Sandusky Jurors Start Deliberating

Eight days, 10 alleged victims and 48 counts. Jurors in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse trial are now deliberating his fate

Eight days, 10 alleged victims and 48 counts. Jurors in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse trial are now deliberating his fate.

They jury will be sequestered at a local hotel while they consider Sanduksy's fate. They are not allowed to talk about the trial outside of their formal deliberations inside the courtroom.

Judge John Cleland instructed jurors on their responsibilities. According to the OnwardState blog coverage, he told them, "It is not necessarily a crime for an adult to touch a child...It's not necessarily a crime for a man to shower with a boy, or to engage in back rubbing. . .You may think he exhibited poor judgment. Poor judgment in in and of itself does not result in criminality." Cleland reminded jurors that defendants are presumed innocent.

When the former Penn State assistant football coach went on trial, he faced 52 counts related to accusations that he sexually abused 10 boys over a 15-year period of time. One count was dropped early in the trial and three more counts were dropped today due to redundancy, according to OnwardState.com. So jurors are tasked now with reaching verdicts on 48 counts.

The biggest development on Day 8 of the trial came before court even began, when NBC News reported that, according to their sources, the reason Jerry Sandusky did not not take the stand in his own defense on Wednesday was because one of his adopted sons, Matt Sandusky, was prepared to testify against him.

In closing arguments, Joe Amendola told jurors Jerry Sandusky was a victim -- a man victimized by investigators, lawyers and accusers with financial motives.

Prosecutors called Sandusky a serial predator.

Contact Us