Paterno Family Releases Letter Ahead Of Freeh Report
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The report on the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal from former FBI Director Louis Freeh will be released Thursday morning.
On the eve of its release, the Paterno family has released what it says is a letter that Joe Paterno wrote to his players and was to be an op-ed piece that was never published.
It was written just weeks before his death.
In it, Paterno says, among other things:
"I feel compelled to say, in no uncertain terms, that this is not a football scandal. Yet, over and over again, I have heard Penn State officials decrying the influence of football and have heard such ignorant comments like Penn State will no longer be a "football factory" and we are going to "start" focusing on integrity in athletics. These statements are simply unsupported by five decades of evidence to the contrary."
But the Paterno family has also been concerned about reports beyond the Sandusky case that suggest Paterno controlled information about potential scandals with an iron hand.
The probe is expected to assess concerns like one from Vicky Triponey, who is a former head of student affairs, which refers to the football team:
"Coach Paterno would rather we not inform the public when a football player is found responsible for committing a serious violation of the law and/or student code, despite any moral or legal obligation to do so."
Meantime, former PSU President Graham Spanier did speak with the investigators and is suing the university for access to his emails. He issued a statement saying he was never informed about criminal activity on the part of Sandusky.
But emails leaked to CNN quote an email from former Athletic Director Tim Curley, now facing a perjury trial, to then-President Spanier which read:
"After giving it more thought and talking it over with Joe yesterday, I am uncomfortable with what we agreed were the next steps. I am having trouble with going to everyone."
The investigation is the culmination of 400 current and former university employees who have been interviewed.
The results will be available online beginning at 9 a.m. Thursday.
RELATED LINKS:
Probe Into Penn State's Handling Of Sandusky To Be Released (7/10/12)
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