More Victims In The Penn State Scandal?
The New York Times is reporting that more people have come forward to say they were sexually molested by Jerry Sandusky:
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Close to 10 additional suspected victims have come forward to the authorities since the arrest of the former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky on Nov. 5 on 40 counts of sexually abusing young boys, according to people close to the investigation. The police are working to confirm the new allegations.
The news of additional accusations came on a day when Sandusky made his first extended public comments since his arrest, and the resignation of the chief executive of the Second Mile foundation, the charity founded by Sandusky, was made public. They were the latest developments in a case that has led to the ouster of several top university officials, including the football coach, Joe Paterno, and the president, Graham B. Spanier.
In a McQueary, who has been placed on leave.
Sandusky’s interview last night, meanwhile, was simply bizarre:
Former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky admitted to showering and horsing around with young boys, but said he is not a pedophile, in an exclusive interview with Bob Costas broadcast Monday night on NBC’s Rock Center.
“I say that I am innocent of those charges,” Sandusky said in the phone interview.
When asked by Costas, “Are you a pedophile,” Sandusky responded, “No.”
Joe Paterno’s one-time defensive coordinator was charged earlier this month with 40 criminal counts accusing him of sexual abuse of minors. He is currently free on a $100,000 bond and has denied any wrongdoing. The allegations date back to 1994, according to the grand jury report filed November 5 in Pennsylvania state court. The report detailed claims of alleged sexual encounters with as many as eight boys in Sandusky’s home, hotels and Penn State locker rooms.
“I could say that I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids. I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their legs without intent of sexual contact,” said Sandusky.
When asked by Costas to concede any wrongdoing, Sandusky said, “I shouldn’t have showered with those kids.”
Why Sandusky’s attorney would let him engage in this interview is beyond me. Yes, there is a public relations battle to be fought in addition to the criminal one, but that’s what the attorney is supposed to be for at this point. Allowing Sandusky to go on the record like this means that anything he said in that interview can be used against him in Court, or can be used to impeach his testimony should he testify in his own defense. And, if he gives more interviews and starts telling inconsistent stories, then he’ll have even bigger problems.
As for Sandusky himself, well, watch the video and draw your own conclusions but I personally do not find him credible:
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In any event, this story seems to be far, far from over.
There’s also the simply reality that McQueary’s account is so specific. If you want to fight it, you can’t really say “Oh, he just didn’t understand what was going on”. Either you have to concede McQueary’s account, or he is deliberately lying, there’s not really any middle ground between the two extremes.
This boggles my mind. I’m sure the prosecuting attorney will be happy to play parts of this interview in her opening argument, when Sandusky testifies, and in the closing.
Yeesh.