Penn. AG praises Sandusky victims' courage

(CBS News) To the sound of applause and cheers outside the court house in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, the state Attorney General Linda Kelly thanked the victims in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case following the verdict in which the former Penn State assistant coach was found guilty on 45 of 48 counts Friday.

"I also want to offer my most sincere thanks to all the young men -- the victims in this case -- who came forward to bravely testify during this trial," said Kelly, "and to finally put a stop to the crimes that have been committed by this defendant. "They've shown great strength and courage during this investigation candidly and sometimes chillingly telling their stores not only to the jury in a packed courtroom audience, but also to the entire world."

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Kelly characterized Sandusky as a "serial child predator who committed horrific acts among his victims." She later added that the hope for the outcome will not only allow the victims to heal, but to encourage other sexual abuse victims to come forward.

As for a lesson from the case, the attorney general said that there has to be continued focus on child sexual abuse. "We need to continue to protect our children and learn from the lessons of this case. And for those who fail to respond to reports of sexual abuse, their behavior is abominable and has tragic consequences."