Former Penn State football coach and accused child molester Jerry Sandusky waived his right to a preliminary hearing, sparing accusers of testifying in court against him.
The move means the case will go to trial. The 67-year-old was to appear in a courtroom in Bellefonte, Pa., this morning as eight of his accusers and several witnesses, including Mike McQueary, who has said he saw Sandusky assault a boy in 2002, testified.
Sandusky is charged with more than 50 counts of child sex abuse involving 10 boys over a span of 15 years.
Sandusky faces more than 50 charges stemming from what authorities say were sexual assaults over 15 years on 10 boys in his home, on Penn State property and elsewhere. The scandal has provoked strong criticism that Penn State officials didn't do enough to stop Sandusky, and prompted the departures of Hall of Fame football coach Joe Paterno and the school's longtime president, Graham Spanier.
Sandusky, 67, has said repeatedly that he is innocent and has vowed to fight the case. In interviews with NBC and The New York Times, he said he showered and horsed around with boys but never sexually abused them.
Sandusky, in a dark suit, entered the back door of the county courthouse Tuesday morning with his wife, Dottie, at his side. He looked straight ahead, ignoring questions from reporters. Defense attorney Joseph Amendola followed him into the courthouse.
About 50 members of the media awaited Sandusky's arrival. About 10 local residents were also on hand, a few of them waiting with cameras to take pictures.
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
As Penn State's longtime defensive coordinator, Sandusky was the one-time heir apparent to Paterno until Sandusky unexpectedly retired in 1999.
Sandusky is free on bail, but is subject to electronic monitoring and the equivalent of house arrest. He also can have no contact with victims or witnesses and have no unsupervised contact with minors.
