06-17-2012, 03:51 PM
As we are all waiting for the trial to resume on Monday, I found an excellent article from CNN detailing the witnesses ages, basic testimony and background of the allegations.
The Sandusky 8
First I have heard of this:
At Penn State, they found 20 boxes marked "Sandusky" in a storage area. In his home, photographs and other documentation also led to the witnesses who testified at the trial. The evidence includes lists of Second Mile campers with asterisks by their names.
It quickly became clear that two witnesses, Nos. 1 and 4, were special to Sandusky. They appeared with him in dozens of photos.
In their testimony, both described Sandusky's behavior as they grew up and tried to pull out of his orbit. He seemed to become clingy, acting like an adolescent going through a painful breakup.
When No. 1 tried to distance himself, Sandusky became demanding. He yelled at the boy, scaring him, but eventually, "he got the gist," No. 1 testified.
He was annoyed that Sandusky, a volunteer coach as his high school, called him out of class for one-on-one meetings, sending the wrong message that he was a troublemaker. He said he stopped playing football "because I didn't want to see him anymore."
No. 4 also testified that Sandusky grew clingy when he tried to pull away.
"I started to get older, got a girlfriend and was sick of what was happening to me," No. 4 explained. He avoided Sandusky's phone calls and hid in the closet when he stopped by.
"At first he called more," No. 4 said. "He wasn't happy. That's basically how it ended."
Both witnesses said Sandusky claimed the boys has used him.
No. 4 read excerpts from a letters Sandusky sent, which he called "creepy love letters."
In one, Sandusky wrote: "I know that I have made my share of mistakes. However, I hope that I will be able to say that I cared. There has been love in my heart. My wish is that you care and have love in your heart. Love never ends. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things."
No. 4 also signed a series of bogus Second Mile performance contracts, which promised spending money if he did such things as work out and get good grades in school. He said the agreements seemed designed to guarantee he'd spend more time with Sandusky as the relationship cooled in 2000. He added that he signed them "to shut him up."
In the Penn State storage area, investigators found a typed draft of a story prosecutors say Sandusky wrote. In it, Sandusky appears to be pleading with the young man:
"Very few people know about this story, and I guess even fewer care. [No. 4] comes along, and he and Jer seem to enjoy the same experiences. They loved singing, laughing, just being themselves. Jer became attached to [No. 4], and always will be. Times were not always perfect. There were ups and downs. No matter what, there was a connection that would always last through difficult times. Life is far from perfect at this stage. Some things have come into [No. 4's] life that appear to have taken him over. For Jer, it has seemed a dark cloud. Inch by inch, the cloud has taken over. This cloud has destroyed soccer and hockey, choked smiles and laughter. Jer believes there will always be something special inside [No.4]. Jer would love to have the good times back. Jer may not be worthy, but he needs a 'best friend.' It doesn't look real good. The story will end the way [No. 4] wants it. Jer wants to be there to the end, but that's [No. 4's] call. If [No.4] ever needs him, he'll come. Jer will not forget, and always care."
As for No. 4, he testified that he put up with the groping and the sex and the neediness for years because he enjoyed the perks.
"I kind of looked at Jerry as a father figure," he said, "and I felt cool because I'm getting nice things out of it. I didn't want to lose that. I thought of myself as one of the cool kids at school. And I don't really want to admit that it's happening. I've spent so many years burying this in the back of my head."
But now, he wishes he'd come forward.
This is really sad, the kid blames himself for what Jerry did after he disengaged from Jerry.
"I found out this has happened over and over and over again, forever, and I feel if I had just said something back then, this wouldn't have happened to them," he said.
"So I feel responsible for other victims."
The Sandusky 8
First I have heard of this:
At Penn State, they found 20 boxes marked "Sandusky" in a storage area. In his home, photographs and other documentation also led to the witnesses who testified at the trial. The evidence includes lists of Second Mile campers with asterisks by their names.
It quickly became clear that two witnesses, Nos. 1 and 4, were special to Sandusky. They appeared with him in dozens of photos.
In their testimony, both described Sandusky's behavior as they grew up and tried to pull out of his orbit. He seemed to become clingy, acting like an adolescent going through a painful breakup.
When No. 1 tried to distance himself, Sandusky became demanding. He yelled at the boy, scaring him, but eventually, "he got the gist," No. 1 testified.
He was annoyed that Sandusky, a volunteer coach as his high school, called him out of class for one-on-one meetings, sending the wrong message that he was a troublemaker. He said he stopped playing football "because I didn't want to see him anymore."
No. 4 also testified that Sandusky grew clingy when he tried to pull away.
"I started to get older, got a girlfriend and was sick of what was happening to me," No. 4 explained. He avoided Sandusky's phone calls and hid in the closet when he stopped by.
"At first he called more," No. 4 said. "He wasn't happy. That's basically how it ended."
Both witnesses said Sandusky claimed the boys has used him.
No. 4 read excerpts from a letters Sandusky sent, which he called "creepy love letters."
In one, Sandusky wrote: "I know that I have made my share of mistakes. However, I hope that I will be able to say that I cared. There has been love in my heart. My wish is that you care and have love in your heart. Love never ends. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things."
No. 4 also signed a series of bogus Second Mile performance contracts, which promised spending money if he did such things as work out and get good grades in school. He said the agreements seemed designed to guarantee he'd spend more time with Sandusky as the relationship cooled in 2000. He added that he signed them "to shut him up."
In the Penn State storage area, investigators found a typed draft of a story prosecutors say Sandusky wrote. In it, Sandusky appears to be pleading with the young man:
"Very few people know about this story, and I guess even fewer care. [No. 4] comes along, and he and Jer seem to enjoy the same experiences. They loved singing, laughing, just being themselves. Jer became attached to [No. 4], and always will be. Times were not always perfect. There were ups and downs. No matter what, there was a connection that would always last through difficult times. Life is far from perfect at this stage. Some things have come into [No. 4's] life that appear to have taken him over. For Jer, it has seemed a dark cloud. Inch by inch, the cloud has taken over. This cloud has destroyed soccer and hockey, choked smiles and laughter. Jer believes there will always be something special inside [No.4]. Jer would love to have the good times back. Jer may not be worthy, but he needs a 'best friend.' It doesn't look real good. The story will end the way [No. 4] wants it. Jer wants to be there to the end, but that's [No. 4's] call. If [No.4] ever needs him, he'll come. Jer will not forget, and always care."
As for No. 4, he testified that he put up with the groping and the sex and the neediness for years because he enjoyed the perks.
"I kind of looked at Jerry as a father figure," he said, "and I felt cool because I'm getting nice things out of it. I didn't want to lose that. I thought of myself as one of the cool kids at school. And I don't really want to admit that it's happening. I've spent so many years burying this in the back of my head."
But now, he wishes he'd come forward.
This is really sad, the kid blames himself for what Jerry did after he disengaged from Jerry.
"I found out this has happened over and over and over again, forever, and I feel if I had just said something back then, this wouldn't have happened to them," he said.
"So I feel responsible for other victims."