NPR
Saturday, June 23, 2012

Sandusky Jury Begins Deliberations

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The jury now has the case.

The jury now has the case.

Closing arguments were presented today in the child sexual abuse trial of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.

Prosecutors say the jurors can’t forget about the 10 boys the former Penn State assistant football coach is accused of abusing. Senior Deputy Attorney General Joe McGettigan told the jury in his closing argument Thursday not to be distracted by defense conspiracy theories as they decide whether Sandusky sexually abused boys he met through a charity he founded.

Earlier today, defense attorney Joe Amendola said the case is a result of overzealous investigators coaching witnesses. He also said accusers are seeking big payouts from potential civil lawsuits.

Prosecutors said Sandusky showered with his victims, fondled them and in some cases forced them to engage in oral and anal sex.

Prior to giving instructions to the jury and the final arguments by the prosecution and the defense, Senior Judge John Cleland threw out three of the 51 charges in the case.

Cleland has dismissed two counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse related to the alleged sexual abuse of an accuser known as Victim 4. Cleland said the charges did not bear out what testimony revealed.

In his ruling, Cleland said he would have been required to set aside any convictions on those counts, because “the verdict was not supported by the evidence.”

He also dismissed a count that he said was the same as another charge.

Cleland also ruled against a defense motion to dismiss five counts related to a boy who was allegedly seen with Sandusky by a janitor.