Judge rules on jury, grandchild visitation in Sandusky case
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HARRISBURG -- A judge rejected a request that the jury for former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky be chosen from outside Centre County, and also ruled that Mr. Sandusky will be able to visit with most of his grandchildren and some adult friends in his home as he awaits trial.
This morning's ruling from McKean County Judge John M. Cleland on those issues and others raised at Friday's pre-trial hearing sided with the defense in deeming that the former coach, who faces 52 charges that he sexually abused young boys over more than a decade, is not an immediate danger to his grandchildren and neighbors.
His defense had requested that his grandchildren be permitted to visit, submitting letters from several stating that they wanted to see Mr. Sandusky. While those visits were generally approved -- as well as limited visits from up to 12 adults outside his immediate family -- it will be up to a custody judge to decide whether the three grandchildren whose mother opposes such visits can see their grandfather.
Mr. Sandusky will be allowed to be outside on his backyard deck as part of his house arrest, despite concerns from neighbors about the safety of their children and those at the elementary school adjacent to Mr. Sandusky's property.
State prosecutors had sought to have jurors selected from outside of Centre County. They argued on Friday that local residents have too many ties to Penn State and The Second Mile, the non-profit for at-risk youths through which Mr. Sandusky met the alleged victims. Local jurors would be likely to find out mid-trial they know one of the anonymous victims, they argued.
Mr. Sandusky and his attorney, Joe Amendola, disagreed, favoring a Centre County jury. The opinion from Judge Cleland stated that selecting a local jury should be attempted first, adding that he would reconsider the ruling if choosing a fair and impartial panel in a timely matter becomes too difficult.
First Published February 13, 2012 11:47 am
