The family of late Penn State University Head football coach, Joe Paterno released a statement denying any involvement of the deceased in the cover-up of the Jerry Sandusky child abuse incidences.
Over the weekend, emails in the Sandusky child-sex abuse case between Penn State University president, vice president and athletic director were released revealing that the top university officials were involved in a Sandusky cover-up.
The emails show that the university president Graham Spanier, vice president Gary Schultz and athletic director, Tim Curley, exchanged emails about "the subject" and the "incident," without specifically mentioning the former assistant football coach, but mentioning his charity organization, Second Mile. The emails were sent almost two weeks after Mike McQueary, the prosecutor's star witness in the case, reported seeing Sandusky in the shower with a boy.
The emails also indicate that the late P.S.U football coach, Joe Paterno, was informed of the incident and insisted on a cover-up.
One part of the email as released on the Atlantic Wire between Curley and Spanier reveals, "(after talking to Joe Paterno) ....I would be more comfortable meeting with the person... Tell him the information we received... and tell him we are aware of the first situation."
Wick Sollers, the Paterno family lawyer released a statement to statecollege.com denying any allegations that the former head coach knew or tried to cover-up any such incident. "From the beginning, Joe Paterno warned against a rush to judgment in this case. Coach Paterno testified truthfully, to the best of his recollection, in the one brief appearance he made before the Grand Jury," as reported by the website.
Sollers said that Paterno could not have possibly known of the emails since he never used email.
Joe Paterno died in January 2012, and the three others were fired from the university. However, Schultz and Curley can face perjury charges for lying to a jury, since both men admitted to not knowing of any such incidence during their testimonies in the Sandusky trial.
Sandusky, 68, is currently in Centre County prison awaiting his sentencing, which is scheduled to be held in about 90 days.
Last month a jury of seven women and five men found the 68 year-old guilty of 45 out of the 48 counts against him for sexual abuse of eight victims over a span of 15 years.
