Fmr PSU Coach Jerry Sandusky Convicted on 45 Counts of Sexual Abuse of 10 Boys

[MuffyBee]

http://www.wjactv.com/news/news/students-collect-cards-lawyers-agree-distribute-al/nMhGp/
Lawyers agree to distribute cards from students to alleged Sandusky abuse victims
By Bill Wadell
April 25, 2012

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. —

A grassroots group of about a dozen Penn State students has set up drop-boxes and are collecting emails to be distributed to the eight known alleged victims of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

Cambria County native Matt Bodenschatz first opened up about his abuse as a child in a letter to the editor shortly after the allegations against the former defensive coach surfaced last November.

Bodenschatz and his classmates organized the Voices For Victims initiative: collecting cards, letters, Facebook posts and emails, screening the messages and distributing to the victims, a plan already approved by their legal counsel.
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Penn State Junior Kathleen Topham told 6News that program is different from other initiatives, which focused more on the university’s image then the alleged victims of ongoing child sex abuse on and off the University Park campus.

“They are real people. This isn't just a story, this isn't just a case,” said Topham. “These are real people who face these real issues."

Penn State Senior Chris Shanahan said cards and letters can be written anonymously, but all of the messages will be screened by several individuals before they are handed over to the lawyers representing the men.

“A lot of people wanted to express themselves to them and talk to them,” said Shanahan. “We're giving them an avenue to do that, so these people know that the community supports them and everyone is behind them."
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The dropbox campaign ends on Friday, April 27, but organizers said mailed cards will be accepted through the summer at Victims For Voices, 1637-B North Atherton Street, PO Box 181, State College Pa, 16803.

Digital messages can be emailed to Voices4VictimsProject@gmail.com or posted at www.facebook.com/Voices4Victims

[MuffyBee]

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/04/penn_state_president_hasnt_app.html
Penn State president hasn't appeared before the grand jury, his attorney says
By Sara Ganim, The Patriot-News
April 24, 2012

The grand jury is meeting this week in Harrisburg, although it's not clear if any evidence is being heard on the ongoing case against Jerry Sandusky.

Penn State President Rodney Erickson, who the university confirmed was subpoenaed last week to testify, has not appeared before the grand jurors for questioning, according to his Philadelphia-area attorney, Virginia "Ginny" Gibson.

A date for a meeting with the attorney general is under discussion, Gibson said.
She added that she is unaware of details of the topic the attorney general wishes to discuss, and no documents were requested as part of the subpoena.

Gibson represents Erickson as an individual, and a Penn State spokesperson directed questions to her.

Erickson took over in November after Graham Spanier was fired alongside Joe Paterno in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
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[MuffyBee]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/penn-state-to-spend-25m-on-pr-firms-in-wake-of-sandusky-scandal/2012/04/25/gIQAt4tEhT_story.html
Penn State to spend $2.5M on PR firms in wake of Sandusky scandal
April 25, 2012

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Penn State University has hired two public relations firms to help it deal with the continuing fallout from the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal.

The university announced Wednesday that it’s retained Edelman and La Torre Communications. The firms will be paid about $2.5 million over the next year.
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[MuffyBee]

http://adage.com/article/agency-news/penn-state-hires-edelman-la-torre-pr/234371/
Penn State Hires Edelman and La Torre for Ongoing PR Support
Ketchum No Longer Working on University's Communications
By: Alexandra Bruell
April 25, 2012

Penn State University has hired Edelman and local Harrisburg shop La Torre Communications to support ongoing PR efforts after its recent crisis.

The University brought on Ketchum for crisis support last November, following allegations of child sexual-abuse charges made against former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. It's understood that the firm is no longer working with the university. Ketchum did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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[MuffyBee]

http://www.abc27.com/story/17855560/ag-sandusky-attorney-improperly-directing-subpoenas
AG: Sandusky attorney improperly using subpoenas
By Myles Snyder
April 27, 2012

 ::snipping2::
In a motion filed Friday before Judge John Cleland, prosecutors said they believe defense attorney Joe Amendola obtained several generic form subpoenas and directed them to State Police Commissioner Frank Noonan, the Penn State University Police Department, officers of the Second Mile organization, and others.

Prosecutors said recipients of the subpoenas have been directed to appear in court and testify on behalf of Sandusky at a May 16 status conference, even though no testimony will be taken that day.

Subpoenas sent to police include an attachment revealing the names and birth dates of the victims, prosecutors said, and state police are directed to appear with their complete, unredacted investigative file.

The attorney general's office said Amendola is abusing the system for a "fishing expedition" and they're asking Cleland to stop him.
 ::snipping2::

Comments:
Anne
2 days ago
Since all those mentioned above were on the Board of Trustees maybe this is a method to shock them into helping this pervert more than they would like now that this situation was brought out to the public. Afterall, it was the Board and the higher Administration that knew of the alleged child abuse and they gave him a campus office and staff while the matter was in their knowledge.

[MuffyBee]

http://www.statecollege.com/news/local-news/sandusky-case-amendola-denies-wrongdoing-in-issuing-subpoenas-1053039/
Sandusky Case: Amendola Denies Wrongdoing in Issuing Subpoenas
By Nate Mink
April 27, 2012

Updated at 4:50 p.m.

Jerry Sandusky's attorney, Joseph Amendola, denied the allegations he was improperly using subpoena power and expects to file a response to the Commonwealth's motion next week, he wrote in an email Friday afternoon.

He declined further comment because of the gag order issued by Judge John M. Cleland.

Earlier at 1:50 p.m.

State prosecutors are saying Jerry Sandusky's lead attorney, Joseph Amendola, is improperly using subpoena power in his client's defense case.

Subpoenas issued to Pennsylvania State Police, Penn State Police, the superintendent of Central Mountain School District and the US Department of Labor and Industry call for the recipient to appear in Centre County Courthouse on May 16, when a pretrial status conference, in which no testimony will be given, is scheduled, according to a court motion filed Friday.

They also list the names and ages of the alleged victims.
More...

[MuffyBee]

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/story/17868935/florida-heralds-nations-toughest-child-abuse-reporting-law-in-wake-of-sandusky-scandal
Florida heralds nation's toughest child abuse reporting law in wake of Sandusky scandal
April 28, 2012

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State prompted officials in Florida to tighten the state's laws on reporting child sex abuse.

The new measures, which take effect Oct. 1 after being signed into law Friday by Florida governor Rick Scott, represent the toughest in the nation.

A fine of up to $1 million per incident will be imposed, along with criminal charges on any public or private college or university that fails to inform authorities of abuse claims on campus or at events sponsored by the institution.

Any individual failing to report any known or suspected abuse will be charged with a third-degree felony under the new law, which will replace the current misdemeanor penalty.

Previously, it only was mandatory under Florida law to report abuse when the suspect was a parent or caregiver of a child.


More...

[MuffyBee]

http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Jerry-Sandusky-Lawyers-Used-Subpoenas-Fishing-Expedition-149278495.html
Sandusky Lawyers on Fishing Expedition With Subpoenas: AG
Prosecutors are asking a judge to have the subpoenas withdrawn
By Marc Scolforo
April 27, 2012

Jerry Sandusky's lawyers have been improperly issuing subpoenas and using them for a fishing expedition to aid his defense against child sex-abuse charges, prosecutors said in a court filing Friday.

The attorney general's office asked a judge to have the subpoenas withdrawn and to force Sandusky's lawyers to show how information they are seeking is relevant to the criminal case. Among their claims is that lawyers for the former Penn State assistant football coach sent subpoenas to police and others that improperly revealed the names of alleged victims.

"The commonwealth need not underscore to this honorable court the spectacular irresponsibility of treating secret information in that fashion,'' state prosecutors wrote.

Sandusky's lawyer Joe Amendola, citing a gag order in the case, declined to comment on the merits of the prosecution motion, but said he would respond in a court filing next week.
(Joe Amendola's full statement in article at above link)

Attached to the prosecution motion were examples of the subpoenas that provided a glimpse of defense strategy as the trial date nears. Jury selection is scheduled to begin at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte on June 5.

From the state police, Amendola sought copies of an accident report involving the young man described as "Victim 1" by the investigative grand jury, and any documents that the state police have provided to the Freeh Group, the firm hired by Penn State to look into the Sandusky matter.

Amendola asked Central Mountain School District superintendent Kelly Hastings for Victim 1's school records, IQ tests and investigative reports prepared by the Clinton County district's office of public safety "in regard to a complaint of harassment/stalking" that Victim 1 filed "wherein an investigation was conducted and the complaint determined to be 'unfounded.'"

He asked state Labor and Industry Secretary Julia Hearthway for unemployment, unemployment fraud and worker's compensation records for certain individuals, but their names were to have been redacted in the copy posted on the court's Sandusky case website.

The defense lawyer also subpoenaed Steve Shelow, director of Penn State University Police Services, for various records pertaining to eight of Sandusky's 10 alleged victims.
More...

[MuffyBee]

http://old.post-gazette.com/pg/12119/1227820-454-0.stm
Sandusky lawyer called improper
Revealing victims' names violates judicial order, prosecutor says
By Paula Reed, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
April 28, 2012

[MuffyBee]

http://www.centredaily.com/2012/04/29/3179070/anonymous-sources-and-the-race.html
Anonymous sources and the race for news in the digital age
By Chip Minemyer
April 29, 2012

[MuffyBee]

http://old.post-gazette.com/pg/12120/1227646-148.stm
'Game Over': Penn State's sordid saga
By Steve Kettmann
April 29, 2012

[MuffyBee]

Where is the anger toward Sandusky?  Isn't he the one that allegedly committed foul deeds against children in the Lasch building?  And what about the victims that were children at the time?     JMHO 

http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/560376/Lasch-family--heartbroken--that-scandal-has-tarnished-PSU-legacy.html?nav=742
Lasch family 'heartbroken' that scandal has tarnished PSU legacy
By Russ O’Reilly (roreilly@altoonamirror.com) , The Altoona Mirror
April 29, 2012

[MuffyBee]

http://www.centredaily.com/2012/04/29/3179068/is-psu-taking-step-toward-true.html
Is PSU taking step toward true openness or more spin?
April 29, 2012

Penn State and its new public relations teams pledge that their relationship will bring greater openness. We’re skeptical, but time will tell.

As we reported Wednesday, Penn State has contracted with two public relations firms to handle communication duties as it navigates the fallout from the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse allegations.

At a cost of more than $200,000 a month, the university has retained the services of:

• Edelman, a global PR giant based in Chicago and New York, but with offices across the world from Asia to Europe to South America; and

• LaTorre Communications, a smaller Harrisburg-based firm.

Over the course of a 12-month contract with Penn State, the two companies will share about $2.5 million — which could be argued is a large sum even in the context of Penn State’s annual budget of $4 billion.

We join those who have been critical of Penn State for its strategy of running information through layers of filtering while spending large sums of money to have outsiders craft the university’s message. That didn’t start last week.
Penn State officials say the firms will handle information related to the Sandusky trial, the perjury case involving former administrators Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, and civil litigation related to the Sandusky allegations.

“Penn State is beginning the next phase of what is really an ongoing commitment to being more transparent and accessible to the community,” Dave La Torre, who owns and operates the Pennsylvania firm, told our Anne Danahy.

“Our team has been directed to ensure all appropriate information related to substantive issues this university is facing is shared in a timely manner with students, alumni, faculty and staff, parents and the local community.”

We suspect “appropriate information” and “timely manner” will be topics for ongoing debate.

And we remain concerned about whether expanding controls on information will actually enhance openness at Penn State, despite President Rodney Erickson’s statements of optimism.
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(Interesting comments)

[KittyMom]

I hope the judge hands JS's atty his butt on a platter.  He knows better than to reveal victim id's in that manner. 

[MuffyBee]

I hope the judge hands JS's atty his butt on a platter.  He knows better than to reveal victim id's in that manner. 

One would think Joe Amendola would be sanctioned for his actions, but it seems some attorneys get away with a lot.  (Shades of Jose Baez)  Yes, Joe Amendola knew better imo and is seeing how far he can go.  And the worst thing is, even if he is sanctioned, the damage is done. 

[MuffyBee]

http://articles.philly.com/2012-04-29/news/31474933_1_subpoena-power-judge-john-m-cleland-names/2
Prosecutors: Sandusky's lawyer improperly revealed names of alleged sex-abuse victims
By Jeremy Roebuck, Inquirer Staff Writer
April 29, 2012

(2 Page Article)

[MuffyBee]

http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/business/legal/penn-state-insurer-spar-over-costs-in-sandusky-case-633688/
Penn State, insurer spar over costs in Sandusky case
By Ben Present / The Legal Intelligencer
April 30, 2012

A dispute between Penn State University and its insurance company over who should cover the costs of a civil suit stemming from the Jerry Sandusky sex-abuse scandal is set to be litigated in the First Judicial District, following a Philadelphia judge's ruling that the forum was not inconvenient for the college.

Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas Judge Gary Glazer issued a one-page order this month denying Penn State's motion to transfer proceedings filed by its insurance company in Philadelphia to Centre County.

It appeared to be the final order on a venue dispute arising out of the coverage litigation.
More...

[MuffyBee]

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/04/since_penn_state_sex_scandal_n.html
Ringing off the hook: N.J. child abuse hotline calls have soared since Penn State sex scandal
By Susan K. Livio/Statehouse Bureau
April 30, 2012

New Jersey’s child abuse hotline has been flooded with phone calls since the Penn State sexual abuse scandal shocked the nation late last year, according to Children and Families Commissioner Allison Blake.

The number of calls soared to as many as 750 a day in November, when a Pennsylvania grand jury indicted former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, said Kristine Brown, spokeswoman for the state Department of Children and Families. It rarely topped 400 a day in the two months before the scandal broke out, she added.

As of last month, calls were in the 600 to 700 a-day range. And from November to last month, the hotline answered a total of 80,543 calls — 6,815 more than the previous year.

"When you look back on major cases like that that made the news, you will find they increase awareness," said Cecilia Zalkin, executive director of Advocates for Children of New Jersey. "A situation (where) people might have had concerns about a neighbor or a family member, it may encourage them to stop and think and take action."

The message following the Penn State scandal may have registered more deeply in New Jersey, where the law requires anyone having "reasonable cause" to suspect child abuse or neglect to report it. Violators could face six months in jail or a fine of $1,000.

"Preventing child abuse is everyone’s concern. Reporting suspected abuse or neglect is the first step in potentially saving a child’s life," Blake said at a recent event commemorating April as child abuse prevention month.

Pennsylvania law is not as expansive, placing the legal responsibility to notify authorities of suspected child abuse on "mandated reporters" such as teachers, doctors, coaches and other professionals who come into regular contact with children.

"I would like to believe we would not have a Penn State situation here," Blake said at a recent Assembly budget committee hearing.
More...

[MuffyBee]

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/30/sports/ncaafootball/the-coach-the-biographer-and-the-last-chapter.html
The Coach, the Biographer and the Last Chapter
By NOAM COHEN
April 29, 2012

(5 pages)
132 Comments at time of posting link at SM

[MuffyBee]

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2012/04/keystone_central_school_distri.html
Keystone Central School District wants Jerry Sandusky subpoena thrown out
April 30, 2012

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — A Pennsylvania school district is asking the judge overseeing Jerry Sandusky's child sexual abuse case to throw out a defense subpoena seeking information about one of the alleged victims of the former Penn State assistant football coach.

The motion filed Monday by Lock Haven-based Keystone Central School District argued that the subpoena wasn't lawful and asked Judge John Cleland to either invalidate it or issue a protective order.
 ::snipping2::
The motion by Keystone Central School District says much of what Sandusky is seeking is confidential under state law.
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