Why would we want to hear anything from this man? Why would we believe ANYTHING this man says?
The ONLY thing that would be worthy of an interview would be a full taped confession and apology for the young men he so brutally raped.
I closed my eyes and pictured the young man I saw testify last Tuesday. Victim #1-the first one to speak out. The skinny kid from the wrong side of the tracks who did what so many large and powerful people had failed to do-he stopped the monster.
((Descriptions may be triggering))
I remember his haunting eyes, how small he looked on the witness stand, the way his body shook with sobs as he told the packed courtroom how he was abused, how he hid underneath the pool table and in closets, trying to get away. How he finally told a school counselor, but they didn't believe him.
Count 1: Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
Guilty.
Count 2: Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
Guilty.
Count 3: Indecent assault
Guilty.
Count 4: Unlawful contact with minors
Guilty.
Count 5: Corruption of minors
Guilty.
Count 6: Endangering welfare of children
Guilty, as a course of conduct
I let out my breath, which I had been holding the whole time. Guilty, I thought. He's going to prison. Now it's just a question of how long.
And with each subsequent count that was read, I closed my eyes and pictured the victim it applied to.
Victim #2-The little boy who was pinned against the wall of the shower, being raped by Jerry Sandusky. Who looked up and saw a man who was there to save him-"He looked up at me, like he was surprised to see me in there" Mike McQueary said. But then he walked away.
Count 7: Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
Not Guilty
Count 8: Indecent assault
Guilty.
Count 9: Unlawful contact with minors
Guilty.
Count 10: Corruption of minors
Guilty.
Count 11: Endangering welfare of children
Guilty, as a course of conduct.
Victim #3-The combat veteran who was mentored, then abused, and then abandoned by Jerry Sandusky when he became too old for his liking. "I'm mad" he said. "I'm enraged, I'm hurt ... he could just forget about me like I was nothing after I was sent away."
Count 12: Indecent assault
Guilty.
Count 13: Unlawful contact with minors
Guilty.
Count 14: Corruption of minors
Guilty.
Count 15: Endangering welfare of children
Guilty, as a course of conduct
Victim #4-The 28 year old man who was both a surrogate son and a victim of Jerry Sandusky. I pictured him as the investigators described him when they went to his home-curled up into the fetal position on the end of his couch.
Count 17: Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
Guilty.
Count 20: Indecent assault
Guilty.
Count 21: Unlawful contact with minors
Guilty.
Count 22: Corruption of minors
Guilty.
Count 23: Endangering welfare of children
Guilty.
Victim #5-The soft spoken young man, who cried-along with his family who were seated in the gallery-as he told the story of the one time he found himself alone with Jerry Sandusky. The terror he felt as he tried to get away from him. "I felt his body on my back. I kept lurching forward but I didn't have anywhere to go."
Count 24: Indecent assault
Not Guilty
Count 25: Unlawful contact with minors
Guilty.
Count 26: Corruption of minors
Guilty.
Count 27: Endangering welfare of children
Guilty, as a course of conduct.
Victim #6-The young man whose mother called University police in 1998 after her son came home with wet hair, who couldn't remember what happened to him after he was lifted into the shower head. Since he was in the courtroom, I looked at him when his verdict was read. He sat with his eyes closed, and appeared to be praying, silently.
Count 28: Indecent assault
Not Guilty
Count 29: Unlawful contact with minors
Guilty.
Count 30: Corruption of minors
Guilty.
Count 31: Endangering welfare of children
Guilty, as a course of conduct.
Victim #7-The young man who was tiny as a little boy-the size of an 8 year old when he was 12. The boy who resisted Sandusky's grooming, and then felt rejected and ostracized by him. I thought I had done something wrong, he said.
Count 32: Criminal attempt to commit indecent assault
Guilty
Count 34: Corruption of minors
Guilty
Count 35: Endangering welfare of children
Guilty, as a course of conduct.
Victim #8-The boy that a Penn State janitor saw being sexually abused in the shower by Jerry Sandusky. I saw him as I pictured him in my mind, as I heard the testimony of Ronald Petrosky. "I saw him take the little boys hand, and then the two of them walked away"
Count 36: Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
Guilty
Count 37: Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
Guilty.
Count 38: Unlawful contact with minors
Guilty.
Count 39: Corruption of minors
Guilty.
Count 40: Endangering welfare of children
Guilty, as a course of conduct.
Victim #9-The 18 year old boy who looked so young and vulnerable as he took the stand. Who said he screamed for help when he was getting raped in Jerry Sandusky's basement, but no one ever came. Who said that he bled after his attacks, but took care of it himself. He tried so hard to be tough and get through it alone.
Count 41: Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
Guilty
Count 42: Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
Guilty
Count 43: Indecent assault
Guilty
Count 44: Unlawful contact with minors
Guilty
Count 45: Corruption of minors
Guilty
Count 46: Endangering welfare of children
Guilty, as a course of conduct.
(I had been holding it together relatively well, but when this verdict came down I couldn't hold it in. I let out a choked sob that seemed to reverberate through the courtroom, much to my embarrassment.)
Victim #10-The foster kid who was told he would never see his family again if he didn't do what Jerry wanted. He went on to a life of crime, but then got his act together, got married, and is expecting his first child. I pictured him cradling his newborn in his arms, putting his mouth to his ear and whispering softly "I would never hurt you"
Count 47: Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
Guilty
Count 48: Involuntary deviate sexual intercourse
Guilty
Count 49: Indecent assault
Guilty
Count 50: Unlawful contact with minors
Guilty
Count 51: Corruption of minors
Guilty
Count 52: Endangering welfare of children
Guilty, as a course of conduct.
Guilty.
45 times, said with conviction. Each time, reverberating through the courtroom.
Of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse. Of indecent assault. Of unlawful contact. Of corruption of a minor. Of endangering the welfare of children.
Guilty.
Of preying on the most vulnerable-Children without fathers, in desolate little towns, in foster homes, trailer parks, public housing projects. Children who didn't think they would be heard or believed if they came forward. Each time that word was read, an affirmation.
Guilty.
We saw you.
Guilty.
We heard you.
Guilty.
We believed you.