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.
Allegations of coaching by authorities
A man identified in court documents as RR 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,” RR said in an affidavit filed by Sandusky’s attorneys.
A court hearing in Centre County has been scheduled for 8 September.
Claims of suggestive questioning
RR’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 RR’s recantation is “highly suspect”.
Background and impact
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.
Authorities said Sandusky found and groomed victims 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, RR 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 RR, who was in foster care at the time. Sandusky later apologized and said “he loved me,” RR testified.
