Jerry Sandusky, who has shamed the image of Penn State University and their storied football program once led by the late Joe Paterno, was convicted in a Pennsylvania courtroom Friday night on 45 of the 48 charges he faced involving the sexual abuse of children over a period of 15 years while working as an assistant coach for the Nittany Lions.
Sandusky had aparently gotten away with the abuse for years as faculty and staff members who had knowledge of his actions looked the other way. Difficult testimony by the victims in the case obviously resonated with the jury which handed down the verdicts late Friday evening. Sandusky showed no visible emotion as the verdicts were read and was quickly moved out of the courtroom and off to jail after having his bail revoked.
The bombshell news over the wee-long testimony was never even heard by the jury which had an adopted son of Sandusky on stand-by, prepared to testify that he too was allegedly abused. He will more than likely never see the outside world again as many of the counts carry sentences of 10 to 20 years in prison. The trial lasted less than two weeks, and there are others who may be charged or found legally responsible in some way for basically enabling Sandusky to continue the abuse for so long.
