Convicted Sexual Predator of Children Jerry Sandusky Wants New Trial – But That’s Not the Most Amazing Thing About the Story

Something Else No One Would Believe

Former Penn State Assistant Football Coach Jerry Sandusky sexually abused young men for years before he was finally tried and convicted.  He is now in jail, where everyone hopes he will be forever, but his lawyers are doing the lawyer thing and working on an appeal and a request for a new trial.

This is fine, Mr. Sandusky is entitled to the maximum amount of legal defense, even though it appears his appeal attorneys are not all that consumed in the task.  For example they are using the argument that they did not have time to prepare an adequate defense for Mr. Sandusky, but in court they said this.

From the witness stand, Mr. Amendola told Mr. Sandusky’s new lead attorney, Norris Gelman, that he was overwhelmed with documents from the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office in the weeks before trial. He said that after receiving several thousand pages of material, he was forced to tell an investigator to stop gathering material regarding the credibility of Mr. Sandusky’s accusers.

“I told our investigator to shut it down, because we have to get ready for trial,” Mr. Amendola said.

On cross-examination, prosecutor Joe McGettigan, who opposed Mr. Amendola at trial, focused on whether the documents would have been useful if he had had more time. “Can you identify any page that would have been helpful to you at trial?” asked Mr. McGettigan.

“No,” Mr. Amendola answered.

But the really astounding thing to come out of the story is this, something which has to be almost impossible.  In fact it is even more improbable than the idea that decent men would cover up crimes against children to protect a football program.

Mr. Sandusky, 68 years old, . . . appeared in court wearing a red prison jumpsuit and smiled frequently despite looking gaunt. He didn’t speak during the proceedings. Upon entering the courtroom, he gestured to his wife, Dottie, who sat grim-faced in the front row. A DOZEN SUPPORTERS  (emphasis added) sat in a corner of the courtroom.

Really, there are twelve people in this universe who support Mr. Sandusky!!  How can that be?