the Second Mile because of issues. Some of those may remain.
We will continue to fight. We didn’t lose the proven facts, evidence, accurate locations and times.
Anything can be said. We lost to speculation and stories that were influenced by people who wanted to convict me.
We must fight unfairness and consistency and dishonesty. People need to be portrayed for who they really are.
We’ve not been complainers. When we couldn’t have kids, we adopted. When we didn’t have time to prepare for a trial, we still gave it our best. We will fight for another chance.
We have given many second chances, and now we’ll ask for one. It will take more than our effort.
Justice will have to be more than just a word, fairness more than just a dream. It will take others: Somebody apolitical with the courage to listen, to think about the unfairness, to have the guts to stand up and take the road less traveled.
I ask for the strength to handle everything and willingness to surrender only to God, regardless of the outcome.
Joe Paterno, the former Penn State coach fractured his pelvis again following a fall at his home but will not need surgery, a person close to the family told The Associated Press.
Joe Paterno, who turns 85 on December 21, was expected to make a full recovery after slipping yesterday and being admitted to the hospital today, the person added.
The person spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation.
Joe Paterno is also undergoing radiation and chemotherapy for what his family has said is a treatable form of lung cancer.
His son, Scott Paterno, said doctors are optimistic his father would make a full recovery from the illness.
Joe Paterno initially hurt his pelvis after he was blindsided on the sideline during preseason practice in August.
It was determined he should remain in the hospital now to facilitate his regimen of cancer treatments while recovering from the pelvis injury, the AP was told.
Joe Paterno, the former Penn State coach fractured his pelvis again following a fall at his home but will not need surgery
The person declined to identify the hospital to maintain the family’s privacy. An operator at the hospital in State College, Mount Nittany Medical Center, said Sunday there was no patient listing for Joe Paterno.
Joe Paterno was Penn State’s head coach for 62 seasons before he was fired last month in the aftermath of child sex-abuse charges filed against former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who maintains his innocence.
Joe Paterno is not a target of the investigation.
Jerry Sandusky is scheduled to appear in court Tuesday after being charged November 5 with the first set of child sex-abuse allegations that spanned 20 years.
Trustees at the school dismissed Joe Paterno four days later and accepted school President Graham Spanier’s resignation under pressure.
Several days after he was fired, Joe Paterno was diagnosed with cancer during a follow-up visit to the doctor for a bronchial illness, his family has said.
Joe Paterno has said he wishes he had done more about allegations against Jerry Sandusky.
Dorothy Sandusky, the former Penn State assistant coach’s wife has arranged his $250,000 bail today – after one accuser claimed she was upstairs while her husband allegedly tried to rape young boys at their home.
Jerry Sandusky had spent the night in jail following a new round of sexual abuse charges from two new victims were filed against him.
Dorothy Sandusky handed over a $50,000 cheque in addition to Jerry Sandusky using $200,000 in real estate holdings to post the bail, according to online court records.
Jerry Sandusky remained at the jail in Bellefonte as of late morning and the warden said he was quiet and cooperative during his overnight stay, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
The former coach was hauled away from his home in handcuffs yesterday after prosecutors filed amid startling new testimony has emerged from one of his latest alleged victims.
The ninth alleged victim said in sworn testimony that he suffered abuse at Sandusky’s hands for years, often in the basement of the coach’s house.
He said Jerry Sandusky made him perform oral sex multiple times and tried to anally rape him at least 16 times and succeeded a number of times.
During one of those incidents, the victim screamed for help knowing that Dorothy Sandusky was upstairs, but no one ever came down to help him.
It’s not the first time Dorothy “Dottie” Gross Sandusky’s name has come up in the allegations.
Dorothy Sandusky, 68, attempted to call one of the victims in the weeks leading up to his testimony, despite the fact the now 26-year-old had cut off all contact with Sandusky two years prior.
Dorothy Sandusky left a message on Victim 7’s phone saying the matter was “very important” but the man, who told the Grand Jury that as a 10-year-old in 1994, Sandusky hugged and inappropriately touched him, did not return the call.
Part of that alleged abuse took place in the Sandusky family’s home, in which Dorothy and Jerry raised their six adopted children.
Jerry Sandusky claimed he and his wife could not have any of their own.
Over the years Jerry and Dorothy Sandusky became the parents to Ray, now 46, a businessman living in Nashville, EJ, 41, former Nittany Lions player, and now a football coach at West Chester University, Kara, 38, a Penn State graduate, Jeff, 35, a former Marine, and 33-year-olds Matt, a Penn State graduate and Jon, who is Director of Player Personnel for the Cleveland Browns.
Quite how much any of them knew about the sexual abuse, which occurred between 1994 and 2009 with a number of incidents at the family home, is now under scrutiny.
The number of boys Jerry Sandusky is accused of molesting now stands at ten.
Wednesday in the afternoon, Jerry Sandusky left his home in handcuffs after prosecutors filed amid startling new testimony has emerged from one of his latest alleged victims.
The ninth alleged victim said in sworn testimony that he suffered abuse at Jerry Sandusky’s hands for years, often in the basement of the coach’s house.
The victim said Jerry Sandusky made him perform oral sex multiple times and tried to anally rape him at least 16 times and succeeded a number of times.
During one of those incidents, the victim screamed for help knowing that Jerry Sandusky’s wife, Dorothy, was upstairs, but no one ever came down to help him.
It’s not the first time Dorothy “Dottie” Gross Sandusky’s name has come up in the allegations.
Dottie Sandusky, 68, attempted to call one of the victims in the weeks leading up to his testimony, despite the fact the now 26-year-old had cut off all contact with Jerry Sandusky two years prior.
Jerry Sandusky’s wife left a message on Victim 7’s phone saying the matter was “very important” but the man, who told the Grand Jury that as a 10-year-old in 1994, the former coach hugged and inappropriately touched him, did not return the call.
Part of that alleged abuse took place in the Sandusky family’s State College, Pennsylvania, home, in which Dorothy and her husband raised their six adopted children.
Jerry and Dottie Sandusky claimed they could not have any of their own.
Over the years Jerry and Dottie Sandusky became the parents to Ray, now 46, a businessman living in Nashville, EJ, 41, former Nittany Lions player, and now a football coach at West Chester University, Kara, 38, a Penn State graduate, Jeff, 35, a former Marine, and 33-year-olds Matt, a Penn State graduate and Jon, who is Director of Player Personnel for the Cleveland Browns.
Wednesday in the afternoon, Jerry Sandusky left his home in handcuffs after prosecutors filed amid startling new testimony has emerged from one of his latest alleged victims
Quite how much any of them knew about the sexual abuse, which occurred between 1994 and 2009 with a number of incidents at the family home, is now under scrutiny. The number of boys the former Penn State University coach is accused of molesting now stands at 10.
The newest men – aged 10 and 12 – said Jerry Sandusky preyed on them when they sought help at his charity for underprivileged children, the Second Mile.
Victim No. 9 said Jerry Sandusky took him to Penn State football games, lavished him with gifts and even gave him money, and when the abuse began he was told to keep it a secret.
Jerry Sandusky is likely to spend Wednesday in jail, though his lawyer says he should be released on $250,000 bail Thursday.
Four Pennsylvania State Police detectives arrived at Jerry Sandusky’s house outside State College, Pennsylvania, this afternoon in unmarked cars.
A video from NBC News shows the detectives knock on the former coach’s door then go inside. Moment later, emerged with the white-haired Sandusky.
Jerry Sandusky is wearing a blue and white Nittany Lions tracksuit with a jacket on his shoulders covering his hands, which are cuffed behind his back.
Shortly after his arrest, Jerry Sandusky’s lawyer, Joe Amendola, walked in the courtroom to see his client for a bond hearing.
“Told you. We had this discussion. Some day you will listen to me,” Joe Amendola said to his client, ABC6 in Philadelphia reported.
Jerry Sandusky smiled in reply.
Prosecutors argued the judge should set Jerry Sandusky’s new bond at $1 million.
However, the judge decided $250,000 was sufficient, however he ordered Jerry Sandusky must wear an electronic tether that will notify authorities if he goes near the Penn State campus.
Joe Amendola said Jerry Sandusky was likely to post the money and be released Thursday.
Victim No 9, who is now 19, said he was raped at Penn State’s football facilities after Jerry Sandusky plied him with alcohol on campus.
Jerry Sandusky was first arrested November 5 on charges that he sexually assaulted eight boys over the course of 15 years.
The former coach was released on unsecured bail of $100,000 – meaning he only has to pay if he doesn’t show up for court – and has been keeping a low profile at his home outside State College, Pennsylvania.
Joe Amendola, denied Jerry Sandusky is guilty of committing the newest set of allegations. The onetime heir to the Penn State coaching throne has maintained his innocence since his first arrest.
The two newest accusers say they met Jerry Sandusky through his charity, the Second Mile, when they were troubled young boys.
“As in many of the other cases identified to date, the contact with Sandusky allegedly fit a pattern of <<grooming>> victims,” Attorney General Linda Kelly said in a statement.
“Beginning with outings to football games and gifts; they later included physical contact that escalated to sexual assaults.”
Victim No 9, who went public Tuesday night through his lawyer Charles Schmidt, is now a 19-year-old man. He says Sandusky gave him gifts and money – in addition to molesting him – after they met in 2004.
“He suffered one incident of abuse, to use the legal term – involuntary deviate sexual intercourse – allegedly at the hands of Mr. Sandusky,” Charles Schmidt said.
“That occurred on the Penn State campus, we believe in the area of the football facilities.”
The new claim came the day a lawyer for another young man who accused Jerry Sandusky of sexual abuse said he expects his client and at least five other accusers to testify at a preliminary hearing next week.
The lawyer said he has information that the six young men whose testimony before a grand jury contributed to a report detailing allegations against Jerry Sandusky will be called to testify next Tuesday.
Jerry Sandusky, 67, is charged with 40 counts of child sex abuse, and prosecutors allege he met his victims through a charity he founded in 1977 to help at-risk children, The Second Mile.
He denies being a paedophile and has vowed to fight the charges. In interviews with NBC and The New York Times, he has said he showered and horsed around with boys but never sexually abused them.
The existence of Charles Schmidt’s client was first reported by WHP-TV in Harrisburg.
Charles Schmidt told the AP that his client was 12 years old, dealing with the death of his mother and suffering emotional issues at the time of the campus incident.
He said the two met through The Second Mile and his client claims Jerry Sandusky gave him liquor while in the office on campus. The grand jury report did not allege any instances of Jerry Sandusky giving boys alcohol.
Charles Schmidt said his law firm is conducting its own investigation into the client’s claims.
The preliminary hearing, at which a judge would determine if prosecutors have enough evidence to take the case to trial, could last a day or more since the defense has the right to cross-examine the state’s witnesses.
The state attorney general’s office would not comment on the evidence authorities plan to offer to show probable cause the crimes occurred.
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In the most recent filmed interview with The New York Times, former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky revealed several new disturbing details in regards to his 40 charges of sexual assault against young boys.
Jerry Sandusky did little to discredit the claims of his inappropriately close relationship with young boys, admitting to showering and sleeping in the same bed as them, yet denying that anything further happened.
This is the second interview of Jerry Sandusky since the scandal broke, and in the first he fumbled when asked if he was sexually attracted to young boys, repeating the question and issuing a shallow denial.
In the latest interview with The New York Times, Jerry Sandusky did not improve his answer, only making it worse.
“What in the world was that question,” Jerry Sandusky said referring to the first interview.
“If I say <<No, I’m not attracted to boys>> that’s not the truth because I’m attracted to young people- boys, girls.”
Joe Amendola, his lawyer, who was present for the interview, then jumped in and clarified that Jerry Sandusky did not mean he was sexually attracted to children.
“I enjoy spending time with young people, I enjoy spending time with people,” Jerry Sandusky then said.
In the most recent filmed interview with The New York Times, former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky revealed several new disturbing details in regards to his 40 charges of sexual assault against young boys
There were more surprises in store as well, as Jerry Sandusky discussed the role that other coaches and school officials played.
Legendary head coach Joe Paterno was fired by the school in the wake of the scandal, along with three other university officials. Two of those officials, including athletic director Tim Curley, were arrested for perjury.
Of the eight alleged victims that Jerry Sandusky reportedly abused over the course of 15 years, one incident stands above the rest because it relates to the chain of command at Penn State which is now under review.
In 2002, graduate assistant coach Mike McQueary claims that he saw Jerry Sandusky raping a young boy in the team showers. He then told Joe Paterno, and Joe Paterno told Tim Curley.
This was not the first time that concerns about Jerry Sandusky had been brought to the attention of university officials- there was a complaint filed by the mother of another boy in 1998 that was investigated by campus police- but little seems to have happened.
In the New York Times interview, Jerry Sandusky said that Joe Paterno never spoke to him about either incident.
“I never talked to him about either one. That’s all I can say. I mean, I don’t know,” Jerry Sandusky said.
Throughout the interview, Jerry Sandusky repeatedly said that his actions and relationships with children were motivated by a pure love of children- in a protective and fatherly way as opposed to that of a paedophile.
“It was, you know, almost an extended family,” the former coach said.
Jerry Sandusky admitted to wrestling, hugging, and, in a strange move, blowing on boys stomachs, all of which are details included in the charges against him.
“I think a lot of the kids really reached out for that,” Jerry Sandusky said referring to the wrestling and rough housing.
“I would call kids on the phone and work with them academically. I tried to reward them sometimes with a little money in hand, just so that they could see something. But more often than not, I tried to set up, maybe get them to save the money, and I put it directly into a savings account established for them.”
As he waits for his preliminary hearing on December 13, Jerry Sandusky is very aware of all that he has lost, both at Penn State, at the children’s charity The Second Mile that he founded and allegedly used as a way to find potential victims.
“I’ll miss coaching, I’ll miss Second Mile, I’ll miss Second Mile kids. I’ll miss the relationships with all kinds of people. I’ll miss my own grandkids, I’ll miss my dog,” Jerry Sandusky said.
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Joe Amendola, the former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky’s lawyer, said yesterday that he would consider “possible alternatives” if more sexual abuse charges were filed against his client.
Joe Amendola said he had not discussed pleading guilty with Jerry Sandusky and that he still maintained he was innocent of charges against him.
Jerry Sandusky has been accused of 40 criminal accounts of abusing eight boys, some on the university campus, over 15 years.
Joe Amendola, the former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky's lawyer, said yesterday that he would consider “possible alternatives” if more sexual abuse charges were filed against his client
Joe Amendola said that Jerry Sandusky has never considered a plea in his case.
Jerry Sandusky, 67, is awaiting a preliminary hearing on the charges.
Joe Amendola said the topic of a guilty plea came up as a “what-if” question about potential additional charges – and that if more charges were filed, Jerry Sandusky would only then discuss the possibility of a plea.
Earlier this week, Jerry Sandusky was accused of sexually abusing a young boy more than 100 times after meeting him through his charity The Second Mile in the 1970s.
The 29-year-old new accuser, who is not part of the criminal case, said in a lawsuit that Jerry Sandusky threatened to harm his family to keep him quiet.
The accuser, identified only as John Doe, claimed he had never told anyone about the abuse until Jerry Sandusky was charged last month.
The alleged victim felt “tormented” after learning others were said to have been abused after him, according to a statement read out by his lawyer Jeff Anderson.
“I am hurting and have been for a long time because of what happened, but feel now even more tormented that I have learned of so many other kids were abused after me,” the man said.
The alleged victim became the first plaintiff to file suit in the Penn State child sex abuse scandal.
The lawsuit claimed Jerry Sandusky abused the boy in encounters at the coach’s home, in a Penn State locker room and on football game trips.
Jerry Sandusky has acknowledged that he showered with boys but denied molesting them.
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.
Thousands of Penn State football fans took the streets last night at the announcement their long-term head coach Joe Paterno would be sacked with “immediate effect” for his role in the sex scandal which has rocked the university.
Penn State’s Board of Trustees also forced the resignation of president Graham Spanier after allegations that for years the school’s former football defence coordinator Jerry Sandusky sexually abused young boys.
Joe Paterno, 84, had said he would retire at the end of the 2011 season but the trustees stepped in to tell the legendary coach he will never take charge of another game following the allegations of a cover up.
Assistant coach Tom Bradley has been named interim football coach while Penn State provost and Rodney Erickson will become interim president.
The announcement came as it emerged that federal officials will investigate whether Penn State officials violated federal law by failing to report alleged sexual abuse by the school’s former football defense coordinator Jerry Sandusky.
Thousands of Penn State football fans took the streets last night at the announcement their long-term head coach Joe Paterno would be sacked with "immediate effect" for his role in the sex scandal which has rocked the university
Speaking at his house to a large gathering of students, Joe Paterno said: “Right now, I’m not the football coach, and that’s something I have to get used to.“
Joe Paterno then urged the students, who chanted “We want Joe back!”, to “go study” and “pray a little bit for those victims”. His wife Sue picked up a bouquet of flowers and addressed the crowd in tears, saying: “Thank you all for your support. We love you.”
Joe Paterno later issued a statement, which read: “I am disappointed with the Board of Trustees’ decision, but I have to accept it.”
Thousands of students flocked to the university’s Old Main building, in University Park, State College, to voice their displeasure at the decision to oust Joe Paterno, who has been head coach for nearly half a century.
Others gathered at Beaver Avenue, with student newspaper the Daily Collegian tweeting: “Can’t see any road that isn’t filled with students.”
They chanted “We love JoePa” and were described by onlookers as “emotional”. Lampposts and street signs were torn down and fireworks were set off. A bottle was thrown and hit a police officer in the head, the Daily Collegian reported.
A WTAJ news van was overturned on College Avenue to loud cheers. It led to an oil spill which required firefighters to clean up but when the arrived their truck was pelted with rocks.
Joe Paterno, one of the biggest names in American sports, had said in a statement today that the situation was a tragedy and “one of the great sorrows of my life”.
Joe Paterno and his wife Sue speaking at his house to a large gathering of students
The case of Jerry Sandusky, a former defensive coordinator accused of years of abuse of boys that allegedly was covered up by school officials, has shaken the university and its football programme.
The education department confirmed it is launching a probe into whether there were violations of a federal law called the Clery Act.
It requires colleges and universities to publish and distribute information about criminal offences – including sex offences – that are reported to school authorities.
Education Secretary Arne Duncan said in a statement: “If it turns out that some people at the school knew of the abuse and did nothing or covered it up, that makes it even worse. Schools and school officials have a legal and moral responsibility to protect children and young people from violence and abuse.”
Joe Paterno said yesterday: “I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case. I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief.”
Joe Paterno, in his 46th year as head coach of the Nittany Lions and winner of two national championships, has been criticized for not doing more to intervene when incidents of Sandusky’s abuse came to light in 2002.
“With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more,” Joe Paterno added.
Two former university officials – athletic director Tim Curley and finance official Gary Schultz – were charged on Monday with failing to alert police after they were told that Jerry Sandusky had been seen sodomising a young boy in the football locker room shower in 2002.
Tim Curley and Gary Schultz have also been charged with perjury in their statements to a grand jury.
They have stepped down from their positions at the university following an emergency meeting of the university’s Board of Trustees.
Lawyers for all three men have said their clients deny the charges and maintain their innocence.
Joe Paterno held a short meeting with coaching staff and players at the team’s football building today, which participants described to reporters as tearful and highly emotional.
Many students have rallied around the coach, who with his thick, black-rimmed glasses and blue windbreaker has been the face of Penn State football for generations.
On Tuesday night, several thousand gathered in front of Joe Paterno’s home before racing through downtown streets, often chanting football slogans, to the white-columned administration building to support their coach and defend the university.
Joe Paterno’s sacking comes as anticipation builds for Saturday, when Penn State is due to take an 8-1 record into its final home game of the season against the University of Nebraska.
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Matt Millen, the retired NFL linebacker who played for both legendary coach Joe Paterno and ex-defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky when he attended Penn State between 1976 and 1979, broke down in tears during his appearance at ESPN yesterday.
Jerry Sandusky was arrested over the weekend on charges that he sexually abused numerous boys he allegedly met through the Second Mile charity he founded.
The scandal is forcing now Joe Paterno into early retirement and he is expected to leave at the end of this season.
Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley and vice president for finance and business Gary Schultz were charged on Saturday after a grand jury investigation of Jerry Sandusky, who was slapped with a 40-count indictment of child sex abuse charges.
The arrest brought shame to the Penn State football program, and left Joe Paterno clinging to his job, which he has held for 45 years, although last night thousands of students marched in support of their beloved coach.
During his appearance on ESPN yesterday, an emotional Matt Millen weighed in on the scandal, saying that the legendary Penn State coach would not go down without a fight
Both Matt Millen and Joe Paterno serve as honorary board members for the charity, which Jerry Sandusky founded in the late 1970s.
During his appearance on ESPN yesterday, an emotional Matt Millen weighed in on the scandal, saying that the legendary Penn State coach would not go down without a fight.
Matt Millen said: “The simple answer is that he needs to go, and last I checked this is the United States of America. We need to divorce ourselves from the emotion of the moment.”
“I get mad,” Matt Millen said as he broke down in tears.
“It’s pretty disturbing. It makes you sick to see that this could happen to this level.”
The scandal is forcing now Joe Paterno into early retirement and he is expected to leave at the end of this season
Describing Jery Sandusky, Matt Millen said: “He’s your next door neighbour. He’s the guy you know your whole life. He’s everything you want. I’ve known the guy since 1976. I’ve been to meetings with him. He’s been in my home.”
Meanwhile, the number of accusers in Penn State scandal has more than doubled as Pennsylvania opened up hotlines for potential victims to call.
Sources told Fox 29 News that as many as 17 people have said they were victimized by Jerry Sandusky, up from the 8 victims listed in a grand jury indictment Monday.
Tim Curley and Gary Schultz stepped down Monday night after an emergency meeting of the university’s Board of Trustees – and now Joe Paterno is facing calls to follow them out.
Tim Curley requested to be placed on administrative leave so he could devote the time needed to defend himself against perjury and other charges, university President Graham Spanier said.
Gary Schultz will step down and go back into retirement, Graham Spanier said. He declined to comment to reporters after the meeting.
Jerry Sandusky was arrested over the weekend on charges that he sexually abused numerous boys he allegedly met through the Second Mile charity he founded
Legendary head football coach Joe Paterno, who last week became the coach with the most wins in Division I football history, wasn’t charged, and the grand jury report didn’t appear to implicate him in wrongdoing.
However, at a press conference Monday, Pennsylvania’s top cop wasn’t ready to let him off the hook yet.
Joe Paterno told university officials when a graduate assistant reported to the 84-year-old coach seeing Jerry Sandusky in the shower, reportedly abusing a boy as young as 10.
Joe Paterno might have done what was legally required, “but somebody has to question about what I would consider the moral requirements for a human being that knows of sexual things that are taking place with a child,” state police Commissioner Frank Noonan said in a press conference Monday.
Frank Noonan added: “I think you have the moral responsibility, anyone. Not whether you’re a football coach or a university president or the guy sweeping the building. I think you have a moral responsibility to call us.”
Joe Paterno has long had an image as a leader who does things by the book and runs a program that has seen far fewer off-field troubles than other major college football teams. Doubts about his judgment in handling the Jerry Sandusky matter quickly began to emerge.
Jerry Sandusky, once considered Joe Paterno’s heir apparent, retired in 1999 but continued to use the school’s facilities for his work with The Second Mile, a foundation he established to help at-risk kids.
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