BELLEFONTE, Pa. — A sleepy country town takes center stage today for a face- to-face encounter between a disgraced Penn State coach and the young men who say he sexually assaulted them as children in showers and campus locker rooms.
Jerry Sandusky, a former assistant football coach at Penn State, will confront at least six accusers who claim that he violated their innocence and preyed on their weakness, using a charity that was inspired by a biblical scripture.
Sandusky, 67, is charged with more than 50 counts of child sexual abuse involving 10 boys he met through the charity he founded. A judge will decide if prosecutors have enough evidence to send the case to a trial.
The defense often waives preliminary hearings, although it can also use the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses and explore their credibility. But Sandusky’s attorney, Joe Amendola, said Monday his client welcomes the hearing.
“We plan to proceed with Jerry’s hearing, and Jerry is looking forward to the opportunity to face his accusers,” Amendola said. He said there had been no plea negotiations before the hearing. He would only say, “Maybe,” when asked whether he would call Sandusky to testify.
At least six of the accusers are expected to testify at the hearing, which could last two days.
The two university officials charged with perjury and failure to report abuse — former Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and former university vice president Gary Schultz — face a preliminary hearing Friday in Harrisburg, Pa.
Jim Koval, communications director for the Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts, said 100 reporters will be in the courtroom and another 100 will have seats in a separate room watching on closed-circuit TV. No video or still cameras are to be allowed in the courtroom, although court officials are allowing the media to electronically relay reports of the testimony in real time.
