BELLEFONTE — Jurors have found Jerry Sandusky’s guilty of 45 counts in his child sexual abuse trial. Now a convicted felon, the former Penn State University assistant coach was led from the courthouse in handcuffs shortly after 10 p.m.
Sandusky was charged with 48 criminal counts for alleged sexual assaults on 10 boys over a 15-year span. According to reports, he had a stunned look on his face as the verdict was read and his wife, Dottie, cried.
He is expected to be sentenced in 90 days and bail was revoked, meaning Sandusky was to be immediately transported to the Centre County Prison after the verdict.
–CLICK HERE TO WATCH 6 NEWS’ LIVE COVERAGE
Of the charges, several are mandated felonies, which means the judge has no discretion in sentencing and they are fixed sentences. Most of the mandated felonies Sandusky was charged with carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison, which means the 68-year-old will most likely spend the rest of his life in prison.
During the high-profile trial, the jury heard from eight victims who said Sandusky abused them. The defense countered with character witnesses and sought to portray investigators as planting the seeds of those abuse reports during interviews with the victims.
–COMPLETE 6 NEWS COVERAGE OF THE CASE, TRIAL & VERDICT
Jurors began deliberating the case Thursday and talked all day Friday. After the verdict, Amendola said that the Sandusky family was disappointed.
Sandusky did not take the stand in his own defense, but Amendola said Sandusky fully intended to testify until, just hours after the case went to jurors, lawyers for one of Sandusky’s six adopted children, Matt, said he had told authorities that his father abused him. Matt Sandusky had been prepared to testify on behalf of prosecutors
Amendola said if he called Sandusky as a witness, it would have resulted in calling Matt Sandusky as a rebuttal witness. He further added that Sandusky said he never had inappropirate contact with his adopted son.
He said there was a tidal wave of attention in the case and said, as with any case there are issues that the defense intends to appeal. Amendola said there was an uphill battle from the start and said he was not surprised by the verdict because of the vast amount of evidence. He said he had requested continuances, which were denied. He said proscutors presented an excellent case and Judge John Cleland was fair and did an outstanding job.
Earlier Friday evening, Amendola said he would be shocked and “die of a heart attack” if Sandusky is acquitted on all counts in his child sex abuse trial.
Attorney General Linda Kelly
Sandusky could also face additional criminal charges involving accusers who came forward after his November arrest.
The attorney general’s office has said repeatedly that it has an “active and ongoing” investigation of Sandusky, while federal prosecutors in Harrisburg issued a wide-ranging subpoena in February for university computer records and other information.
Civil lawsuits also are likely against Sandusky, his Second Mile charity and Penn State.
Another one of Sandusky’s attornies, Karl Rominger, said it was “a tough case” with a lot of charges and that an appeal was certain.
Rominger said the defense team “didn’t exactly have a lot of time to prepare.” He said Sandusky “took it well” upon hearing the verdict.
Stay with 6 News, WJACTV.com and WJACTV.com Mobile for continuing coverage.
