Jerry Sandusky
Allegations of child sex abuse against Sandusky, 67, have rocked idyllic State College, Pa. — home of Penn State University and longtime head coach Joe Paterno, and nicknamed "Happy Valley" — and all of college sports. Sandusky, an assistant football coach at Penn State University for 33 years and founder of a charity that served at-risk youth, is facing over 50 counts of child sexual abuse from ten different accusers. Penn State first became aware of accusations against Sandusky in 1998: he apologized for showering with a boy, according to a grand jury indictment, and the district attorney declined to press charges. Sandusky retired after the 1999 season but was given emeritus status and access to University facilities. According to the grand jury, then-graduate assistant Mike McQueary testified that he saw Sandusky raping a boy in the Penn State showers in 2002: some version of the incident was reported to Penn State coach Joe Paterno, Yale president Graham Spanier, and two other Penn State administrators. No one passed along information to police, however, and Sandusky was just told not to bring any more children on campus. According to the grand jury, he continued abusing boys. Paterno and Spanier were fired: the two administrators, former athletic director Tim Curley and former senior vice president Gary Schultz, have been charged with perjury and failure to report (charges both deny). Sandusky has admitted to showering with boys, but has denied abuse claims.