08/28/26 03:58:00
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08/28 15:57 CDT Judge will hear recantation of sexual abuse claim against
ex-Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky
Judge will hear recantation of sexual abuse claim against ex-Penn State coach
Jerry Sandusky
By ED WHITE
Associated Press
A judge has granted a hearing to explore claims that a man wants to recant
allegations of sexual abuse years ago by Penn State assistant football coach
Jerry Sandusky.
Sandusky, 82, has been serving a decades-long prison sentence since he was
convicted of 45 counts of sexual abuse in 2012. Eight young men testified about
what happened to them as boys. He has repeatedly lost efforts to get a new
trial, but Sandusky's lawyers are trying again.
A man identified in court documents as R.R. said he was coached extensively by
authorities.
"I was told --- both directly and indirectly --- that trauma may have
fragmented my memory, and that I could safely affirm details I did not fully
recall. I was assured this was common and even expected," R.R. said in an
affidavit filed by Sandusky's attorneys.
A court hearing in Centre County has been scheduled for Sept. 8.
R.R.'s allegations were "based on suggestive leading questioning, prosecutorial
coercion and influence, confirmatory bias and memory manipulation, which
permeated throughout each of the accusers as well," Sandusky's attorneys said
in a court filing.
The Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General said Friday that R.R.'s recantation
is "highly suspect."
Sandusky coached the defense at one of the country's top football programs
under Hall of Fame head coach Joe Paterno. The scandal led to Paterno's firing,
and the university paid more than $100 million to people who said they had been
abused by Sandusky.
Jules Epstein, a professor at Temple University law school in Philadelphia,
said Sandusky would not automatically get a new trial, even if the judge
believes the recantation is valid.
He said a judge would need to determine how R.R.'s testimony fit into the
broader case, which had many charges and victims.
Authorities said Sandusky found and groomed boys at The Second Mile, a charity
that he started for at-risk youth. He has repeatedly declared his innocence.
"I apologize that I'm unable to admit remorse for this because it's something
that I didn't do," Sandusky said during a 2019 court appearance.
At trial, R.R. was 25 years old. He testified that he was 11 when Sandusky
performed oral sex in the coach's basement in 1998, a transcript shows.
"He told me that if I told anybody that I would never see my family again,"
said R.R., who was in foster care at the time.
Sandusky later apologized and said "he loved me," R.R. testified.
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