Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, who died in January, is about to be immortalized in a new movie starring Hollywood legend Al Pacino.
Al Pacino has agreed to take on the controversial role in a film based on the New York Times bestselling book Paterno.
The movie is still in the early stages of development, but respected Hollywood entertainment blog deadline.com is reporting that it will be shopped around Los Angeles early next week.
Joe Paterno was fired for his alleged role in covering up the child molestation scandal involving assistant coach Jerry Sandusky who was revealed to be a pedophile.
His death came just two months after he was let go by Penn State in November of 2011.
Penn State football coach Joe Paterno is about to be immortalized in a new movie starring Al Pacino
The new book, which was penned by former Sports Illustrated columnist Joe Posnanski, takes an in depth look at Joe Paterno’s relationship with Jerry Sandusky.
Jerry Sandusky was convicted and awaits sentencing on child sexual abuse.
As the scandal erupted, it was revealed that Joe Paterno had been told by graduate assistant Mike McQueary that jerry Sandusky had raped a boy in the Penn State locker room showers.
In addition, an independent report conducted by former FBI director Louis Freeh, concluded that Joe Paterno, as well as other Penn State bigwigs, “failed to protect against a child sexual predator harming children for over a decade”.
Joe Posnanski’s book, however disputes those claims, saying that Joe Paterno did not know Jerry Sandusky had sexually abused children, and when he read the list of charges against Sandusky, he asked his son Scott: “What is sodomy, anyway?”
Jerry Sandusky was convicted in June of sexually assaulting 10 boys over 15 years.
Fellow inmates locked up alongside Jerry Sandusky reportedly taunted him by singing “Hey, teacher, leave those kids alone” – a line from Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall – while he was awaiting trial.
Jerry Sandusky, who has returned to the Centre County Correctional Facility after being convicted of 45 out of 48 charges of child sex abuse, was first locked up in the jail last December.
While there, inmates taunted the disgraced Penn State football coach when the lights went out.
“At night, we were singing <<Hey, teacher, leave those kids alone>>,” one 22-year-old offender named Josh told The Daily.
Prisoners were banned from speaking directly to Jerry Sandusky, who was in a special unit reserved for sex offenders or people with mental illnesses.
Jerry Sandusky, who has returned to the Centre County Correctional Facility after being convicted of 45 out of 48 charges of child sex abuse, was first locked up in the jail last December
They were aware of his offenses as they had access to television and newspapers, Josh added.
It suggests the hostile welcome Jerry Sandusky could have expected when he returned to the jail last week as he awaits sentencing.
The revelations come after Jerry Sandusky was found guilty of using his position at Penn State to coerce children into sex, raping them on university grounds or at his home.
But as he faces 442 years in prison, his legal team has raised an argument about his speedy trial that may become the thrust of an appeal.
Jerry sandusky’s lawyers have revealed that they tried to throw in the towel as the trial began because they had too little time to prepare.
Joe Paterno, the legendary former football coach of Penn State University, has died aged 85, reports say.
Joe Paterno led Penn State University to more wins than any other top division college football coach in US history.
The legendary football coach was sacked in November 2011 after 46 years in the post, amid accusations that he failed to act over child abuse claims against an assistant coach.
Joe Paterno, the legendary former football coach of Penn State University, has died aged 85
Joe Paterno was suffering from lung cancer. He fell and broke his pelvis at his home in December.
His family said on Sunday that “he died as he lived”.
“He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been,” they said in a statement.
Joe Paterno was a hero to many for winning more games than anyone else in major college football – 409 victories at Penn State.
But his reputation became tarnished when, in November, his former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, 63, was arrested for allegedly abusing eight boys between 1994 and 2009.
Joe Paterno was forced to resign after it emerged he had been told that jerry Sandusky had been seen abusing a boy as young as 10 in a locker room shower in 2002, but failed to alert the police.
Joe Paterno said he had alerted the university’s athletic director about the allegation, but regretted not taking it further.
Police have said that Joe Paterno fulfilled his minimum legal requirement but have suggested the coach had a moral responsibility to do more.
“This is a tragedy,” Joe Paterno coach told the Washington Post.
“It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more”.
