Judge Recuses Himself In Jerry Sandusky Case
BELLEFONTE, Pa. (CBS/AP) -- A judge recused himself Friday from presiding in any more proceedings in the Jerry Sandusky case.
Senior Judge John Cleland's recusal stems from a meeting he had with Sandusky's original attorneys. Cleland will be called as a witness in the former Penn State assistant coach's appeal process.
Cleland asked Sandusky's legal team earlier this week if he would be called to testify.
"The defendant's attorneys have impugned the competence and integrity of essentially everyone associated with the grand jury's investigation into the defendant's conduct, the defendant's trial and conviction, and these post-conviction proceedings," Cleland wrote in his opinion. "Now they have chosen to impugn the integrity of the court itself."
Sandusky's lawyers argue he didn't get a fair trial in part because his legal team at the time mishandled the issue of one of the victim's identity and didn't call him to the stand.
Sandusky was a retired coach with gym privileges at the time assistant coach Mike McQueary says he saw the shower assault. He was convicted on charges of abusing 10 boys, including Victim 2, but maintains his innocence.
Sandusky, who's serving a prison sentence of 30 to 60 years, is seeking to get his conviction overturned or a new trial.
