BELLEFONTE, Pa. —
Jerry Sandusky pleaded not guilty to sex abuse charges and waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Tuesday, paving the way for a trial.
At the hearing, the former Penn State University assistant coach was expected to see his accusers for the first time since he was charged with dozens of sex crimes.
Sandusky is facing more than 50 charges of rape and molestation in a child sex abuse case that involves 10 alleged victims. For each alleged victim, prosecutors must convince a judge there’s enough evidence to go to trial. His next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 11.
–SPECIAL SECTION: PSU Sex Abuse Scandal
Sandusky’s attorney, Joe Amendola, said he made the decision to waive the preliminary hearing with Sandusky on Monday night. Amendola said the move is not an admission of guilt and believes it will help the defense in the long run.
“We fully intend to put together the best possible defense that we can do, to stay the course, to fight for four quarters and wait for the opportunity to present our side,” Amendola said. “And we couldn’t do that today.”
A prosecutor said he is surprised that Sandusky waived his preliminary hearing. Deputy Attorney General Marc Costanzo said the amount of publicity generated by Sandusky’s attorney made the decision unexpected. He said, however, that the decision was not unusual given the strength of the state’s case.
Michael Boni, a lawyer for one accuser, says he is encouraged by the development. Boni said the accusers “do not have to relive the horrors they experience up on the witness stand” by having to testify at the hearing and at trial.
One of the accusers named in a grand jury presentment as “victim No. 1” said he was abused by Sandusky more than 20 times in 2007 and 2008. Now 18 years old, the alleged victim was very well-prepared but his attorney, Steve McLaughlin, said the teen was “just as happy not to come out and testify.”
Sandusky denies all of the charges and Amendola said he isn’t negotiating a plea. On Monday, Amendola said Sandusky was eager to hear from the accusers at the preliminary hearing in Bellefonte.
Amendola said, “We’re looking for people to tell us specifically what they’re saying happened, and then what we’re going to do is start trying to prove that probably didn’t happen the way they said.”
Ben Andreozzie, the attorney for alleged victim No. 4, said Sandusky and his attorney are “trying to raise any sort of doubt and throw up a smokescreen.”
With regard to the prosecution, Amendola said on Tuesday, “We want all the evidence about these accusers’ backgrounds.”
Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary is also a key witness in the case. McQueary said he told investigators he witnessed Sandusky sexually abuse a young boy at a university facility, then told his father and a family friend what he had seen.
McQueary has refused to talk about the alleged incident in public, but he was also expected to testify at the preliminary hearing.
The 67-year-old Sandusky was once the apparent heir to longtime football coach Joe Paterno. The scandal cost Paterno his job. Two other school officials, charged with perjury and failure to report abuse, face a preliminary hearing Friday in Harrisburg.
Authorities from every agency in Centre County are in Bellefonte to handle the media crush, with hundreds of reporters plus security needed for the high-profile case. Bomb-sniffing dogs checked cars parked nearby, a police helicopter flew overhead and officers were perched on the courthouse roof. More than 200 media organizations and about 1,400 members of the general public requested seats inside the courtroom. One hundred people were permitted to go inside.
Sections of Allegheny, West High and East High streets around the courthouse closed Monday at 5 p.m. and are expected to remain closed much of Tuesday.
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