Jerry Sandusky
Encyclopedia
Gerald Arthur "Jerry" Sandusky (born January 26, 1944) is a retired American football
coach. Sandusky served as an assistant coach for his entire career, mostly at Pennsylvania State University under Joe Paterno
, and was one of the most notable major college football
coaches never to have held a head coaching position. He received Assistant Coach of the Year awards in 1986 and 1999. In November 2011, he was arrested and charged
with 40 counts of sexual abuse
of young boys over a 15-year period.
, the only son of Evelyn Mae (née Lee) an Irish Catholic
homemaker who came from a small Pennsylvania coal-mining town, and Arthur Sandusky whose parents immigrated from Poland
. His father Arthur served in the field of youth service programs for over 30 years, mostly as director of the Brownson House in Washington, Pennsylvania
, a community recreation center for children. There, he founded the Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling program and created junior basketball, volleyball, boxing and football programs for the Brownson House. He improved the facilities there by adding a new playground, gym,outdoor basketball court, and a renovated football field. He also managed the 1955 Washington baseball team that won the Pony League World Series championship
, the only team from Washington to win that championship. Arthur was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame
in 1989.
Jerry Sandusky attended Washington High School, where he was a good student and standout athlete, playing baseball, basketball and football. He was a leader on his junior high basketball team that went undefeated through the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League
. Personally, his classmates have described him as a studious "loner" who "never dated in high school" but was a popular and handsome athlete.
from 1963 to 1965. After graduating first in his class with a B.S. in health in 1966 and physical education
in 1970.
under Paterno at Penn State in 1966. He was assistant basketball and track coach at Juniata College
in 1967 and offensive line coach at Boston University
in 1968.
coach in 1970, and was promoted to defensive coordinator
in 1977, holding that position until his retirement. In his years as a linebacker coach and defensive coordinator, he coached many outstanding defensive squads, and Penn State gained a reputation for outstanding linebacker play, producing 10 first-team All-Americans at that position, and acquiring the nickname "Linebacker U". Jack Ham and LaVar Arrington
were two of the noted pro football greats to emerge from his teams.
Sandusky spurned opportunities for head coaching positions, including one with the University of Maryland
in 1991, presumably in the ultimately unfulfilled hope of succeeding Paterno as head coach at Penn State.
His final game coaching at Penn State was a notable game for Sandusky. Penn State faced Texas A&M
in the 1999 Alamo Bowl
in San Antonio, Texas
. Inspired to honor Sandusky, the defense produced an outstanding effort and the Nittany Lions shut out Texas A&M, 24–0, the only bowl game shutout victory for Penn State under Paterno. Sandusky was recognized in ways usually reserved for a head coach. He was doused with a water bucket and carried to the center of the field on the shoulders of his players.
, a children's charity he founded in State College, Pennsylvania
in 1977. President George H. W. Bush
praised the group as a "shining example" of charity work in a 1990 letter, one of that president's much-promoted "Thousand points of light
" encouragements to volunteer community organizations. Citing Sandusky's work with The Second Mile charity to provide care for foster children, then U.S. Senator Rick Santorum
honored Sandusky with an Angels in Adoption award in 2002. Ex-Eagles
head coach Dick Vermeil
, current Eagles head coach Andy Reid
, R.R.M. Carpenter, III
, former Eagles owner, Matt Millen
from ESPN
, actor Mark Wahlberg
, Arnold Palmer
, and football player Franco Harris
, among others, served on the Honorary Board of Second Mile.
titled Touched: The Jerry Sandusky Story (ISBN 9781582612706), which was published in 2001. His co-writer was Keith “Kip” Richeal. The book also includes a quote in a foreword from football coach Dick Vermeil
about Sandusky: “He could very well be the Will Rogers
of the coaching profession.” In the book, which was still on sale at the Penn State bookstore according to a November 12 report in a Harrisburg paper, “Sandusky paints a picture of himself as someone who would consistently take risks in pursuit of what he often refers to as ‘mischief’”. Other passages which look “different in light of the horrendous allegations” include:
Other books by Sandusky include:
which had been convened in September, 2009, or earlier, indicted Sandusky on 40 counts of sex crimes against young boys. The indictment came after a three-year investigation that explored allegations of Sandusky having inappropriate contact with a 15-year-old boy over the course of four years, beginning when the boy was ten years old. The boy's parents reported the incident to police in 2009. The jury identified eight boys that had been singled out for sexual advances or sexual assaults by Sandusky, taking place from 1994 through 2009. At least 20 of the incidents allegedly took place while Sandusky was still employed at Penn State. Attorney Joseph Amendola represented Sandusky.
On November 5, 2011, Sandusky was arrested and charged with seven counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse; eight counts of corruption of minors, eight counts of endangering the welfare of a child, seven counts of indecent assault
; and other offenses. Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and senior vice president for finance and business Gary Schultz (who oversaw the Penn State police department) were charged with perjury and failure to report suspected child abuse by Sandusky.
According to the indictment, in 2002 assistant coach Mike McQueary
, then a Penn State graduate assistant, said he walked in on Sandusky anally raping a ten-year-old boy. The next day, McQueary reported the incident to Paterno, who informed Curley. Ultimately, it is alleged, the only actions Curley and Schultz took was to bar him from bringing children to the football building, take away his keys to the locker room, and report the incident to Second Mile; these actions were approved by school president Graham Spanier
. The indictment accused Curley and Schultz not only of failing to tell the police, but also of falsely telling the grand jury that McQueary never informed them of the alleged sexual activity.
Sandusky is free on $100,000 bail pending trial. He could face life in prison if convicted of the charges. Inside Edition
reports that Sandusky's home is very close to an elementary school.
Penn State has been the subject of significant media criticism for allegations that several members of its staff, ranging from the University President down to a graduate assistant, covered up Sandusky's alleged assaults. Maureen Dowd
wrote of the scandal, "Like the Roman Catholic Church
hierarchy, the Penn State hierarchy appears to have covered up pedophile crimes to protect its brand."
On November 6, 2011, Penn State banned Sandusky from campus. However, as of November 16 there are no legal restrictions on his travel, according to Penn State.
On November 10, the Sanduskys' house, which is located next to an elementary school and playground, was vandalized.
On November 14, in a televised phone interview on NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams
, Sandusky admitted to correspondent Bob Costas
to having showered with underage boys and touching their bodies, as he described it "without intent of sexual contact." Sandusky denied being a pedophile. The interview received substantial coverage in the media, particularly regarding the manner in which Sandusky answered Costas when asked if he is sexually attracted to young boys:
In the days following the interview, several potential victims contacted State College lawyer Andy Shubin to tell their stories, with one claiming Sandusky had abused him in the 1970s.
Because of the scandal, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute
, a non-profit adoption awareness organization, rescinded its 2002 Angels in Adoption award to Jerry and Dorothy Sandusky. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum
, who nominated Sandusky and his wife for the award, has said he is "devastated" by the scandal.
, is Director of Player Personnel for the Cleveland Browns
. Another son, E. J. Sandusky, is an assistant football coach at West Chester University.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
coach. Sandusky served as an assistant coach for his entire career, mostly at Pennsylvania State University under Joe Paterno
Joe Paterno
Joseph Vincent "Joe" Paterno is a former college football coach who was the head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions for 46 years from 1966 through 2011. Paterno, nicknamed "JoePa," holds the record for the most victories by an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision football coach with...
, and was one of the most notable major college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
coaches never to have held a head coaching position. He received Assistant Coach of the Year awards in 1986 and 1999. In November 2011, he was arrested and charged
Penn State sex abuse scandal
The Penn State sex abuse scandal refers to allegations that former Pennsylvania State University football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky sexually assaulted or had inappropriate contact with at least eight underage boys on or near university property...
with 40 counts of sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include asking or pressuring a child to engage in sexual activities , indecent exposure with intent to gratify their own sexual desires or to...
of young boys over a 15-year period.
Early life and family
Sandusky was born in Washington, PennsylvaniaWashington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
, the only son of Evelyn Mae (née Lee) an Irish Catholic
Irish Catholic
Irish Catholic is a term used to describe people who are both Roman Catholic and Irish .Note: the term is not used to describe a variant of Catholicism. More particularly, it is not a separate creed or sect in the sense that "Anglo-Catholic", "Old Catholic", "Eastern Orthodox Catholic" might be...
homemaker who came from a small Pennsylvania coal-mining town, and Arthur Sandusky whose parents immigrated from Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
. His father Arthur served in the field of youth service programs for over 30 years, mostly as director of the Brownson House in Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington, Pennsylvania
Washington is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States, within the Pittsburgh Metro Area in the southwestern part of the state...
, a community recreation center for children. There, he founded the Pennsylvania Junior Wrestling program and created junior basketball, volleyball, boxing and football programs for the Brownson House. He improved the facilities there by adding a new playground, gym,outdoor basketball court, and a renovated football field. He also managed the 1955 Washington baseball team that won the Pony League World Series championship
PONY Baseball and Softball
PONY Baseball and Softball is a non-profit organization with headquarters in Washington, Pennsylvania. Started in 1951, it is dedicated to helping young people grow into healthier and happier adults, primarily through the organization of baseball and softball leagues...
, the only team from Washington to win that championship. Arthur was inducted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame
Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame
The Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame is a nonprofit organization established in 1962. It is the only community-based hall of fame in the United States...
in 1989.
Jerry Sandusky attended Washington High School, where he was a good student and standout athlete, playing baseball, basketball and football. He was a leader on his junior high basketball team that went undefeated through the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League
Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League
The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League is an interscholastic athletic association in Western Pennsylvania. It is District 7 of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association. The league is colloquially known as "WIP-ee-al"...
. Personally, his classmates have described him as a studious "loner" who "never dated in high school" but was a popular and handsome athlete.
Education and playing career
Sandusky played for Paterno at Penn State, starting at defensive endDefensive end
Defensive end is the name of a defensive position in the sport of American and Canadian football.This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations have substantially changed how the position is played over the years...
from 1963 to 1965. After graduating first in his class with a B.S. in health in 1966 and physical education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
in 1970.
Early coaching career
Sandusky served as a graduate assistantGraduate assistant
A graduate assistant is a position who serves in a support role at a university, usually while completing post-graduate education. The individual typically assists professors or with instructional responsibilities as teaching assistants, coaches with an athletic team, or university department...
under Paterno at Penn State in 1966. He was assistant basketball and track coach at Juniata College
Juniata College
Juniata College is a private liberal arts college located in Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. It is named after the Juniata River — one of the principal tributaries of the Susquehanna River. In 1876 it became the first college founded by the Church of the Brethren and has been co-educational since...
in 1967 and offensive line coach at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
in 1968.
Coaching career at Penn State
He returned to Penn State in 1969 and remained there as an assistant coach until his retirement at the end of the 1999 season. Sandusky served as defensive line coach in 1969, became linebackerLinebacker
A linebacker is a position in American football that was invented by football coach Fielding H. Yost of the University of Michigan. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up approximately three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage, behind the defensive linemen...
coach in 1970, and was promoted to defensive coordinator
Defensive coordinator
A defensive coordinator typically refers to a coach on a gridiron football team who is in charge of the defense. Generally, along with his offensive counterpart, he represents the second level of command structure after the head coach...
in 1977, holding that position until his retirement. In his years as a linebacker coach and defensive coordinator, he coached many outstanding defensive squads, and Penn State gained a reputation for outstanding linebacker play, producing 10 first-team All-Americans at that position, and acquiring the nickname "Linebacker U". Jack Ham and LaVar Arrington
LaVar Arrington
LaVar RaShad Arrington is a former American football linebacker of the National Football League. He was drafted second overall by the Washington Redskins in the 2000 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State for coach Joe Paterno.A two-time All-American at Penn State, Arrington played...
were two of the noted pro football greats to emerge from his teams.
Sandusky spurned opportunities for head coaching positions, including one with the University of Maryland
Maryland Terrapins football
The Maryland Terrapins football team represents the University of Maryland in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision competition. The Terrapins compete within the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference...
in 1991, presumably in the ultimately unfulfilled hope of succeeding Paterno as head coach at Penn State.
His final game coaching at Penn State was a notable game for Sandusky. Penn State faced Texas A&M
1999 Texas A&M Aggies football team
The 1999 Texas A&M Aggies football team completed the season with a 8-4 record. The Aggies had a regular season Big 12 record of 5-3.-Schedule:-Louisiana Tech:-Tulsa:-Southern Miss:-Texas Tech:-Baylor:-Kansas:...
in the 1999 Alamo Bowl
1999 Alamo Bowl
The 1999 edition to the Alamo Bowl featured the Penn State Nittany Lions, and the Texas A&M Aggies.Derrick Fox started the scoring for Penn State, with a 34 yard interception return for a touchdown, putting Penn State on top, 7–0...
in San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
. Inspired to honor Sandusky, the defense produced an outstanding effort and the Nittany Lions shut out Texas A&M, 24–0, the only bowl game shutout victory for Penn State under Paterno. Sandusky was recognized in ways usually reserved for a head coach. He was doused with a water bucket and carried to the center of the field on the shoulders of his players.
The Second Mile
After retirement, Sandusky hosted many summer football camps and was active in The Second MileThe Second Mile
The Second Mile is a nonprofit organization for underprivileged youth, providing help for at-risk children and support for their parents in Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1977 by Jerry Sandusky, a former Penn State assistant college football coach. The charity said its youth programs serve as...
, a children's charity he founded in State College, Pennsylvania
State College, Pennsylvania
State College is the largest borough in Centre County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is the principal city of the State College, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Centre County. As of the 2010 census, the borough population was 42,034, and roughly double...
in 1977. President George H. W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
George Herbert Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 41st President of the United States . He had previously served as the 43rd Vice President of the United States , a congressman, an ambassador, and Director of Central Intelligence.Bush was born in Milton, Massachusetts, to...
praised the group as a "shining example" of charity work in a 1990 letter, one of that president's much-promoted "Thousand points of light
Thousand points of light
The Thousand points of light was a recurring phrase in speeches given by George H. W. Bush. The term was coined by speechwriter Peggy Noonan. In his inaugural address on January 20, 1989, Bush said:...
" encouragements to volunteer community organizations. Citing Sandusky's work with The Second Mile charity to provide care for foster children, then U.S. Senator Rick Santorum
Rick Santorum
Richard John "Rick" Santorum is a lawyer and a former United States Senator from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Santorum was the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference -making him the third-ranking Senate Republican from 2001 until his leave in 2007. Santorum is considered both a social...
honored Sandusky with an Angels in Adoption award in 2002. Ex-Eagles
Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
head coach Dick Vermeil
Dick Vermeil
Richard Albert "Dick" Vermeil is a former American head coach for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles , St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs...
, current Eagles head coach Andy Reid
Andy Reid
Andrew Walter "Andy" Reid is the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL, a post he has held since 1999. Since 2001, he has also been the team's executive vice president of football operations...
, R.R.M. Carpenter, III
Ruly Carpenter
Robert Ruliph Morgan "Ruly" Carpenter III was the principal owner and president of the Philadelphia Phillies from 1972 to 1981.Carpenter was born in Wilmington, Delaware. He was only three years old when his grandfather, Robert Carpenter, Sr. bought the Phillies in 1943 and gave control of the...
, former Eagles owner, Matt Millen
Matt Millen
Matthew George "Matt" Millen is an American former National Football League linebacker and a former executive. Millen played for the Oakland Raiders, the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Redskins. In Millen's 12-year NFL playing career, he played on four Super Bowl-winning teams...
from ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
, actor Mark Wahlberg
Mark Wahlberg
Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...
, Arnold Palmer
Arnold Palmer
Arnold Daniel Palmer is an American professional golfer, who is generally regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of men's professional golf. He has won numerous events on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour, dating back to 1955...
, and football player Franco Harris
Franco Harris
Franco Harris is a former American football player. He played his NFL career with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks.In the 1972 NFL Draft he was chosen by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round, the 13th selection overall...
, among others, served on the Honorary Board of Second Mile.
Publications
Sandusky co-wrote an autobiographyAutobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
titled Touched: The Jerry Sandusky Story (ISBN 9781582612706), which was published in 2001. His co-writer was Keith “Kip” Richeal. The book also includes a quote in a foreword from football coach Dick Vermeil
Dick Vermeil
Richard Albert "Dick" Vermeil is a former American head coach for the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles , St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs...
about Sandusky: “He could very well be the Will Rogers
Will Rogers
William "Will" Penn Adair Rogers was an American cowboy, comedian, humorist, social commentator, vaudeville performer, film actor, and one of the world's best-known celebrities in the 1920s and 1930s....
of the coaching profession.” In the book, which was still on sale at the Penn State bookstore according to a November 12 report in a Harrisburg paper, “Sandusky paints a picture of himself as someone who would consistently take risks in pursuit of what he often refers to as ‘mischief’”. Other passages which look “different in light of the horrendous allegations” include:
- “[Y]ou could mess up a free lunch”, Sandusky quoted his own father as telling him
- “I thrived on testing the limits of others and I enjoyed taking chances in danger”
- Sandusky telling of demonstrating his throat-hold on a Second Mile boy who'd come to Sandusky complaining of a “foster father [who] ‘grabbed me around the back of my shoulders and ... made me do something when I didn't want to do it’”
- repeated descriptions of Sandusky hugging boys and talking about being very close to boys
- “I enjoyed pretending as a kid, and I love doing the same as an adult with these kids.”
Other books by Sandusky include:
- Developing linebackers the Penn State way, Leisure Press, 1981. ISBN 9780918438645
- Coaching linebackers, with Cedric X. Bryant. Coaches Choice Books, 1995. ISBN 9781571670595
- 101 linebacker drills, with Cedric X. Bryant. Coaches Choice Books, 1997. ISBN 9781571670878
Sexual assault charges
On November 4, 2011, a grand juryGrand jury
A grand jury is a type of jury that determines whether a criminal indictment will issue. Currently, only the United States retains grand juries, although some other common law jurisdictions formerly employed them, and most other jurisdictions employ some other type of preliminary hearing...
which had been convened in September, 2009, or earlier, indicted Sandusky on 40 counts of sex crimes against young boys. The indictment came after a three-year investigation that explored allegations of Sandusky having inappropriate contact with a 15-year-old boy over the course of four years, beginning when the boy was ten years old. The boy's parents reported the incident to police in 2009. The jury identified eight boys that had been singled out for sexual advances or sexual assaults by Sandusky, taking place from 1994 through 2009. At least 20 of the incidents allegedly took place while Sandusky was still employed at Penn State. Attorney Joseph Amendola represented Sandusky.
On November 5, 2011, Sandusky was arrested and charged with seven counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse; eight counts of corruption of minors, eight counts of endangering the welfare of a child, seven counts of indecent assault
Indecent assault
Indecent assault is an offence of aggravated assault in many jurisdictions. It is characterised as a sex crime.Indecent assault was an offence in England and Wales under sections 14 and 15 the Sexual Offences Act 1956...
; and other offenses. Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and senior vice president for finance and business Gary Schultz (who oversaw the Penn State police department) were charged with perjury and failure to report suspected child abuse by Sandusky.
According to the indictment, in 2002 assistant coach Mike McQueary
Mike McQueary
Mike McQueary is an assistant football coach at Pennsylvania State University . McQueary was a record setting former quarterback for Penn State. He led the team for two seasons, 1996 and 1997, and set several records that still stand...
, then a Penn State graduate assistant, said he walked in on Sandusky anally raping a ten-year-old boy. The next day, McQueary reported the incident to Paterno, who informed Curley. Ultimately, it is alleged, the only actions Curley and Schultz took was to bar him from bringing children to the football building, take away his keys to the locker room, and report the incident to Second Mile; these actions were approved by school president Graham Spanier
Graham Spanier
Graham B. Spanier is an American academic, who served as the 16th president of the Pennsylvania State University from September 1, 1995, until he was forced to resign on November 9, 2011, in the aftermath of the Penn State child sex abuse scandal...
. The indictment accused Curley and Schultz not only of failing to tell the police, but also of falsely telling the grand jury that McQueary never informed them of the alleged sexual activity.
Sandusky is free on $100,000 bail pending trial. He could face life in prison if convicted of the charges. Inside Edition
Inside Edition
Inside Edition is a thirty-minute American television syndicated news program, first aired on CBS on October 9, 1988. It was originally similar to the programs Hard Copy and A Current Affair, but now more closely resembles a condensed version of breakfast television, exclusively with pre-recorded...
reports that Sandusky's home is very close to an elementary school.
Penn State has been the subject of significant media criticism for allegations that several members of its staff, ranging from the University President down to a graduate assistant, covered up Sandusky's alleged assaults. Maureen Dowd
Maureen Dowd
Maureen Bridgid Dowd is a Washington D.C.-based columnist for The New York Times and best-selling author. During the 1970s and the early 1980s, she worked for Time magazine and the Washington Star, where she covered news as well as sports and wrote feature articles...
wrote of the scandal, "Like the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
hierarchy, the Penn State hierarchy appears to have covered up pedophile crimes to protect its brand."
On November 6, 2011, Penn State banned Sandusky from campus. However, as of November 16 there are no legal restrictions on his travel, according to Penn State.
On November 10, the Sanduskys' house, which is located next to an elementary school and playground, was vandalized.
On November 14, in a televised phone interview on NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams
Rock Center with Brian Williams
Rock Center with Brian Williams is an American weekly television newsmagazine broadcast by NBC, and hosted by NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams...
, Sandusky admitted to correspondent Bob Costas
Bob Costas
Robert Quinlan "Bob" Costas is an American sportscaster, on the air for the NBC network since the early 1980s.-Early life:...
to having showered with underage boys and touching their bodies, as he described it "without intent of sexual contact." Sandusky denied being a pedophile. The interview received substantial coverage in the media, particularly regarding the manner in which Sandusky answered Costas when asked if he is sexually attracted to young boys:
In the days following the interview, several potential victims contacted State College lawyer Andy Shubin to tell their stories, with one claiming Sandusky had abused him in the 1970s.
Because of the scandal, the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute
Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute
The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, or CCAI, is an American non-partisan, non-profit organization "dedicated to raising awareness about the tens of thousands of orphans and foster children in the United States and the millions of orphans around the world in need of permanent, safe,...
, a non-profit adoption awareness organization, rescinded its 2002 Angels in Adoption award to Jerry and Dorothy Sandusky. Former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum
Rick Santorum
Richard John "Rick" Santorum is a lawyer and a former United States Senator from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Santorum was the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference -making him the third-ranking Senate Republican from 2001 until his leave in 2007. Santorum is considered both a social...
, who nominated Sandusky and his wife for the award, has said he is "devastated" by the scandal.
Family
Sandusky is married. He and his wife Dorothy, whom he married in 1966, have six adopted children and took in foster children. One son, Jon SanduskyJon Sandusky
Jon D. Sandusky is the Director of Player Personnel for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He is the son of former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.-College:...
, is Director of Player Personnel for the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
. Another son, E. J. Sandusky, is an assistant football coach at West Chester University.