Civil cases filed in relation to the Jerry Sandusky sexual abuse case have already caused problems in the Centre County courts realm -- administrators may have to start searching for out-of-county judges to preside over the cases.
On Wednesday, Centre County Judge Jonathan Grine recused himself from a case involving The Second Mile, a court administrator confirmed Thursday. The suit is in relation to the charity, founded in 1977 by Sandusky, transferring its assets.
The Second Mile filed last month to shut down and transfer its programs to Arrow Child & Family Ministries in Houston, Texas, because of a lack of donor support after Sandusky was charged.
The Second Mile plans to transfer $2 million in cash assets, a program endowment and program-related non-cash entities to Arrow.
No explanation for the recusal was available Thursday and no official motion had been filed, according to court administrators.
After charges were filed against the former football assistant coach in November, the Centre County judges -- including Grine's father David -- recused themselves from overseeing the criminal trial in order to avoid potential conflicts of interest related to affiliations with either Penn State or The Second Mile. Jonathan Grine wasn't a sitting county judge at the time.
On Nov. 17, out-of-county Magisterial District Judge Robert E. Scott was assigned to hear Sandusky's preliminary hearing after word spread that Judge Leslie Dutchcot of Centre County, who arraigned Sandusky and set his bail after charges were filed, volunteered with The Second Mile.
It's currently unclear whether other Centre County judges will follow suit and recuse themselves from Sandusky-related civil cases.
