New E-Mails: Paterno 'Manipulative, Disrespectful, Uncivil And Abusive'
(CBS) CNN has new e-mails obtained from former FBI Director Louis Freeh's investigation at Penn State and once again, they could be damaging for Joe Paterno.
The e-mails were sent in 2005 by Dr. Vicky Triponey, then vice president of student affairs in charge of disciplining students, to athletic director Tim Curley and president Graham Spanier after a meeting she had with Paterno in which he tells her that he wants to be the sole disciplinarian of his players.
In an e-mail to Curley, she writes:
Coach Paterno would rather we NOT inform the public when a football player is found responsible for committing a serious violation of the law and/or our student code -- despite any moral or legal obligation to do so ... I must insist that the efforts to put pressure on (Student Affairs) and try to influence our decisions...simply MUST STOP.
Then, in an e-mail to Spanier, she writes:
I am very troubled by the manipulative, disrespectful, uncivil and abusive behavior of our football coach.
She calls Paterno's behavior "atrocious" and adds:
It is quite shocking what this man -- who is idolized by people everywhere -- is teaching our students.
The e-mails indicate Freeh investigated Paterno's history of dealing with disciplinary issues at Penn State. The leaked e-mails suggest he preferred to deal with these matters internally, something that may explain why Penn State did not report Jerry Sandusky to authorities in 2001.