Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Jerry Sandusky’s latest appeal process is underway. Sandusky was not at the meeting in the Centre County Courthouse, where Judge John Cleland, met with the convicted child molester’s new lawyer, along with prosecutors. Cleland gave the new lawyer until early May to revise what’s already been submitted to the court for this appeal. Prosecutors will then have 30 days to respond. They also discussed how much of the original grand jury testimony can be used in the appeal. Much of it has remained sealed by a 2012 court order. Sandusky has been jailed since June 2012 when he was convicted on 45 child sex-abuse charges. He could be behind bars for up to 60 years. Pictured, Judge John Cleland The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Judge John Cleland will meet later this month with Jerry Sandusky’s lawyer and prosecutors about the former Penn State assistant football coach’s latest appeal. The April 22 meeting in Bellefonte will address the schedule for the proceedings. Sandusky’s lawyer filed a Post-Conviction Relief Act appeal last week, but it’s under seal and Cleland is keeping it that way for now. Last year, the state Supreme Court declined to review Sandusky’s 2012 conviction on child sex abuse charges. Sandusky is serving a sentence of 30 to 60 years in state prison. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

McKean County Senior Judge John Cleland has been appointed to preside over a libel suit brought by state Supreme Court Justice Seamus McCaffery and his wife, five days after the co-owners of Philadelphia's two major newspapers won a bid to recuse the entire Philadelphia bench. The Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts recommended Cleland, who was later approved by Supreme Court Justice Thomas G. Saylor. Cleland presided over the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse trial and was also chairman of the Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice that looked into the Kids for Cash scandal in Luzerne County. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The Mount Jewett couple accused of punishing their three adopted children by withholding meals from them will spend some time in McKean County Jail. Mark Hooper, who turns 44 on Saturday, and who is pastor of the Cobb Street Baptist Church in Johnsonburg, has been sentenced to six months in jail. His wife 41-year-old Susan has been sentenced to nine to 18 months in jail. A state police investigation started when the youngest child ran away from home in February of last year. The children range in age from 9 to 11. The Hoopers pleaded no contest in December. Senior Judge John Cleland also ordered that the couple pay more than $57,000 in restitution to McKean County Children and Youth Services. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Senior Judge John M. Cleland, who has earned a reputation in the region and throughout Pennsylvania for his unwavering fairness and strong commitment to juvenile justice during his 30 years on bench, will address the graduating class at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford in April. Cleland, who is also a member and past chairman of the university’s Advisory Board and a Kane native, will deliver the keynote address during commencement exercises Sunday, April 27, in the KOA Arena in the Richard E. and Ruth McDowell Sport and Fitness Center. “It is a distinct honor for our university to have John Cleland address our graduates, particularly during this milestone year as we celebrate our 50th anniversary,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, Pitt-Bradford’s president. “Though he is well-respected throughout Pennsylvania, he has never forgotten his small-town roots, which will enable him to offer practical and valuable advice to our graduates and their families.” ...

The state attorney general’s office says there’s no reason the state Supreme Court should consider an appeal of Jerry Sandusky’s child sex abuse convictions. Kathleen Kane’s office filed papers saying that in his request "Sandusky nowhere argues that there are special and important reasons for allowance of appeal, much less identify such reasons or explain their importance. Rather, he simply argues the merits of each of the issues that he raised before the Superior Court without explaining why this court should address those issues." Sandusky argues that his lawyers were rushed to trial, prosecutors improperly referred to his decision not to testify, and that Judge John Cleland made a mistake by telling the jury to weigh evidence of his good character against all other evidence in the case. The 69-year-old former Penn State assistant football coach is serving the second year of a 30- to 60-year state prison sentence. You can read the prosecutors' 28-page brief here . ...

A state appeals court has ruled that Jerry Sandusky should not get a new trial on charges that he sexually abused 10 boys while he was an assistant football coach at Penn State. Sandusky was convicted and sentenced last year to 30 to 60 years in state prison. His current lawyer argued that his trial lawyers didn’t have enough time to prepare, that a prosecutor made improper references to Sandusky not testifying in his own defense, and that Judge John Cleland mishandled jury instructions. Today’s decision by a three-judge Superior Court panel came just two weeks after they heard lawyers’ arguments. Sandusky’s lawyer says he plans to ask the state Supreme Court to review the case. You can read the decision here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

HARRISBURG — Chief Justice of Pennsylvania Ronald D. Castille today presented a final update on how the judiciary has addressed recommendations to bolster the state’s juvenile justice system after failures in Luzerne County led to the federal prosecution of two judges. The chief justice’s eight-page report outlines a statewide revamping of many court rules and practices taken by the court over the past three years. It was presented at the Juvenile Justice Academy held in Hershey. The Judicial Education Department of the AOPC hosted the first Juvenile Justice Academy as part of its spring symposium to familiarize juvenile court judges with the latest law, rules and practice of adjudicating young offenders. The faculty includes leading juvenile justice practitioners and legal experts. The changes outlined by the chief justice were based on a series of recommendations from the Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice, which was chaired by Supreme Court appointee Senior Judge Joh...

The lawyer handling Jerry Sandusky’s appeal for his conviction on 45 counts of child sex abuse has outlined the reasons he thinks the former Penn State assistant football coach deserves a new trial. In a document filed late this morning in Centre County, Norris Gelman says Judge John Cleland should have given Sandusky’s lawyers more time to prepare for trial and should have issued instructions to the jurors about the years that passed before the victims told anyone about the abuse. Gelman also says Cleland should not have admitted hearsay evidence about a shower attack witnessed by a Penn State janitor, and a prosecutor should not have referenced Sandusky’s interview with NBC's Bob Costas shortly after his arrest, in which it took him nearly 20 seconds to answer a direct question about whether he is sexually attracted to young boys. Sandusky is currently serving a 30- to 60-year state prison sentence. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will name its sport and fitness center in honor of President Emeritus Dr. Richard McDowell and his wife, Ruth. The University of Pittsburgh Board of Trustees approved the naming of the Dr. Richard and Ruth McDowell Sport and Fitness Center at its meeting today in Pittsburgh. The sport and fitness center opened in the fall of 2002 and includes the KOA Arena, the Kenneth M. Jadlowiec Fitness Center, an exercise studio, the Tom L. McDowell Fieldhouse (named in honor of McDowell’s father), the Paul C. Duke III Aquatic Center, offices, classrooms and athletic training facilities. “I am tremendously pleased that one of the most vibrant buildings on campus will carry the name of a vibrant leader,” said Dr. Livingston Alexander, Pitt-Bradford’s president. “Dr. McDowell’s unrelenting enthusiasm, optimism and dedication carried Pitt-Bradford into the 21st century, well poised for the national recognition we’re seeing...

Jerry Sandusky is appealing Judge John Cleland’s decision denying him a new trial. Last month, Cleland rejected arguments that defense attorneys didn't have enough time to prepare for the trial that ended in the former Penn State assistant football coach’s conviction on 45 charges of child sex abuse. Cleland also rejected post-sentencing motions regarding jury instructions and hearsay testimony. In documents filed Wednesday in Centre County Court, and released to the media today, Sandusky lawyer Joe Amendola did not say what issues he plans to argue in his appeal to the Superior Court. Sandusky is serving a 30- to 60-year state prison sentence. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Jerry Sandusky will not be getting a new trial. Judge John Cleland issued an order today denying Sandusky’s request. Sandusky’s lawyers had argued that Cleland did not give them enough time to prepare for the trial that ended with the former Penn State coach’s convictions on 45 counts of sexually abusing 10 boys. Cleland’s order says Sandusky’s lawyers conceded that their post-trial review turned up nothing that would have changed their trial strategy. Sandusky is serving a 30- to 60-year state prison sentence, but maintains his innocence. If they continue with the appeal process, the next step for his lawyers would be Superior Court. You can read Cleland's entire 27-page order here . PDF The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

HARRISBURG — The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania has adopted changes designed to speed the appellate review of cases where child offenders are placed outside their homes in court delinquency matters. The changes made to the state’s Appellate Court Procedural Rules make a significant difference in how quickly out-of-home placement cases are reviewed. Such cases are ones in which juveniles typically are sent to a detention center or residential facility. “Although the number of these types of cases may be relatively small, the rules that the Court adopted make our juvenile justice system stronger,” Chief Justice of Pennsylvania Ronald D. Castille said. “The rules should also help appellate courts identify specific instances of sentencing abuse by individual judges. These new rules should boost the confidence Pennsylvanians have in the courts that adjudicate juveniles.” Prompting the changes was a comprehensive report prepared by the Interbranch Commission on Juvenile Justice ...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has named five new members to its Advisory Board and reappointed 18 members. Newly elected to the board are Joseph B. Bower Jr., William W. Chapman ’86, John R. Foerstner ’79, Christopher L. Luke ’94 and Jeannine Schoenecker. Christopher Napoleon ’87-’88, president of the Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association, was appointed an ex officio member of the board, as were Katharine Pude, superintendent of the Bradford Area School District; Anne M. Kearney, superintendent of the St. Marys Area School District; and Matthew D. Splain, superintendent of the Otto-Eldred Area School District. New member Bower is president and chief executive officer of CNB Bank in Clearfield. He served in the U.S. Army for 13 years before becoming a public accountant. He worked with Mifflinburg Bank and Trust before moving in 1997 to CNB, where he was chief financial officer and chief operating officer before becoming president and CEO. ...

ABC TV has gotten clearance for access to pictures used as exhibits during the Jerry Sandusky trial. Judge John Cleland issued his order late this afternoon granting ABC permission to get copies of 15 pictures related to Victim 1, Aaron Fisher. ABC asked for the pictures last month as the network was producing a report on Fisher’s book, “Silent No More,” about his experiences with Sandusky. Cleland's order noted that prosecutors and Sandusky's lawyer were not opposed to the release, and that Fisher and his mother supported it. ABC must pay $10 per exhibit. Sandusky, the 68-year-old former Penn State assistant football coach, is serving a 30- to 60-year prison sentence for abusing Fisher and nine other boys over a period of 15 years. He maintains his innocence and is asking for his conviction to be overturned, or for a new trial. Arguments on those motions are scheduled for January 10.

Judge John Cleland today granted a request from Jerry Sandusky’s lawyers for an extension to file briefs in support of an effort to have his convictions on child sex abuse charges overturned, or be granted a new trial. Defense lawyers now have until December 14 to file their briefs. A hearing on the matter has been scheduled for January 10 in Bellefonte. Sandusky, who is serving a 30- to 60-year prison sentence, which is says is excessive, says hearsay evidence was improperly allowed during his trial and there wasn’t enough other evidence for convictions. His lawyer asked for the extension because lead appeals attorney Norris Gelman recently had a heart attack and open-heart surgery, and could not start work on the case until mid-October. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Jerry Sandusky's lawyers are asking for a couple more weeks to file briefs in support of his effort to have his convictions on child sex abuse charges overturned. Defense attorney Joe Amendola today asked Judge John Cleland for the extension, saying lead appeals lawyer Norris Gelman recently had a heart attack and open-heart surgery, and could not start work on the case until midi-October. Sandusky is serving a 30- to 60-year prison sentence, which he says is excessive. Sandusky also wants a new trial if the convictions are not overturned, saying hearsay evidence was improperly allowed and there wasn’t enough other evidence for convictions. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Jerry Sandusky has been moved to a prison that houses most of the state’s death row inmates. The convicted child molester was transferred to the Greene State Prison today after being evaluated at Camp Hill near Harrisburg. Prison officials say the 68-year-old former Penn State assistant football coach will be placed in protective custody because of his high profile and the nature of his crimes. Sandusky was convicted this summer of sexually abusing 10 boys over a period of 15 years. Earlier this month Judge John Cleland sentenced him to 30 to 60 years in state prison.

Penn State wants rehabilitate its reputation by trying to become a national leader in researching and preventing child abuse. A major step toward that goal is a three-day event called "Child Sexual Abuse Conference: Traumatic Impact, Prevention and Intervention." Abuse survivors retired boxing champ Sugar Ray Leonard and kidnapping victim Elizabeth Smart are the featured speakers at the conference that also will include academic and clinical experts on child molestation and trauma. University officials hope the event sheds more light on a problem that gained national attention after former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested on child sex abuse charges last November. Earlier this month Judge John Cleland sentenced Sandusky to 30 to 60 years in state prison following the 68-year-old’s convictions for abusing 10 boys over a 15-year period. Read more here . The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947

Convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky is now out of jail and in state prison. Sandusky was transferred from the Centre County Jail to the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill near Harrisburg today. The 68-year-old former Penn State assistant football coach will be tested and evaluated before being assigned a security risk level and sent to one of the state facilities as his home prison. That’s expected to take at least a week. Judge John Cleland sentenced Sandusky earlier this month to 30 to 60 years in prison for sexually abusing 10 boys over a 15-year- period. He is appealing his conviction. The news leader of the Twin Tiers ... since 1947