Family of former PSU heralded football coach Joe Paterno, announced plans of instigating a probe of their own in light of last week's release of FBI investigation reports implicating Paterno as a pivotal player in the cover-up of the Sandusky child sex-abuse scandal.
The report which was released last week by former FBI director Louis Freeh revealed that Paterno was among the top university officials who insisted on covering up various incidents of child sex-abuse perpetrated by then assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.
The family of the deceased Paterno, claim that the reports falsely accuse the once beloved coach. In a statement released by the family they say, "We are dismayed by, and vehemently disagree with, some of the conclusions and assertions and the process by which they were developed...Mr. Freeh presented his opinions and interpretations as if they were absolute facts," as reported by the Philly.com.
The F.B.I. reports, better known by the name of its architect Freeh, revealed top university officials having "total disregard" for the victims in the Jerry Sandusky, former Penn State University's football coach convicted of child sex-abuse case,. The reports were drawn after Freeh's seven month investigation, numerous interviews and review of over a couple million documents.
"Our most saddening and sobering finding is the total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims by the most senior leaders at Penn State...The most powerful men at Penn State failed to take any steps for 14 years to protect the children who Sandusky victimized" Said Freeh in his report as posted by The New York Times.
The 267 page report was formed over seven months of investigation, more than 400 interviews, and a review of over 3.5 million documents. The report does in fact implicate the University President Graham Spanier, Vice President Gary Schultz, Athletic Director Tim Curley as well as the deceased head football coach Joe Paterno as actively and consciously trying to hide the events and protect Sandusky.
The most powerful PSU officials "repeatedly concealed critical facts relating to Sandusky's child abuse from the authorities, the board of trustees, the Penn State community and the public at large," according the New York Times.
The University has called upon victims to resolve claims and prevent inevitable civil lawsuits.
Sandusky, 68, is currently in Centre County prison awaiting his sentencing, which is scheduled to be held in about 90 days. He could face a maximum sentence of 373 years.
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 ten young boys over a span of 15 years.
