A newly unsealed report found six different instances where sexual abuse allegations against former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky were either witnessed or reported, including one to former Head Coach Joe Paterno.
The Penn State University football program was once a dominant power in college football, becoming a national power under Head Coach Joe Paterno. Paterno’s right-hand man was Jerry Sandusky, an assistant coach who was played an integral part in the team’s defensive schemes.
What was not known to the world was that Sandusky was abusing children sexually, using his power at the University to lure young boys into his sick world. The former defensive coordinator abused ten children over a 15-year period. On June 22, 2012, Sandusky was found guilty of sexual abuse, convicted of 45 out of 48 counts.
All the while, fans of the University were admant that their beloved Head Coach knew nothing about it. However, recently unsealed documents show that he was directly told about the abuse by a 14-year old in 1976, but he chose to ignore it. In total, the documents showed that at least six instances were either witnessed or reported.
The documents were opened because of a court battle that is going on because Penn State is trying to get back money from it’s insurance provider that was paid out in settlements to the victims. Their insurance provider is stating that the University kept the abuse a secret, and also failed to prevent it to happen again.
This is a terrible blow to the Nittany Lions’ faithful, who have rallied around their coach since the allegations first sprung up that he knew something. His statue was removed from right outside Beaver Stadium, and his legacy was completely tarnished.
Paterno died on January 22, 2012 at the age of 85.
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