Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

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

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