Jerry Sandusky Releases Statement Ahead Of Sentencing
BELLEFONTE, Pa. (KDKA) - A day before Jerry Sandusky is being sentenced on 45 sex abuse charges, a three-minute recorded statement by Sandusky was aired on Penn State's student-run radio station.
He continues to proclaim his innocence.
"They can take away my life, they can make me out as a monster, they can treat me as a monster, but they can't take away my heart. In my heart, I know I did not do these alleged, disgusting acts," he said in the recording.
Sandusky says he was not given fair time to prepare for trial; that his wife has been his only sexual partner throughout his entire life and that their love continues.
He paints a picture of the media, investigators, Penn State, civil attorneys and others targeting him and winning. He also questions the validity of the alleged victims.
"A young man who is dramatic and a veteran accuser and always sought attention started everything," Sandusky said.
On Tuesday, Sandusky will learn his fate when he faces a sentencing hearing in Bellefonte, Pa.
The verdict is likely to send Sandusky to prison for the rest of his life.
Defense attorney Karl Rominger says he expects Sandusky to get a minimum of 30 years.
Joe Amendola says Sandusky expects to address the court and maintain his innocence.
"And the bottom line is, with a person who maintains his innocence, he's not going to be remorseful if he says, 'I'm innocent,'" Amendola said. "And he's been absolutely consistent with that from the outset of the very first investigation which was a CYS investigation."
Ann Van Kuren, Juror No. 11, says she did not believe the defense's theory that the victims made up the allegations.
She explained her decision to KDKA's Harold Hayes.
"It was hard to give that element of the defense's case any credit because the victims were so credible in and of themselves in their testimony," she said.
Van Kuren plans to come to the sentencing.
Victim No. 5 will also speak at the hearing.
"My client isn't presumptuous in the sense that he is going to tell the court that he wants Mr. Sandusky to spend the rest of his life behind bars," Tom Kline, the victim's attorney, said. "What he is going to say is that, 'This is the harm that's been done to me and you have to know and understand that, your Honor,' so that the court can then impose the appropriate sentence."
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