• Judge orders new sentencing for disgraced ex-Penn State assistant Sandu

    From Your Democrats@21:1/5 to All on Sun Dec 29 10:41:29 2019
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    HARRISBURG, Pa. – Jerry Sandusky lost a bid for a new trial
    Tuesday, but a Pennsylvania appeals court ordered him to be
    resentenced for a 45-count child molestation conviction.

    The former Penn State assistant football coach was sentenced in
    2012 to 30 to 60 years, but a Superior Court panel said that
    included the improper application of mandatory minimums.

    In a 119-page opinion, the appeals panel struck down argument
    after argument that lawyers for Sandusky, 75, had made in
    seeking a new trial.

    His defense lawyer, Al Lindsay, said he was disappointed but
    will ask the state's highest court to reconsider.

    Lindsay said he was unsure if the new sentencing is likely to
    result in a substantially different sentence.

    "I suppose it depends on the judge and what happens before the
    sentencing and after the sentencing," Lindsay said. He called
    the case "one of the most profound injustices in the history of
    American jurisprudence."

    The state attorney general's office said it was pleased that
    Sandusky's convictions remained intact.

    "The Superior Court has agreed with our office that it was
    proper for the court below to reject Sandusky's claims," said
    Joe Grace, a spokesman for the prosecutors. "We look forward to
    appearing for the new sentencing proceedings and arguing to the
    court as to why this convicted sex offender should remain behind
    bars for a long time."

    Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo, a veteran
    prosecutor not involved in the Sandusky case, said the county
    judge will have a lot of discretion, up to the statutory
    maximum, when the resentencing occurs. He was unsure how the
    sentence will be affected.

    "It may very well result in a lesser aggregate, but not
    necessarily," Chardo said. "It remains to be seen."

    Sandusky had filed an ambitious appeal that argued a range of
    flaws occurred in the investigation, trial and sentencing, but
    the three-judge appeals ruled against all of them before
    granting him a new sentencing hearing.

    Among his claims were that his lawyers should have kept him from
    giving a TV interview after his arrest, that his failure to
    testify was cited by a prosecutor and that prosecutors should
    have disclosed information about changes to victims' stories
    before trial.

    Victims testified at his trial that Sandusky subjected them to a
    range of abuse, from grooming to violent sexual attacks.
    Sandusky has consistently maintained his innocence.

    Lindsay said Sandusky asked him to release a statement vowing to
    "not rest until the public understands what has happened and
    decision-makers acknowledge the injustice."

    "It's time to unmask those who have been deceitful and
    dishonest," the statement read. "It's time to expose those who
    have hidden personal agendas. Now is the time to present the
    'real scandal' and all the damage that has been done. What has
    happened is a travesty. What will happen will be our legacy."

    Sandusky's arrest led the university to push out Hall of Fame
    head coach Joe Paterno and then-university president Graham
    Spanier.

    Penn State has paid more than $100 million to settle claims from
    about three dozen people who alleged Sandusky had abused them
    and made a host of changes to its policies and procedures. The
    Sandusky scandal also resulted in a change to state laws that
    protect abused children.

    Spanier and two other retired Penn State administrators, vice
    president Gary Schultz and athletic director Tim Curley, were
    convicted last year of child endangerment for failing to notify
    authorities in 2001 of a complaint about Sandusky and a boy in a
    team shower. Spanier has an appeal pending before the state
    Supreme Court.

    https://www.foxnews.com/us/judge-orders-new-sentencing-for- disgraced-ex-penn-state-assistant-sandusky
     

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