Despite grand jury testimony indicating otherwise, former Penn State President Graham Spanier, former Athletic Director Tim Curley, former Interim Senior Vice President for Business and Finance Gary Schultz and former head football coach Joe Paterno were all aware of a 1998 investigation into Jerry Sandusky’s conduct, according to the Freeh report released today.
The mother of the person referred to as “Victim 6” in court documents contacted on May 3, 1998 police after her son revealed that he showered with Sandusky in the Lasch Football Building after a workout in 1998. The boy did not recall any sexual contact, but testified in June against Sandusky, saying the event had changed meanings to him as he aged.
Sandusky was found guilty on June 22 on 45 counts of child sex abuse, including those related to the 1998 report.
In the Freeh report, it states that investigators were not sure as when Schultz became aware of the 1998 investigation. Confidential notes from Schultz dated May 4, 1998 make obvious that he was aware of the report by that date.
According to the report, the notes end with Schultz writing, “Critical issue - contact w genitals? Assuming same experience w the second boy? Not criminal.”
The next day, Schultz was notified that the boy had been interviewed again and provided additional details about the incident. Police had also interviewed a second boy and he told a similar story, according to the report.
“Is this opening of pandora’s box? Other children?” Schultz wrote, according to the report.
By May 5, Schultz had also alerted Curley to the report, according to the Freeh Group’s findings. Curley replied saying he had also notified Paterno.
“I have touched base with the coach. Keep us posted. Thanks,” he wrote.
Spanier, in a written statement to investigators, said the message was a “vague message with no individual named.”
University Police also determined on May 5 that they had found “no evidence of a crime” and would not make log the report, according to Freeh’s findings.
Curley made several requests for updates to Schultz over the next several days, according to the report. He sent one email on May 13 with the subject line “Jerry,” writing, “Anything new in this department? Coach is anxious to know where it stands.”
Schultz passed the message on to University Police who updated Curley. While the “coach” was never identified, investigators believe it to be Paterno, according to report.
On May 30, Curley contacted Schultz again, according to the report. Schultz was on vacation at the time, but replied on June 8, saying that University Police was planning to meet with Sandusky, and he would provide a report on that meeting once it happened.
According to the report, University Police investigators informed Schultz about the meeting, and June 9, Schultz informed Curley and Spanier of the results via email.
He said, “met with Jerry on Monday and concluded that there was no criminal behavior and the matter was closed as an investigation. He was a little emotional and expressed concern as to how this might have adversely affected the child. I think the matter has been appropriately investigated and I hope it is now behind us.”
The email did not mention the Sandusky had been advised not to shower with children, according to the report.
According to the Freeh Group’s findings, no messages were found to indicate that the investigators or administrators planned to speak to Sandusky about the incident, nor did it show that they would discuss his use of university facilities. They also did not discuss terminating the relationship between Penn State and the Second Mile, or if Sandusky should receive counseling, according to the report.
The report states that Paterno’s knowledge of the investigation’s conclusion is unclear, as investigators were never able to interview him due to his death in January.
Spanier told investigators that no effort was made to limit Sandusky’s access to Penn State.
Schultz testified before the grand jury in January 2011 and said he could not recall that he “knew anything about the details of what the allegation was from the mother.” He said he did not remember if it was reported in the Lasch Building.
Curley denied that he was aware of the incident, though he said he thought such an investigation would be brought to his attention.
Paterno also testified that he was not aware of the incident, and his family has steadfastly maintained that position through several statements.
“I do not know of anything else that Jerry would be involved in of that nature, no. I do not know of it. You did mention I think you said something about a rumor. It may have been discussed in my presence, something else about somebody. I don’t remember, and I could not honestly say I heard a rumor,” Paterno testified.
According to the report, the Board of Trustees was never made aware of the 1998 investigation.
