Case can proceed against 3 accused of Penn State cover-up

HARRISBURG, Pa. The criminal case can move forward against three Penn State administrators accused of covering up reports that Jerry Sandusky was behaving improperly with children, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Judge Barry Feudale denied an attempt to throw out the grand jury report backing up the accusations and ruled against several other defense requests.

Defendants Gary Schultz, Tim Curley and Graham Spanier are charged with perjury, obstruction, endangering the welfare of children, failure to properly report suspected abuse and conspiracy.

The three had sought to exclude the testimony of Penn State's former general counsel, Cynthia Baldwin, based on her actions as she accompanied the men to grand jury appearances in Harrisburg in early 2011.

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That was nearly a year before Sandusky, a retired Penn State assistant football coach, was first charged with sexual abuse of children.

He was convicted in June of 45 criminal counts. Sandusky, 69, is currently serving a 30- to 60-year state prison sentence, but maintains his innocence and is pursuing appeals.

Curley is currently on paid leave to finish out the final year of his contract as the school's athletic director. Schultz has retired as the university's vice president for business and finance.

Spanier remains a tenured faculty member but was forced out as university president the week after the other two and Sandusky were first charged.