Friday, June 22, 2012

Sandusky Guilty On 45 of 48 Counts

The Verdict:

Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse:
   Guilty on 8 of 9 counts
Indecent assault:
   Guilty on 7 of 9 counts
Criminal intent to commit indecent assault:
   Guilty on 1 of 1 count
Unlawful contact with minors:
   Guilty on 9 of 9 counts
Corruption of minors:
   Guilty on 10 of 10 counts
Endangering welfare of children:
   Guilty on 10 of 10 counts

Breakdown By Victims:

Victim 1: Sandusky was accused of fondling him and performing oral sex on him multiple times, in his home and State College hotels. The boy was 11-15 years old at the time. Sandusky was barred from his central Pennsylvania high school in 2009 after the boy's mother alerted school officials, triggering the investigation that produced charges.
Guilty of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse (two counts), indecent assault, unlawful contact with minor, corruption of minors, endangering a child's welfare.




Victim 2: A boy of about 10 that a graduate assistant, Mike McQueary, has said he saw being attacked by Sandusky in the team showers in February 2001. Investigators have not been able to determine the boy's identity. McQueary reported what he saw to head coach Joe Paterno, and Paterno's handling of it contributed to the university's decision to fire him shortly after Sandusky was arrested in November.
Guilty of indecent assault, unlawful contact with minor, corruption of minors, endangering a child's welfare.
Acquitted of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse.




Victim 3: Sandusky was accused of hugging him in the shower and fondling him between July 1999 and December 2001 at Sandusky's home and in team showers. The boy was 12-14.
Guilty of indecent assault, unlawful contact with minor, corruption of minors, endangering a child's welfare.




Victim 4: Prosecutors said more than 50 incidents occurred between 1996 and 2000, at the Sandusky home, hotels and university facilities while the boy was 12-17. He also traveled with the Sandusky family to bowl games in Texas and Florida.
Guilty of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, unlawful contact with minor, corruption of minors, endangering a child's welfare.




Victim 5: Sandusky put his hand on the boy's leg while in a car, they showered together and he placed the boy's hand on his genitals, according to his testimony in court. The alleged incident occurred in August 2001, while the boy was 12 or 13.
Guilty of unlawful contact with minor, corruption of minors, endangering a child's welfare.
Acquitted of indecent assault.




Victim 6: While showering together in May 1998, he testified that Sandusky grabbed him and said, "I'm going to squeeze your guts out" and that the ex-coach said he was the "tickle monster." The boy's mother complained when he came home with wet hair, prompting a police investigation at the time that did not result in charges. The boy was 11.
Guilty of unlawful contact with minor, corruption of minors, endangering a child's welfare.
Acquitted of indecent assault.




Victim 7: They showered together and Sandusky bear hugged him in 1995-96, and more than once he put his hands down the waistband of the boy's pants, according to the grand jury. Sandusky did not touch his genitals, the jury said. The boy was 9-11.
Guilty of attempted indecent assault, corruption of minors, endangering a child's welfare.




Victim 8: Boy of about 11 to 13, seen in late November 2000 by a university janitor allegedly being subjected to sexual abuse by Sandusky in the team showers. The janitor now has dementia and is not available to testify, but a co-worker testified to what the janitor told him. The boy has not been identified by investigators.
Guilty of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, indecent assault, unlawful contact with minor, corruption of minors, endangering a child's welfare.




Victim 9: Now 18, he testified that he was sexually abused by Sandusky at the Sandusky home where he spent more than a hundred nights in a room in the basement that had a waterbed. He testified he was subject to oral then anal sex and screamed for help. He was also abused in a State College hotel and other locations between July 2005 and December 2008, according to prosecutors. He was 12-15 at the time.
Guilty of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse (two counts), indecent assault, unlawful contact with a minor, corruption of minors, endangering a child's welfare.




Victim 10: Boy was subjected to sexual abuse between September 1997 and July 1999 at the Sandusky home and car and at an area pool. He testified Sandusky said he'd never see his family again if he said anything. The boy was 11.
Guilty of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse (two counts), indecent assault, unlawful contact with minor, corruption of minors, endangering a child's welfare.



The sad thing is that this isn't over.  The defense has said that an appeal is certain.  The upper echelon of the Penn State University Brain Trust during this dark period is still waiting for their day in court.  And the torture and guilt that these victims have lived with will never go away.  They can deal with it, probably in not so healthy ways, but they are dealing with it.  And it will always be remembered as the reason why Joe Paterno couldn't continue as the Nittany Lions football head coach. 

And as a father of a son, I hope that Jerry Sandusky lives for at least 30 more years penned up behind prison bars.  I don't want him killed or to die.  I want him to experience life behind bars for many years.  I hope that he isn't sexually assaulted, but in the pen, he probably will be.  In fact, if I understand the prison system, pedophiles aren't tolerated by the general population.  It might not happen for a while, but there will be somebody that decides to end Mr. Sandusky's life because of his deeds towards young boys.  And that is wrong, but I can understand the sentiment. 

This is something that PSU needs to get past, but that won't be for a while.  The wound is raw and no matter what the current administration and students say, this will hang over Happy Valley (ironic name, isn't it) for a long time.  It also proves something about college sports.  That sports cannot become king on college campuses.  Something like this will happen again because some university will decide that winning at sports trumps having a standard of ethics and conduct that is followed by their coaching staff.  However, maybe just maybe we will be able to have school administrators be more aware of what is going on in their own backyard.

1 comment:

Zebster said...

Very well said, Brent, and written. The whole thing is beyond my ability to comment.