Sandusky's Attorney Maintains Victims Engaged In Collusion
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Indicted former football coach Jerry Sandusky declined to face his alleged victims in court on Tuesday.
However, that didn't stop his attorney from challenging their credibility outside the courtroom by saying they may be engaged in collusion.
KD Investigator Andy Sheehan reported that attorney Joe Amendola's tactics continue to amaze and outrage attorneys on the other side.
"This is the fight to death. This is the fight of Jerry Sandusky's life," Amendola said.
In vowing to fight the charges and allegations, Sandusky's attorney chose yesterday not to do so inside the courtroom, but rather on the courthouse steps.
He spent the better part of an hour laying out his case to reporters.
"Credibility is going to be the main factor in this case," Amendola said.
Amendola ruffled feathers yesterday when he alleged that the victims in this case have now had time to contact each other and perfect their allegations against Sandusky.
He reiterated that again Wednesday morning on the Early Show.
"Well we know for a fact that victims 2 and 6 know each other and we believe victim 7 knows 2 and 6," Amendola said.
"And it is ludicrous, not to mention extremely offensive, for him to level these charges against these victims," Michael Boni, an attorney for one of the victims, said.
Boni said Amendola is trying his win his case in the court of public opinion rather than a court of law and he is failing in both places.
"What he's doing is he's trying his case in media. It's improper, it's extremely offense to the victims of his client -- those who were sexually abused serially by him -- and then to add insult to injury -- without an iota of evidence that there was some sort of collusion," Boni said.
Even the independent legal observers have said they have been dumbfounded by Amendola's tactics.
They claim his airing the case in public may be an effort to get a plea bargain, but Amendola denies this.
Sandusky will be formally arraigned next month with a trial expected to follow later next year.
MORE: KDKA Coverage Of The Penn State Sex Abuse Scandal
STORY: Sandusky Waives Preliminary Hearing
WARNING Contains Graphic Material: New Grand Jury Presentment (12/7)
WARNING Contains Graphic Material: Read The Entire Grand Jury Presentment
AG, PSP Commissioner Statements: Page 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
LINK: Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office
LINK: Penn State Nittany Lions
