Judge throws out 3 of 51 counts against Sandusky

[heckles]

But the son was a foster child brought into the Sandusky home at ten years old.

So, this kid was taken out of his original home due to dysfunction, and put into the clutches of a rapist? I'd be more suspicious of Matt Sandusky if he wasn't affected by all that.

[michiruwater]

I'm more flabbergasted that after the pretty much incontrovertible evidence against Sandusky, people would think the adopted son was lying. It's sick.

[Alex Forrest]

Are there any people left who think he's innocent? His victims have testified as well as witnesses who saw him raping the kids. How on earth can anyone still think he's innocent?

My father went to Penn State and is a huge backer of their football program. His reaction to this is how horrible for the Penn State football team. Not for the victims. I asked him these same questions, and he said "Anyone can make something up".

8 out of the 12 jurors have ties to Penn State. Be prepared for acquittal or hung verdicts. I'm at a loss.

In my heart of hearts, he will be convicted on all 48 counts. But I also know how 'justice' can work. If my father was on the jury he'd hang it.

[skipaway]

Verdict is in. They have sealed the courtroom until all 48 counts are read. Results to come soon.

[Badams]

Apparently a verdict has been reached

ETA: The other day on the news there was a friend of the family talking. She kept saying "but he has HELPED thousands, what about the thousands he has helped?" So I guess she figures it's ok to rape people, so long as you've helped more than you have raped.

[Lacey]

According to MSNBC, even one of Sanduskey's own lawyers said a few hours ago that he would have a heart attack if Sanduskey was not convicted on at least some of the charges. Now, the judge had put a hold on attorneys making any comments, so he was shushed away as soon as he said this...

[skipaway]

45 Guilty. 3 Not guilty

[skipaway]

Sentence could be 442 years in jail for the Felony counts

[skipaway]

Sandusky has been taken in cuffs from the courthouse.

[kylet3]

Justice for the victims

[Cyn]

Bail automatically revoked....sentencing to be in ~90 days according to CBS news.

[Lacey]

I heard sentencing within 90 days. Has to be evaluated by sexual pervert team, or something like that.

I hope they go after the officers and executives of the university also. It would seem to me that they lied and covered up.

[CDANN1013]

According to WJAC-TV (Johnstown, PA), he was found not guilty of the counts that happened in the Penn State shower.

[Lacey]

They couldn't prove what type of sex that was...what the red headed coach saw was not definitive, just sounds, gross.

[BigB08822]

Isn't it ironic that the assault that seemingly started all of this, or at least what we heard about first, is the one to not get a conviction?

I have a feeling his true punishment will occur in prison, this was just the beginning.

[barbk]

According to WJAC-TV (Johnstown, PA), he was found not guilty of the counts that happened in the Penn State shower.

Only one of those counts -- he was convicted of the other counts related to that.

What tough testimony for a jury to have to consider.

[Twizzler]

Only one of those counts -- he was convicted of the other counts related to that.

What tough testimony for a jury to have to consider.

Which were the 3 counts where he was found not guilty?

[Alex Forrest]

Thank goodness. It's not a time to celebrate but just to breathe a sigh of relief that justice was served. I hope his victims can get some peace out of this and it will help them move on. The monster has been caged for life. Time for healing to begin.

[Twizzler]

The monster has been caged for life. Time for healing to begin.

Not yet- time to go after the countless number of others who knew and did NOTHING to bring him to justice more than a decade ago.

[WindSpirit]

Guilty. Guilty. Guilty.

The verdict ended the fallacy that this was an area too devoted to Penn State football to render a fair and proper judgment. The anger at Sandusky was deeper than the outside world could fathom. There may have been a conspiracy to protect Sandusky in the highest levels of Penn State. That will be played out in legal proceedings against university officials, an independent investigation set for release next month and the inevitable slew of civil cases to come that will seek to tap into the school's $1.8 billion endowment.

Probably not going to happen, but part of me wishes they went after Sandusky's wife, too. There's very little chance if any that she didn't know. She might have ignored it, repressed it, lied to herself about it, etc., but I don't believe she wasn't aware of it or at least suspicious of his behavior. He was raping those kids at home when she was there, too. One of the men testified he was calling her name from the basement, if I recall correctly. She might have not heard the kid, but when your husband locks himself with a minor in the basement and then the minor acts weird (which I'm sure they did at some point) or doesn't want to go to the basement in the first place, get fcuking curious, OK? And even if everything seems hanky dory, go and check on them from time to time. If the door is closed, that's your fcuking clue that's something shady is going on.

Many predators like him are able to do what he did for a looong time because no one says anything, even if they are suspicious or even saw anything. That's why it's important to go after those who knew, too.

In one haunting bit of testimony, Victim No. 4 recounted that he compartmentalized the sexual abuse from Sandusky and endured teasing from classmates who suspected something inappropriate because he had so few positives in his life. The chance to leave his little town and troubled home for afternoons hanging around the Penn State football program were enough, he testified.

Former Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary noted that he didn't punch out Sandusky when he discovered him in a shower abusing a boy in 2001 and instead let his university bosses handle the case. Which they didn't. A former Penn State police detective conveyed his frustration at not being able to convince the then-district attorney to charge Sandusky in 1998.

On and on it went. Years and years and years. Incident after incident after incident.

It could have ended 13 years ago? The mind boggles.

Until finally, deep into a warm Friday night, Juror 4 stood up in that box, representing 11 other citizens that had poured over each and every allegation during 21 hours of deliberation, and read from those papers.

Finally, it was over for Sandusky. Finally, the deception and protection were gone. Finally, this once hulking man, backed by the prestige of Nittany Lion football, propped up by the illusion of charitable work, had nowhere to run, no tale to tell, no one capable of keeping him from facing the awful truth of his life.

Guilty. Guilty. Damn, Damn Guilty.