Jury reaches verdict in Sandusky trial: court official

The jury in the trial of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky has reached a verdict in the case, a court official said Friday.

Sandusky, Penn State's former defensive coordinator, faces 48 counts of sexual abuse against 10 boys. The charges had rocked Pennsylvania State University and college sports and focused national attention on the issue of child sexual abuse.

The jury has been sequestered while deliberating the case. Most cable news analysts say it comes as no surprise that the Sandusky verdict came down on a Friday night.

Jerry Sandusky's attorney said Friday he would "probably die of a heart attack" if his client is acquitted

Joe Paterno died 5 months ago today

After deliberating for 21 hours, the jury in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case has reached a verdict. The verdict will be made available to the media after court has adjourned.

New York Times reporting Jerry Sandusky found guilty on 45 of 48 charges. Reuters has not been able to confirm this.

REUTERS: FORMER PENN STATE COACH JERRY SANDUSKY FOUND GUILTY ON 45 OF 48 COUNTS IN CHILD SEX ABUSE TRIAL

Attorney General now speaking to the media.

Governor Corbett's statement on the Sandusky verdict:

"First, I want to thank the jury for their willingness to serve on such a difficult case.

I also want to commend the multiple victims in this case who had the courage to come forward and testify in court, confronting Sandusky, and proving beyond a reasonable doubt that he is guilty of these reprehensible crimes.

The agents and prosecutors of the Attorney General’s Office, as well as the Pennsylvania State Police, also deserve a great deal of credit for today’s verdict. They pursued every lead, gathering evidence from multiple victims, in order to bring this man to justice."

Source

Penn State releases statement on Sandusky trial

Today Penn State learned that a verdict was reached in the case of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Gerald Sandusky. Mr. Sandusky was found guilty of 45 of the 48 charges filed against him.

The legal process has spoken and we have tremendous respect for the men who came forward to tell their stories publicly. No verdict can undo the pain and suffering caused by Mr. Sandusky, but we do hope this judgment helps the victims and their families along their path to healing.

The Board of Trustees and current administration maintain a steadfast commitment to pursuing the truth regarding Mr. Sandusky’s actions. While we cannot change what happened, we can and do accept the responsibility to take action on the societal issue of child sexual abuse—both in our community and beyond. The University is committed to ensuring that our campuses are safe for children and to being a constructive participant in building greater awareness of child sexual abuse and the practical steps that can be undertaken to prevent, report and respond to such abuse.

The University has already established a confidential counseling process for victims of Mr. Sandusky’s conduct, and that process remains open. (For further information, please visit live.psu.edu) While counseling is critical, some victims have sought and continue to seek a direct dialogue with the University to discuss the University's responsibility for Mr. Sandusky's actions

Now that the jury has spoken, the University wants to continue that dialogue and do its part to help victims continue their path forward. To that end, the University plans to invite victims of Mr. Sandusky’s abuse to participate in a program to facilitate the resolution of claims against the University arising out of Mr. Sandusky's conduct. The purpose of the program is simple – the University wants to provide a forum where the University can privately, expeditiously and fairly address the victims' concerns and compensate them for claims relating to the University. Counsel to the University plan to reach out to counsel to the victims of Mr. Sandusky’s abuse in the near future with additional details.

Source