Correction appended: Sept. 26, 2012.
Entire transcripts from the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse case were released on the Centre County Courthouse’s media page Friday afternoon, revealing a better look into the role Sandusky’s testimony could have played during the trial.
Included in the transcripts are closed door proceedings -- or meetings between the prosecution and defense that the media is not privy to -- which can provide more information on talks between the two sides during the trial.
The court transcript from June 22, or day nine of the trial, revealed conversations between Judge John Cleland, Sandusky’s attorneys, Joe Amendola and Karl Rominger and prosecutor Joe McGettigan regarding the speculation about Sandusky’s adopted son, Matt, taking the stand.
The day before the verdict was reached, Matt Sandusky came out and said that he, too, was abused by his adopted father, as previously reported.
According to the transcript, Cleland said he would give a “general inquiry” to the jury about whether or not they had received any information outside of the courtroom regarding the case, in particular to Matt Sandusky.
Cleland also said that he had instructed deputy sheriffs to make sure all televisions were disconnected and all newspapers were removed from the racks in the jury’s hotel rooms, according to the transcript.
The luggage of the jury members was also searched to be sure no one had access to cell phones, laptops or any other electronic devices, according to the transcript.
The transcript from June 22 also revealed that Sandusky waived his right to be present during the re-instruction of the jury regarding “excited utterance and circumstantial evidence” being permissible in the charges, during at which time the jury was deliberating, according to the transcript.
It depicts the conversation between Cleland, Sandusky, his attorneys and McGettigan, in which Sandusky appears confused and having trouble understanding what Amendola and Rominger are attempting to explain.
At one point, Sandusky said “What’s that going to accomplish?” in regards to him being present during the re-instruction, according to the transcript. Sandusky waived his right to be present and did not come back to the courtroom when the jury received more information.
Instruction given by Cleland to the jurors on June 21 is also noted in the transcript from closed door proceedings, in which both the defense and the prosecution fought for information or wording to be included when given to the jury, according to the transcript.
The defense, in particular, asked for “a charge on failure to make prompt complaint in certain sexual offenses” -- or the long time it took the people Sandusky was charged with abusing to report -- which Cleland did not grant, according to the transcript.
He said that in his research, the reporting of sexual abuse is often delayed and therefore, not a sign of dishonesty on the part of those who charged Sandusky with sexual abuse, according to the transcript.
Talk of whether the interview between Bob Costas and Sandusky would be permissible in closing arguments was also brought up during the closed chambers conference on June 21, in which Cleland ruled that the interview could be used, but only if it was played in full, according to the transcript.
Sandusky, the former Penn State assistant football coach, was found guilty on 45 of 48 counts of child sex abuse in June.
Read Monday’s edition of the Daily Collegian for more details.
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated when Matt Sandusky publicly stated he had been abused by his adopted father, Jerry Sandusky. He made this statement Thursday during the second week of the trial, a day before a verdict was reached. The above article reflects the correct information. The Daily Collegian apologizes for this error.
