Penn State's Curley, Schultz arraigned in Sandusky case
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HARRISBURG -- Penn State University Athletic Director Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, the university's former senior vice president for finance and business, appeared before a district judge here today for arraignment on charges of perjury and failure to report child endangerment.
The charge stem from a grand jury investigation of Jerry Sandusky, the former defensive coordinator of the university's football team under head coach Joe Paterno. Mr. Sandusky is charged wtih sexually assaulting eight boys over a 15-year period.
Mr. Curley and Mr. Schultz are charged with perjury and failing to report an assault on campus of one boy after being told about it by Mr. Paterno, who heard about it from a graduate assistant in 2002. That assault supposedly occurred in a locker room shower.
Neither Mr. Curley nor Mr. Schultz entered a plea during today's 20-minute hearing. Lawyers for Mr. Curley and Mr. Schultz insisted that they will be found innocent at trial.
They were each released on $75,000 unsecured bond. A preliminary hearing is expected to be held later this month.
Mr. Curley was represented by attorney Caroline Roberto of Pittsburgh. Mr. Schultz was represented by attorney Thomas J. Farrell, also of Pittsburgh.
The two attorneys asked that their clients not be required to post any bail, saying they were model citizens who lived their entire lives in Centre County.
District Judge William Wenner said, however, that "The charges are disturbing to me to say the least."
After setting their bond, he ordered both of them to surrender their passports.
Ms. Roberto said the failure to report a child endangerment is a "summary offense, like a speeding ticket."
She said Mr. Curley had done everything required of him, including reporting the 2002 shower incident to his superior, Penn State University's president, Graham Spanier.
"Everything will show he reported what he knew up the chain of the command," she said.
She and Mr. Farrell said the perjury charge is the "last resort" of prosecutors.
"They file the charge when they can't prove the person did anything wrong," Ms. Roberto said. "It's a distraction in this case. It's unconscionable. They have a weak case."
The charges against Mr. Curley and Mr. Schultz relate to statements they made before a grand jury in Dauphin County in January.
Mr. Curley asked to be placed on administrative leave and Mr. Schultz will step down and return to retirement, Mr. Spanier said Sunday.
First Published November 7, 2011 3:20 pm
