Penn State Football Coach Jerry Sandusky Faces Abuse Charges

Penn State Football Coach Jerry Sandusky Faces Abuse Charges

Woe continues on for Penn State Football coach Jerry Sandusky.  Only hours after he underwent the sex abuse trial, the coach’s adopted son, Matt Sandusky, revealed that he had been “a victim of Jerry Sandusky’s abuse” too and offered to testify against his adoptive father.

It is not clear whether prosecutors were going to put Matt on the stand. But NBC reports that Jerry Sandusky's defense team decided against having the former coach testify on his own behalf after they learned that prosecutors planned to call a new witness — believed to be Matt Sandusky.

Earlier on Thursday, the jury, composed of five men and seven women, started their deliberations on the 48 charges levied against Sundusky. The jurors heard both Jerry Sandusky's defense attorney and the lead prosecutor in the case deliver pointed closing arguments.

Defense attorney Joe Amendola described the former coach as a man victimized by over-aggressive cops, social works and even the victim of the media.  Deputy Attorney General Joseph E. McGettigan III, in response, dismissed the idea that Jerry Sandusky was targeted by anyone.

"It's not about conspiracies, it's not about time-travel conspiracies, it's not about people making financial fortunes," McGettigan said. "… It collapses under itself."

The explosive announcement that Matt Sandusky had offered to testify came following the release of a statement from lawyers Justine Andronici and Andrew Shubin, who represent two alleged victims of Jerry Sandusky.

"During the trial, Matt Sandusky contacted us and requested our advice and assistance in arranging a meeting with prosecutors to disclose for the first time in this case that he is a victim of Jerry Sandusky's abuse," the statement reads. "At Matt's request, we immediately arranged a meeting between him and the prosecutors and investigators."

The statement continued: "This has been an extremely painful experience for Matt and he has asked us to convey his request that the media respect his privacy."

Posted by James Fried on Sunday June 24 2012, 3:37 AM EST. Ref: CNN. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, World. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0