Penn State Scandal: Primer to Allegations in Sandusky Grand Jury Report

Former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky has been charged with 40 counts related to sexual abuse following allegations that he had inappropriate contact with young boys during his time with the school and after he retired. The Grand Jury testimony (via Daily Collegian) was recently released containing details of the alleged abuse.

Some of the material is disturbing and difficult to comprehend, which is why the scandal has exploded into a nationwide story. The fact it was allowed to continue despite apparent eyewitness accounts of the acts has angered many people.

On the following slides, we will examine the account of each victim accounted for by the Grand Jury and bring to light any common themes of the contact. It's information that will become even more prominent when Sandusky gets his day in court.

Victim 1

-Met Sandusky through the Second Mile program in 2005 or 2006 at age 11 or 12.

-Was discovered by Sandusky after attending a camp at Penn State in his second year with program.

-Started staying overnight at Sandusky's home, which had a furnished bedroom in basement, and occasionally, other boys were also there.

-Taken to several sporting events, including Eagles games and Nittany Lions practices.

-Given numerous gifts.

-Encounters with Sandusky started with “back-cracking” ritual at bedtime. Would frequently lead to kissing and, on at least 20 occasions, oral sex.

-Cut off contact with Sandusky in 2008.

Victim 2

-Witnessed by a graduate assistant, later reported to be current Penn State receivers coach Mike McQueary, having anal intercourse with Sandusky in school showers.

-Grand Jury did not attempt to identify or find victim.

-McQueary called his father and then reported what he saw to coach Joe Paterno.

-After following up on the case with athletic director Tim Curley, McQueary was told Sandusky's locker room keys were revoked and the incident had been reported.

-Subpoenas were sent out for records concerning the Department of Public Welfare and Children and Youth Services, which both showed the incident was never reported. The University Police records indicate the same thing.

-Curley and fellow school official Gary Schultz are said to have provided “not credible” testimonies to the Grand Jury.

-Both Curley and Schultz have since been charged with perjury.

Victim 3

-Met Sandusky in 2000 during his second year in Second Mile program (age 12-13).

-Began working out and showering with Sandusky, who became increasingly interactive in the shower with things like bear hugs and shoulder rubs.

-Would sleep over Sandusky's house, staying in the basement bedroom.

-Sandusky would visit the bedroom and proceed to blow on his stomach. Twice, he touched Victim 3's genitals through his shorts.

-Was taken to Penn State games and allowed to walk the family dogs.

-Does not report any sexual interaction or a date when he stopped contacting Sandusky.

Victim 4

-Pointed out by Victim 3 as somebody who spent a lot of time with Sandusky.

-Met Sandusky during his second year in Second Mile program in 1997 or 1998, when he was 12 or 13.

-Subjected to “involuntary deviate sexual intercourse” and “indecent assault.”

-Worked out and showered with Sandusky at Old East locker rooms across from Holuba Hall.

-Sandusky initiated wrestling matches in shower, which often led to inappropriate touching.

-Stayed with the former coach at Toftrees Golf Resort before home and bowl games, where unwanted contact, including oral sex, also occurred.

-Resisted anal sex attempts.

-Told Grand Jury Sandusky never asked before making advances and would just go as far as Victim would allow before resisting.

-Treated to a myriad of gifts. Also given money to buy marijuana and cigarettes.

-Was in a Sports Illustrated photo with Sandusky.

-Eventually, Victim 4 started seeing a girlfriend, which Sandusky disapproved of, so the victim then stopped having interaction with him.

Victim 5

-Met Sandusky through Second Mile when he was seven or eight during a camp at Penn State in 1995-96.

-Attended about 15 Penn State football games as Sandusky's guest, along with several other boys, and whenever he sat in the front seat, the former coach would put his hand on the victim's leg.

-Was taken to empty locker room to exercise and then began mock wrestling with Sandusky in the sauna (somewhere between ages eight and 10).

-Pressured into a shower and was extremely uncomfortable. Tried to remain as far away from Sandusky as possible, but looked over to see him with an erection. He was then approached and pushed against the wall, but was able to escape.

-Quickly got dressed and wasn't touched by Sandusky again. Doesn't recall being invited to any more football games after the incident.

Victim 6

-Got to know Victim 5 after meeting Sandusky when he was seven or eight (1994-95).

-Member of Second Mile program.

-Was often left with other boys near Holuba Hall to throw a football around before Sandusky returned to take them to tailgate party and Penn State game.

-Invited to work out with Sandusky, who took him to locker rooms next to Holuba Hall (same as those mentioned by Victim 5).

-Despite not breaking a sweat, Sandusky encouraged him to shower anyway. The victim attempted to remain “some distance away” from him, but Sandusky eventually approached him and delivered a bear hug.

-Didn't report any sexual acts, but called the entire shower “awkward.”

-Identical circumstances were discovered with another boy, listed in the report simply as “B.K.” He could not be subpoenaed because he is serving in the military outside of the country.

-Victim 6's mother contacted Sandusky after being told about the shower and reported the incident to University Police. After an investigation, there were no criminal charges filed.

-Sandusky refused to tell Victim 6's mother he wouldn't shower with boys again.

Victim 7

-First met Sandusky through Second Mile program in 1994 at age 10.

-Interacted with “B.K.” and other boys that had become close to Sandusky.

-Was subjected to back-cracking, bear hugs and, during car rides, a hand on his thigh.

-Exercised and showered with Sandusky in the same East Area locker rooms as other boys, but has a “blurry memory” of the encounters once in the shower.

-Told Grand Jury that Sandusky didn't touch his “private parts” because the victim always resisted.

-Even though he received calls from Sandusky and his family during ongoing investigation, he did not return them.

Victim 8

-Janitor James Calhoun witnessed a young boy being pinned up against a wall and forced into oral sex by Sandusky in 2000.

-The boy was estimated to be around 12 years old by Ronald Petrosky, who was also working at the Lasch Building that night.

-Petrosky said he waited until the pair left before cleaning the showers. He also said they left holding hands.

-Petrosky said an obviously shaken up Calhoun approached him and said he'd “fought in the [Korean War]....seen people with their guts blown out, arms dismembered...I just witnessed something in there I'll never forget.”

-Calhoun told his supervisor, Jay Witherite, about the incident. Witherite didn't report the encounter, but told Calhoun how he could go about doing so.

-Petrosky noticed Sandusky driving back and forth near the building throughout the night.

-Calhoun is now suffering from dementia and lives in a nursing home, so he was unable to provide a report.

-The identity of the final victim is not mentioned.

Common Theme: Basement Bedroom

Several of the victims mentioned spending nights in Sandusky's basement bedroom, which is a suspicious setup to begin with. Sandusky would allegedly get into bed with them and force them into compromising positions and begin cracking their backs or blowing on their stomachs.

In every case—whether it happened in the bedroom, shower or otherwise—Sandusky would initiate the contact and tended to carry it as far as the victim would allow him.

One phrase that was used throughout the report was “looking back on it as an adult,” and the victims would usually say the interactions were inappropriate for someone like Sandusky to be having with young boys.

Common Theme: Shared Showers

Sandusky's favorite technique, so to speak, was taking his victims to work out inside vacant locker rooms near Holuba Hall. After working out, he would then pressure them into a shower. It's a situation that made nearly all of them uncomfortable.

That would lead to most victims trying to shower at the furthest possible distance from Sandusky, only for him to coax them closer or approach them from behind.

It's a disturbing image to even think about, which makes it impossible to understand what these young boys were thinking as the fake wrestling started, followed by inappropriate touching. An extremely unfortunate situation, to say the least.

Common Theme: Second Mile

The most common theme of them all is Second Mile. It's an organization founded by Sandusky in 1977, and every victim that was successfully identified and talked with met the former Penn State coach during their time at his program.

Most often, the original encounter would come either during their second year or while attending a camp at Penn State. He would then take them to sporting events and pepper them with gifts in an attempt to gain their trust. Sadly, they didn't know any better at such a young age.

Second Mile released a statement on its website after the scandal erupted:

"

The newly released details and the breadth of the allegations from the Attorney General’s office bring shock, sadness and concern from The Second Mile organization. Our prayers, care and compassion go out to all impacted. (…)

At no time was The Second Mile made aware of the very serious allegations contained in the Grand Jury report.

"

If any, or all, of the allegations made in the Grand Jury report are true, Sandusky should be ashamed that he used a program aiming to help troubled youths in such an outrageous manner. After reading the entire report, it's painfully obvious why Penn State is having to endure so much turmoil.

Something like this should have never happened.