Report: Penn State spent nearly $21 million over Sandusky scandal as of Aug. 31

Penn State University’s costs related to the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal have reached nearly $21 million as of Aug. 31.

The latest spending total is up from $19.2 million reported in October for the end of July. About $12 million was spent on the legal team headed by former FBI Director Louis Freeh and for crisis communications.

About $2.5 million was billed for former top administrators Graham Spanier, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz. Their legal fees are covered under the school’s insurance policies.

In the meantime, Sandusky’s lawyers are asking for a little more time to file briefs supporting his bid to have child sexual abuse convictions overturned and a new trial granted.

Defense attorney Joe Amendola on Tuesday asked Judge John Cleland for two more weeks, saying lead appeals lawyer Norris Gelman had a heart attack and open-heart surgery.

Amendola said there’s a vast amount of material to review, and the brief will be better if Cleland gives them more time.

Sandusky argued last month that his lawyers weren’t given enough time to prepare and the statute of limitations for some charges had expired. He said his sentence is excessive, hearsay evidence was improperly allowed and evidence wasn’t sufficient for convictions.

Sandusky is serving a 30- to 60-year prison sentence on 45 counts.