OT: Sandusky's adopted son admits to being a victim
I debated on whether or not to post this, but its an important turn of events in an obviously large news story.
Jerry Sandusky's adopted son has now changed his mind and has sought attourney against his adopted father. My thought on this is maybe Mrs. Sandusky should start talking more closely to a lawyer. I have to believe there are way too many layers to this thing, its just sick to think about...
http://news.yahoo.com/sanduskys-son-says-father-abused-him-213046792--spt.html
According to this article, it seems the judge denied the last minute request for the son to testify:
Also didn't the case go to jury deliberation this morning? Would they stop that for more evidence or is that something that is locked in now until they decide a verdict?
You are correct, at least on the second count. I was in the process of editing the OP as you posted this, I apologize for the incorrect statement. This story gets uglier every day. I hate to beat a dead horse, but fuck PSU for erecting a statue of a man who enabled this stuff to go on. Michigan football means a whole lot to me, but never enough to let something like this happen...
Sandusky can still be charged with abusing his son, though. He was charged with a series of specific acts, and none of them involved the abuse of his son*, so there is no double-jeopardy issue.
*Unless the son was one of the unidentified victims, of course.
The most realistic positive outcome (for Sandusky) is a hung jury, in which case he will be tried again and his adopted son would be able to testify.
This really is an awful case. While still an 'alleged' criminal, Sandusky really needs to answer to someone (state, God, Allah, Buddah, Shiva).
The jury is probably sequestered; no outside media or personal contact, especially in THIS case.
they will not be sequestered for today or tomorrow, but if no verdict by the end of Friday, they get sequestered for the weekend. So they are certainly hearing about this tonight. Won't be surprised to see the defense file a motion for mistrial by morning.
Could this report be grounds for a mistrial? It's not something that the court can control.
it could, in theory, be grounds for a mistrial. More likely, it will only result in some additional reminding to the jurors from the bench to only consider evidence that was before them. But consider the hypothetical effect of someone going on TV tonight, claiming to have a written confession from Sandusky admitting all the allegations. I can't see how a mistrial or suspension of proceedings wouldn't result.
I'm just not sure what can and cannot get you a mistrial. I don't say that rhetorically - I don't know the answer.
But I'll spell out the issue to which I don't know the answer. The jury has heard arguments about these 52 (now 48 i think) counts of illegal behavior. The jury is supposed to get all their facts from the trial proceedings only (this is why they asked potential jurors if they were baseball fans in the clemens trial). If members of the jury hear about this other "new" victim that could affect their judgement regarding the 52 counts against Sandusky.
Would the "new" victim be its own trial? Don't juries rule only on what has been put before them? If it is ruled that the jury has gathered this information of a new victim and that they can't possibly rule fairly on the 52 counts with which Sandusky has been charged that could result in a mistrial - due to the jury getting outside information.
Lawyers, which side of the line will this fall on?
The son's allegations could lead to a new trial. Sandusky wasn't charged with any crimes against him.
Even if they aren't physically sequestered, juries are usually instructed to not watch/read any media accounts of the trial, or anything related to the trial. This is especially true with closely-watched trials like this.
If they complied with the court, they wouldn't have seen this. If not, they would have seen a BUNCH of stuff that would be problematic, like the unaired portion of the Costas interview, news reports of the trial, etc.
So, my guess: I doubt this affects the current trial.
A juror (or jurors) admitting that they watched news coverage of the trial would be the real problem. This report would just make that problem bigger.
OK, I was outraged, but the jury indeed was sequestered. That's really all that matters.
Sandusky will be in prison soon.
I just hope his cell mate thinks he's cute.
Unfortunately America is at the point where we're going to keep Jerry Sandusky secluded.
I guess I take solace in the fact that seclusion is the worst kind of punishment.
He may ultimately answer to Bubba, if he is allowed in the general prison population
Oh wow. That takes it to a whole new, disgusting level. As a father it honestly makes me sick.
Some pits are just bottomless.
That's why I want him in the general population in prison. These things tend to work themselves out there.
Haven't you ever seen Lockup? Sexual offenders, generally, get put in special units, apart from general pop for this exact reason.
I didn't say it was likely. I said that's what I want.
EDIT: But I disagree with this. So other inmates want to beat your ass because you molested children? Maybe you should have thought about that before you molested children. I think a taste of his own medicine would be just.
Sandusky wouldn't last more than a few days in general population, but I agree that its what he deserves. I want to see this guy rot in jail for the rest of his life.
What is that?
Criminal Sexual Conduct, I believe.
Crininal sexual conduct
Criminal Sexual Conduct
Years ago pedos had a hard time locked up but the prisons have changed. Its because the code of silence among prisoners is gone and its hard to get away with anything because the prisoners snitch on each other.
Dottie Sandusky never saw anything like that happen under her roof. Jerry loved their adoptive son. The lady is clearly in denial.
Child molestors often get away with what they do in part b/c someone turns his or her back.
She might also be pure evil. During her testimony she shaded her portrayal of the victims in ways that could be interpreted as defamatory. For example she called on child "clingy," another "a charmer," implying that he was conniving etc.
I have a hard time believing she was completely unaware of his actions. I wish she would also get punished for allowing these crimes to continue.
The whole thing makes me so angry.
an enabler. A pattern of behavior this ridiculous needs enabling. Same goes for the PSU officials, they were enablers. It seems like a good chunk of the PSU community was. I think the worst part of the (non-graphic) testimony was the Victim who said that when he went to a social worker the social worker didn't believe him because "Jerry is a saint"
saying that the son "confessed" to being abused seems to indicate that there's something shameful or guilty about being a victim, when the only shame here is in the actions of the perpetrator.
I changed the title, as the word does have a negative connotation. I didn't mean it in that regard at all. In my defense and in a broader sense, confessed can simply mean that you shared a secret. You 'confessed' your love to a girl, for instance.
Usually you profess your love to a girl.
This is AN adoptive son of the Sanduskys. I believe they had many.
Yes, it's terrible and yes I think this guy gets life quickly. What I read said that if Sandusky chose to take the stand the prosecution was going to call this son as a rebuttal witness. Defense didn't want to risk having either up on the stand.
They would have used that too...The prosecution really had Sandusky boxed in as far as whether he should testify or not. It seems like they got in a landside of unrebutted evidence with him not testifying, but they were ready to hammer him if he did testify. They seem to have done a really good job overall.
May you rot in the depths of Hell, perv.
Nothing with this situation surpises me anymore