BREAKING NEWS:

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By Jessica Hopper

Rock Center

DEVELOPING: Former Penn State 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 for NBC News' Rock Center airing tonight at 10 pm/9 CT.

"I say that I am innocent of those charges," said Sandusky in a phone interview with Costas.

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 counts of sexually abusing eight boys. He is currently free on a $100,000 bond and has denied any wrongdoing. The allegations date back to 1994, according to a grand jury report. A grand jury report detailed claims of alleged sexual encounters with young 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 pressed by Costas about what Sandusky was willing to concede that he'd done was wrong, Sandusky said, "I shouldn't have showered with those kids."

The scandal has tarnished the reputation of the once heralded football program, leading to the departure of coaching legend Paterno and three other university officials. It’s also left students and residents of State College, Penn., shocked.

The sight of the 67-year-old Sandusky in handcuffs is hard to reconcile with his public image of a devoted father of six adopted kids who founded a charity to help at risk youth. That charity, The Second Mile, has also come under fire.

All of the alleged sex abuse victims met Sandusky through their participation in The Second Mile. Sandusky founded the charity in 1977 as a group foster home for troubled boys. It spawned into a non-profit organization that has raised millions of dollars to help young boys and girls. Today, Chief Executive Officer Jack Raykovitz’s resignation was announced by the non-profit organization’s board of directors. Grand jury testimony alleges that Raykovitz was aware of at least one of the allegations against Sandusky.

In an NBC News interview from 1987, Sandusky joked that he started The Second Mile because he was a “frustrated playground director.�

“I enjoy being around children. I enjoy their enthusiasm. I just have a good time with them,� Sandusky said.

Sandusky gave up his day to day duties at the organization in 2010. By that time, at least two people had allegedly witnessed Sandusky sexually abusing two different boys in showers on Penn State’s campus, according to a grand jury report.

While Sandusky retired as a coach at Pennsylvania State University in 1999, he continued to have access to Penn State’s facilities. In 2002, he was banned from bringing minors to campus athletic facilities after then graduate student Mike McQueary allegedly witnessed Sandusky molesting a boy, according to the grand jury report. The incident was never reported to police or investigated by university police. Sandusky allegedly violated the order not to bring minors to campus by bringing at least one victim to the campus after 2002, according to the grand jury report.

The alleged victims testified that they were abused in hotel rooms, Sandusky’s own home and on Penn State’s campus. Some victims testified that Sandusky would visit them frequently at their schools when they didn’t return his phone calls, according to the grand jury report.

Editor's note: Bob Costas' exclusive interview airs on Rock Center tonight at 10pm/9 CT on NBC.

In an earlier edition of this report, we mistakenly identified a location of Sandusky's alleged sexual encounters as Paterno's home. According to the grand jury report, it was Sandusky's home.

 

 

Did Sandusky not read the grand jury report?

I'm very surprised his lawyer is letting him talk.

FEDERAL CASE??

 

By Michael Isikoff

NBC News National Investigative Correspondent

 

The Penn State sex abuse scandal may soon become a federal case.

 

A senior law enforcement source tells NBC News that federal prosecutors and FBI agents in Pennsylvania are now “looking hard� at whether to open up their own investigation because of allegations that former football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky crossed state lines to commit child abuse.

 

One of the Pennsylvania state charges against Sandusky alleges that he flew one boy – identified as Victim Number Four – to the Outback Bowl in Tampa in 1998 and then again to the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio in 1999. Starting when the boy was about 13 years old, Sandusky “repeatedly� abused him, including at the bowl games, a grand jury report charges. When the boy resisted Sandusky’s advances, the grand jury indictment charges, the football coach threatened “to send him home from the Alamo Bowl.�

 

The feds are also trying to determine whether Sandusky used the Internet to communicate or even recruit his victims—also grounds for the FBI to become involved. And a New York-based charity, the Fresh Air Fund, confirmed this week that it sent five children to live with Sandusky in the 1970s and one in the mid-1990s.

 

“It would be inconceivable that we couldn’t find grounds� to make this a federal case, the official said.

 

The review of the Sandusky matter is being conducted by Peter J. Smith, the U.S. attorney in Harrisburg, Pa. In a public statement this week, he called the Sandusky allegations "extremely disturbing" because they involve the safety of children, and "therefore mandate a thorough review of all the facts and appropriate action by law enforcement at all levels, including federal agencies." Beyond supporting an ongoing inquiry by the Department of Education into the actions of Penn State officials, Smith added: "I can't comment about other specific areas of federal inquiry."

 

Smith also offered federal assistance to Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly, who is overseeing the state case. Her spokeswoman told NBC News that there are now regular “communications� between the two offices.

 

The FBI is also making its resources – including its crime lab and behavior analysis unit – available to investigators, a state police spokesman said.

 

http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/18/8877564-penn-state-case-feds-consider-launching-sandusky-inquiry

I read an interesting piece in The New York Times breaking down how investigators found victims and witnesses, got them to talk and found inaccuracies with the testimonies of Curley and Shultz. Victims were reluctant to participate out of fear they would not be believed. But the victims cooperated when subpoenaed.

 

It was also revealed McQueary spilled the details ASAP when summoned and appeared to have been carrying the burden with him a long time and was relieved to have it lifted off his shoulders. Not fully defending him, but he definitely has been carrying the guilt of not doing more even though he had done what was legally required of him.

Holy hell, just look at this still shot.

 

http://www.tmz.com/2011/11/19/joe-paterno-video-jerry-sandusky-linebacker/#.TsfhFmB6_UQ

Supposedly people have been throwing rocks and bricks through his windows. I wonder if one went through the window that overlooks the elementary school playground.

Wait, he lives across an elementary school?

Wait, he lives across an elementary school?

 

 

I believe the elementary school yard runs along his backyard.

It seems like people seem to neglect discussing the fact that Sandusky has adopted six children and has taken in four foster kids.

 

First I'm curious as to what his relationship with his wife is like and if they are biologically capable of having their own children. That might explain the adoption somewhat. Six kids is a lot though and he's fostered kids as well.

 

It seems like he has some sort of obsession with children. Obviously much of that is sexually driven but there seems to be a whole lot going on there. I don't think his decision to live directly adjacent to an elementary school was coincidental even if he wasn't intending on molesting those school kids.

It seems like people seem to neglect discussing the fact that Sandusky has adopted six children and has taken in four foster kids.

 

First I'm curious as to what his relationship with his wife is like and if they are biologically capable of having their own children. That might explain the adoption somewhat. Six kids is a lot though and he's fostered kids as well.

 

It seems like he has some sort of obsession with children. Obviously much of that is sexually driven but there seems to be a whole lot going on there. I don't think his decision to live directly adjacent to an elementary school was coincidental even if he wasn't intending on molesting those school kids.

 

 

One of the foster children attempted suicide within months of moving in with him...

Horrible. I am sure this man has done horrible things to dozens of children. I think this kind of crime deserves the death penalty.

Report: 1 of 2 new abuse allegations made by Sandusky family member

 

 

 

 

 

NBC Philadelphia, msnbc.com staff and wire reports

In the latest development to the Jerry Sandusky alleged child sex scandal, one of the two new abuse allegations was made by a family member of the former Penn State assistant football coach, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Sandusky’s attorney Joe Amendola told The Patriot-News that the allegations stem from a Sandusky family dispute. He characterized the other case as an example of people trying to mimic other allegations and "jump on the bandwagon," according to the Associated Press. Amendola contends that both are unfounded.

The assault with the family member allegedly occurred before the 67-year-old Sandusky’s arrest earlier this month, but was not brought to the attention of authorities until after he was indicted on Nov. 4, according to the newspaper.

 

News organizations were withholding the child’s relationship to Sandusky to shield the child’s identity.

Sandusky faces 40 criminal counts accusing him of sexually abusing eight boys beginning in the mid-1990s. Authorities say some assaults happened on Penn State's campus and were reported to administrators but not to police agencies. The charges followed a nearly three-year grand jury investigation.

Sandusky has denied any wrongdoing. He has said he showered with some boys but never sexually abused them.

 

The two new allegations were being investigated by the state's Children and Youth Services, which investigates reports of abuse if victims are under the age of 18.

Scandal

The sex-abuse allegations have stunned Penn State and altered the image of its legendary college football coach, Joe Paterno, who was ousted amid the scandal.

Here are other developments in the case:

• One alleged victim on Wednesday sought an injunction to stop the Second Mile charity from dissipating its assets, NBC News confirmed. In a filing in Pennsylvania state court, the alleged victim said he and others intended to sue Second Mile for negligence and failing to report known sexual abuse of children, and wanted to stop the charity's assets from disappearing. Sandusky founded Second Mile.
  
• Former Penn State student disciplinarian Vicky Triponey told The Wall Street Journal that football players were treated "more favorably than other students accused of violating the community standards as defined by the student code of conduct."
  

http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/23/8981222-report-1-of-2-new-abuse-allegations-made-by-sandusky-family-member

ESPN: Lawyer for Sandusky might talk guilty plea

The lawyer for former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky said Wednesday that he might have to talk to his client at some point about pleading guilty to charges of child sex abuse.

Sandusky's attorney, Joe Amendola, made the comment to the Patriot-News of Harrisburg (Pa.) on the same day a new accuser, a Philadelphia man who is now 29, became the first plaintiff to file a lawsuit in the scandal.

According to court papers, the man, identified only as John Doe, said he was sexually abused by Sandusky more than 100 times starting in 1992, and that Sandusky threatened to harm his family to keep him quiet.

Sandusky again has maintained his innocence, Amendola said. The attorney told the Patriot-News he continues to plan his client's defense, and also said there hasn't been any discussion about making a deal.

"That could happen if more allegations come forth and Jerry gets to the point where he realizes fighting against more than the original allegations might be a real uphill battle," Amendola said, according to the newspaper. "Bottom line, Jerry has always maintained his innocence, from the first allegation, and continues to maintain innocence. What happens with any additional charges which may be filed remains to be seen."

John Doe was not referenced in the grand jury report issued in November that charges Sandusky with abusing eight boys over a 15-year period. Sandusky has acknowledged that he showered with boys but has denied molesting them and maintained he is innocent of the charges.

The lawsuit claims Sandusky abused John Doe from 1992, when he was 10, until 1996, at the coach's State College home, in a Penn State locker room and on trips, including to a bowl game. The account echoes a grand jury's description of trips, gifts and attention lavished on other alleged victims.

John Doe's lawyer, Jeff Anderson, said he believes Sandusky was a predator who could not control his sexual impulses toward children. He harshly criticized officials at Penn State and The Second Mile -- a youth charity founded by Sandusky -- who failed to report their suspicions and put a stop to any alleged abuse.

"We need to address the institutional recklessness and failures," said Anderson, who specializes in clergy sex-abuse lawsuits. "Was it because of power, money, fear, loyalty, lack of education?"

The university said Wednesday it had not yet seen the complaint.

John Doe's lawsuit seeks a minimum of $400,000 in damages for sexual abuse, negligence, emotional distress and other claims. The accuser long thought he was the only victim and was mired in guilt and self-loathing, his lawyer said.

"Now that I have done something about it, I am feeling better and going to get help and work with the police," the accuser wrote in his statement.

Breaking news - Arrested again. Two more victims.

 

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7327280/penn-state-nittany-lions-scandal-jerry-sandusky-arrested-new-sex-abuse-charges

From the AP:

 

 

BELLEFONTE, Pa. -- Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky opted against a preliminary hearing in his child molestation case, sparing his accusers from making their claims in a packed courtroom Tuesday but still vowing "to fight for four quarters" as he defends himself.

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/7347708/penn-state-nittany-lions-scandal-jerry-sandusky-waives-hearing-moves-trial