Two impact statements from the people Jerry Sandusky was convicted with abusing were read and three of those people that testified in the trial took the stand today at Sandusky’s sentencing, where he received 30 to 60 years in prison.
The first impact statement was from the person referred to as “Victim 1,” the boy whose report sparked the grand jury investigation of Sandusky. He testified at trial that Sandusky performed oral sex on him “more than 20 times” and that Sandusky had him perform oral sex on Sandusky once. The person stated that Sandusky began the greatest betrayal when he abused him after he promised to be the boy’s mentor and friend, according to the statement read by prosecutor Joe McGettigan.
The person referred to as “Victim 1” also stated that his therapist told him the emotions he had as a result of the abuse could be labeled post-traumatic stress disorder, but that he simply calls it emotional agony, as he finds it impossible to trust anyone, according to the statement.
“[Sandusky] is the worst kind of pedophile,” the person referred to as “Victim 1” wrote in his statement. “Jerry Sandusky wanted to manipulate to the end and abuse all his victims.”
McGettigan read another victim impact statement, this one from the mother of the person referred to as “Victim 9.”
The mother stated that the lifelong problems associated with Sandusky's abuse of her son caused her to move three times in one year and forced her to quit her job. The mother stated that the abuse caused her son to lose weight, be frequently ill and attempt to commit suicide twice, according to the statement.
“ ‘Sorry’ will never be enough,” the mother stated. “There is no punishment enough for you.”
The person referred to as “Victim 6” was the first person Sandusky was convicted with abusing to take the stand, and said as a result of the abuse, he became a social outcast and was unable to process what had happened to him.
“My family has suffered for many years with me in the anger and rage I projected after the years you took me to ‘work out,’” he said.
The person referred to as “Victim 6” said God helped him get through his feelings about the abuse, and ended his statement with a passage from the Bible.
“God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble,” he said, quoting James 4:6 from the Bible.
The next to speak was the person referred to as “Victim 5,” who stated that he is haunted by the abuse, and that it has given him anxiety, depression, nightmares, embarrassment, guilt and post traumatic stress disorder.
The person referred to as “Victim 5” said he was still troubled by flashbacks of Sandusky’s naked body, as a result of a an incident in a shower when Sandusky pushed the boy up against a wall and made him touch Sandusky inappropriately, as he testified at Sandusky’s trial. The person said that though Sandusky took away his childhood, he thought it was his obligation as a citizen to come forward so justice could be done.
The person referred to as “Victim 4” was the last to speak, and addressed Sandusky directly, saying that the abuse Sandusky inflicted on him has caused him to be fearful to leave his own son out of his sight.
“I grew up in a bad situation and you made things worse,” the person referred to as “Victim 4” said. “You had a chance to plead guilty to these charges and spare us the most embarrassing moments of our life. Instead you attacked us.”
