A teenager whose complaints by his mother about Jerry Sandusky in 2008 prompted a grand jury investigation has testified against the former Penn State assistant coach.
The witness, called Victim 1 in court papers, is now 18 years old. He testified today Sandusky fondled him, kissed him and ultimately engaged in a sex act.
Sandusky returned to the courthouse in Bellefonte just after 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday. Sandusky and his attorney maintain that the young men are accusers — not victims — and said the men have a financial interest in the case. Sandusky faces 52 criminal counts and denies the allegations.
As she did on Monday, Sandusky’s wife, Dottie, was by his side as he arrived for the second day of testimony. She was not permitted in the courtroom for much of Monday’s proceedings because she may be asked to take the witness stand.
Victim 1 took the stand Tuesday. He is credited for sparking the investigation after an incident at a Clinton County high school in 2008.
The teen was brought to tears on the witness stand when he recalled his relationship with Sandusky. He said he met Sandusky at a Second Mile camp and at first thought there was nothing wrong with their relationship. The recent high school graduate said he did not remember the first time he stayed over at Sandusky’s house, but said he slept in the basement more than 100 times.
He said Sandusky would come down, massage him and crack his back, but it eventually led to touching that made him feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. He told the court he too afraid to speak up. He admitted he had a lot of fun playing football with Sandusky and going to other events, and that his mother was happy that he had a role model in his life.
Victim 1 told the court that the advances became more sexual and forceful in nature, and he broke down on the witness stand and said Dottie Sandusky was upstairs when this happened. He recalled trying to hide in the Sanduskys’ basement resisting Jerry Sandusky’s advances but he said, “There was nowhere to hide.”
He said Jerry Sandusky made visits to his high school and his grades eventually suffered. He said that Sandusky became angry when he tried to avoid him. He said he eventually asked his mother if there was a Megan’s Law website and wanted to know if Sandusky was on it. That eventually led to a meeting with the school and police.
During cross examination, Sandusky’s attorney, Joe Amendola, asked if the young man or his family ever dreamed of getting rich. Victim 1 replied, “No.”
Amendola said Victim 1 did not tell the whole story to Children and Youth Services, saying he even lied about his relationship with Sandusky. The teen said he was scared and even hired an attorney to keep the media away from him.
Amendola asked Victim 1 if he was pressured into telling his story. He said he met with state police many times and told them there were more kids out there and he wasn’t alone.
On Monday, prosecutors warned the testimony would be graphic and gruesome. That day, Victim 4 said Sandusky treated him like his girlfriend and gave him expensive gifts in exchange for sexual favors.
Victim 4, who was the first witness to take the stand against the former Penn State assistant coach, says he regrets having kept the alleged sexual abuse a secret and feels guilty that prosecutors say other boys were victimized after him.
The man told jurors on Monday that the 68-year-old Sandusky molested him in the locker room showers and in hotels while trying to ensure his silence with gifts and trips.
The 28-year-old man said Sandusky sent him “creepy love letters” and treated him like a son in public, but like a girlfriend in private.
Legal experts tell 6 News that prosecutors from the Attorney General’s office had a good first day in court on Monday, making a strong case that Sandusky committed serial sex abuse crimes.
There is a gag order in the case, but it does not include attorneys who are representing the alleged victims. The attorneys have been around the courthouse offering their insight into the case and Tom Kline, the attorney for the man referred to in court papers as Victim 5, said prosecutors have already made a strong case.
“My client is one of many of the now alleged victims that will come forward and testify that he was in the shower like the young man you heard testify (Monday) in the courtroom and some of the same kinds of conduct occurred,” Kline said.
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