Did Former Penn State President OK Sandusky Cover-Up?
- Posted on June 30, 2012 at 6:18pm by
Madeleine Morgenstern
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CNN says it has seen emails showing then-Penn State president Graham Spanier agreed not to take allegations of sex abuse against Sandusky to authorities but worried they'd be "vulnerable" for failing to report it.
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Emails show Penn State’s former president Graham Spanier agreed not to take allegations of sex abuse against ex-assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky to authorities but worried university officials would be “vulnerable” for failing to report it, a news organization has reported.
CNN says the emails, first obtained by and reported on by NBC, followed a graduate assistant’s 2001 report of seeing Sandusky sexually assaulting a boy in a team locker room shower.
The emails show athletic director Tim Curley and retired vice president Gary Schultz intended to report the allegation, then reconsidered. Spanier responded that he was “supportive” of their plan, but he worried they might “become vulnerable for not having reported it.”
Sandusky was convicted this month of 45 counts of sexually abusing 10 boys. The scandal led to the ouster of Spanier and revered coach Joe Paterno and charges against Curley and Schultz, who are accused of perjury for their grand jury testimony and failing to properly report suspected child abuse. Spanier hasn’t been charged.
The CNN report cites an email from Schultz to Curley on Feb. 26, 2001, 16 days after graduate assistant Mike McQueary told veteran coach Joe Paterno about the shower assault. Schultz suggests bringing the allegation to the attention of Sandusky, Sandusky’s charity and the Department of Welfare, which investigates suspected child abuse, according to the report.
But the next night, Curley sent an email to Spanier, saying that after thinking about it more and talking to Paterno, he was “uncomfortable” with that plan and wanted to work with Sandusky before contacting authorities, the report said.
Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky leaves in custody after being found guilty of multiple charges of child sexual abuse earlier this month. (AP)
If Sandusky is cooperative, Curley’s email said, “we would work with him. …. If not, we do not have a choice and will inform the two groups,” according to the report.
Spanier wrote back and agreed with that approach, calling it “humane and a reasonable way to proceed,” according to the report. But he also worried about the consequences.
“The only downside for us is if message isn’t `heard’ and acted upon and we then become vulnerable for not having reported it, but that can be assessed down the road,” the email said, according to CNN.
Spanier‘s attorney didn’t immediately return a call from The Associated Press seeking comment Saturday.
Schultz and Curley’s lawyers on Saturday echoed recent comments by Gov. Tom Corbett about the need for a solid case before charging Sandusky. Corbett began the investigation in 2009 when he was attorney general.
“For Curley, Schultz, Spanier and Paterno, the responsible and `humane’ thing to do was, like Governor Corbett, to carefully and responsibly assess the best way to handle vague, but troubling allegations,” the lawyers said. “Faced with tough situations, good people try to do their best to make the right decisions.”
Paterno, ousted by the school’s board of trustees for what was called his “failure of leadership” surrounding allegations against Sandusky, died of lung cancer in January. After Sandusky’s arrest, Paterno said through a spokesman that he reported the allegation to the head of his department and “that was the last time the matter was brought to my attention until this investigation and I assumed that the men I referred it to handled the matter appropriately.”
Schultz, 62, and Curley, 58, deny the allegations and have asked a judge to dismiss the charges. A status conference for their case is scheduled for July 11.
Spanier sued Penn State in May to try to get copies of his email traffic from 1998 to 2004, citing the pending investigation being conducted on the university by former FBI director Louis Freeh. Two weeks ago, lawyers for Penn State asked a judge to throw out the lawsuit and said the attorney general’s office, which is prosecuting Curley and Schultz, had asked them not to provide Spanier with the emails.
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407west
Posted on July 1, 2012 at 10:18amThe Second Mile President made $132,923 for 09, for 08 $130,846 and another employee made $100,580 another non-profit in the name of the UNDERPRIVLEDGED,
Report Post »407west
Posted on July 1, 2012 at 9:46amLook the boy’s at the top knew and chose to look the other way! The beloved football team was raking in the big bucks-hence BIG FAT RAISES FOR THE BOYS AT THE TOP. Prison time and strip them of their pensions and everything they acquired, and JoPa’s wife needs to feel the pain. He was the old kook who stayed to long at the party. The tuition has to climb yearly to keep these people at the top in their fancy lifestyle everything paid for by the youth. Car allowances, long term care, housing etc….
Report Post »GREED and more GREED, the good old boys club. Screw the kids in more ways than one. Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania“ Attn payroll Dept”
gross receipts 2010 $9,279,806,917 yet another NON-PROFIT in the name of the “POOR” used,
EXEMPT FROM INCOME TAX—— one CEO hauls in $2,117,163 just one of the many making booku bucks, stop the government handouts to these overpaid do gooders
servant100
Posted on July 1, 2012 at 8:57amAdd your comments
Report Post »sempek1
Posted on July 1, 2012 at 7:36amLet this be a lesson to all people in education, whether university or elementary level. It can happen anywhere. These people (Sandusky) are masters at choosing the vulnerable and taking advantage of them. They know the language and are fantastic actors — until they get caught. Spanier, Curley, Schultz, Paterno are equally at fault and culpable since their allegiance was to Penn State and not defenseless children. Also, what about the board of the Second Mile charity??? Where was their oversight? How can they be deemed innocent?
Report Post »Cemoto78
Posted on July 1, 2012 at 7:48amAnd these people believe they are well educated leaders. They are just as guilty as Sandusky for they were accomplices for future acts performed by this perv. To think these upstanding citizens would put a stupid school name in front of the lives of so many young children. They should be sharing a cell with Sandusky.
Report Post »SHOWMESTATEGUY
Posted on July 1, 2012 at 4:02amSpanier says, let him have his fun, the football program here makes a lot of money and pays my salary.
But keep him away from my boy.
Report Post »cliffchism
Posted on July 1, 2012 at 12:00am“CNN says the emails, first obtained by and reported on by NBC”
If true, he should be brought up on charges. But, given NBC’s past history, am I wrong to wonder if the emails have been doctored or selectively edited?
Report Post »MeteoricLimbo
Posted on July 1, 2012 at 12:53amThe old adage Fool me once comes to mind.
Report Post »phrogdriver
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 11:12pmThe real significance of this is that while an employer is normally held accountable for the negligence of an employee, they are not normallyy responsible for an intentional torts committed by an employee. The exception is when the employer has notice that the employee will commit the tort. Penn State wll be responsible for any rape he committed on campus property aftr 2001 and the victims will be awarded punitive damages from the University.
Report Post »RayOne
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 10:01pmThis President should sign the Valor Act from Congress.
Report Post »teddysswimcoach
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 9:17pmI suspect that Sandusky, Spanier and Paterno will all be reunited in Hell!
Report Post »MRMANN
Posted on July 1, 2012 at 4:47amGood one!!
Report Post »lillymckim
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 9:03pmPenn State just open up your check book and keep it open….
Report Post »KangarooJack
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 9:01pmThis is NO different than The Catholic Church downplaying and shifting abusers around. I have no doubt that top officials KNEW something wasn’t right. Yet, they did nothing-why??? To protect THEIR interests.
Report Post »THIS IS WHERE PARENTS COME IN. Parents are you listening?? NO ONE ELSE IS GOING TO PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN. IT IS UP TO YOU TO PROTECT THEM. It is not up to the gov’t to KNOW where your kids are. It’s not up to anyone else but YOU to vett/check out the people your kids are around. THIS GOES FOR ALL THOSE A@@HOLE WOMEN WHO MOVE BOYFRIEND AFTER BOYFRIEND IN TO THEIR KIDS LIVES/HOMES!!
Sorry, this entire situation just pizzes me off. The guy who walked into the shower room SAW a little boy being raped by this CREATURE and then WALKED AWAY??????????? I‘d LOVE to have a little ’talk’ with him~
wingnut1955
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 8:45pmWhat amazed me was that not one of these people was concerned about the boy who was attacked. The guy that saw it didn’t try to stop it, but just reported it. Those who received the report were concerned about the school. Not one supposed adult was in anyway concerned about the boy. What does that say about the school? Parents that send their children to Penn State should be aware of how unconcerned the school and it‘s administrators about the safety of it’s students.
Report Post »LameLiberals
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 8:20pmThis is a local story blown out of proportion. He is convicted – END OF STORY except for greedy lawyers and so-called victims suing the college.
The country is losing the republic – who cares about this.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 8:32pmSpoken like a true pedophile…You know the TSA is hiring…
Report Post »phrogdriver
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 11:04pmIf keeping the republic means ignoring child rape, I’ll pass.
But somehow I think we can do both. And if we can’t, we don’t deserve a republic anyway.
Report Post »Scott Archer
Posted on July 1, 2012 at 10:44amThe bigger problems are here because we let the little ones slide.
Report Post »theblazerunner
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 8:18pma lot of slimes were complicit…
Report Post »GJPinks
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 7:49pmFirst, I am not defending the way this was handled, but keep in mind, it is a nationwide policy to not report and downplay all sexual attacks.
Report Post »Baddoggy
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 7:30pmI said it a long time ago. they needed to prosecute more than Sandusky on this. The cover up was always there and there are people with blood on their hands that need to be punished. But heck i want Congressmen tried for treason, so what do i know….
Report Post »progressiveslayer
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 7:43pmIn a perfect world all the pedophiles and those who covered it up would be dead and the traitors in congress would be in prison.
Report Post »RJJinGadsden
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 7:28pmAt least it looks as though more will fall as this investigation continues.
Report Post »MRMANN
Posted on July 2, 2012 at 4:05amLet’s hope so.
Report Post »lassiegirldawn
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 6:50pmThere needs to be a message sent and these guys need to go to prison for the rats that they are. The school should have their sports team suspended for at least two years, why would a good player want to play for such evil.
Report Post »tommyr
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 10:17pmSo LassieGirl, which sports team should be punished? Football? Soccer? Hockey? Yeah, that makes sense because all those kids are guilty of something, right? What exactly are they guilty of? Hey, close down the women’s basketball team. Those juniors and seniors don’t deserve any of what you suggest.
Sandusky is in jail, and if the emails are true, Spanier, Curley and the other idiot are probably going to jail as well. It is the admin that failed here. The school will end up paying a fortune in damages. Maybe they should just close the school according to you logic. Do you have any idea how foolish is your post?
Report Post »WilkowonGBTV
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 11:09pm@lassiegirldawn How could you live in a country where the government allowed slavery? Would any good person pay taxes to such an evil government? The Catholic church has had alot of evil in it. Would any good person worship God with such evil?
Report Post »Tankertony
Posted on June 30, 2012 at 6:29pmThis POS should join the monster in the 6‘ X 10’.
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