2012 Year in Review: The Jerry Sandusky Sex Crimes Scandal
By Tony Romeo
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (CBS) -- The biggest unfolding story in Pennsylvania during the year, from both a statewide and a national perspective, may have been the prosecution for child sex abuse of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, and the fallout it has had for one of America's great universities.
In June, Sandusky was convicted (see news story). And in October, before he was sentenced to 30-60 years in prison, Sandusky spoke in court for 15 minutes, maintaining his innocence and vowing to fight (see news story).
Prosecutor Joseph McGettigan says Sandusky, in his pre-sentencing speech, "displayed deviance, narcissism, a lack of feeling for the pain he caused others -- and, to the end, an unwillingness to accept responsibility."
Then there was the impact of the scandal on Penn State University.
In July, former FBI director Louis Freeh, hired by the university to investigate (news story), released a devastating report (news story and report).
In November, Pennsylvania attorney general Linda Kelly announced charges against former PSU president Graham Spanier (see news story), and additional charges against two other former administrators.
"This was a conspiracy of silence by top officials working to actively conceal the truth," she said.
Penn State's football program was also hit with heavy sanctions (see news story).
