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'Victim 2,' Sandusky's son, and others settle with Penn State

A total of seven men have settled with Penn State over claims of abuse by former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. The school has spent nearly $50 million on the Sandusky scandal, not including payments to the victims. 

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Gene J. Puskar/AP/File
Matt Sandusky (r.) adopted son of Jerry Sandusky, leaves the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa in June 2012. A Philadelphia attorney said Friday, seven young men he represents have finalized deals with Penn State over claims of abuse by the school's former assistant football coach, Jerry Sandusky, including Matt.

Seven men, including Jerry聽Sandusky's聽adopted son and a聽Sandusky聽victim key to longtime coach Joe Paterno's firing, have finalized deals with Penn State over claims of abuse by the school's former assistant football coach, their lawyer says.

Settlements were reached by Matt聽Sandusky, as well as the young man known as "Victim 2" in court records and three other victims who testified last summer against Jerry聽Sandusky聽at his criminal trial, Philadelphia attorney Matt Casey said Friday.

Matt聽Sandusky聽had been expected to be a defense witness for his father until the trial, when he told investigators that he also had been abused by Jerry聽Sandusky. He has since petitioned for a legal name change for himself and his family.

"Victim 2" has said he was the boy then-graduate assistant Mike McQueary testified he saw being attacked by Jerry聽Sandusky聽in a team shower in 2001. McQueary notified Paterno and school officials at the time, but police were never called, an omission that eventually led to Paterno's firing.

Casey did not disclose the terms of the settlements but said they took shape some time ago and were completed a week ago, followed by passing paperwork back and forth to memorialize them.

"To say they're relieved, I think, is a fair statement," Casey said. "But it's also accurate to say that while we've closed this chapter, there's a whole lot of this that's necessarily inadequate."

The university has not announced the deals.

Nearly a week ago, a lawyer disclosed the first settlement among the 31 lawsuits filed against the school amid the聽Sandusky聽scandal. Earlier this week, a lawyer brought in by Penn State to facilitate negotiations said he expected 24 more cases to settle in the near future.

A Penn State spokesman said Friday only that settlement talks continued to progress. He declined to comment further.

The school has spent nearly $50 million on the聽Sandusky聽scandal, not including any payments to the victims and accusers.

Other lawyers involved in settlement talks said Friday they were still working with the university but none had a signed, final agreement.

Sandusky聽spent three decades at Penn State under Paterno. A 1998 complaint about聽Sandusky聽showering with a boy 鈥 one of those who testified against him 鈥 was investigated by university police but no charges were filed. McQueary witnessed a different incident involving "Victim 2" in the team shower in 2001.

The response of university leaders, including Paterno, was heavily criticized in a report commissioned by the school last year. The NCAA penalized the school for its response to complaints about聽Sandusky聽and imposed a $60 million fine, a four-year bowl ban, a loss of scholarships and the elimination of 112 Paterno-era wins.

Paterno died in January 2012. Criminal charges for an alleged cover-up are pending against three others: former president Graham Spanier, retired vice president Gary Schultz and retired athletic director Tim Curley. All three deny the allegations.

Sandusky, 69, was convicted of 45 counts of child sexual abuse and is serving a decades-long prison sentence. He maintains he is innocent, and an appeals hearing is scheduled for next month in Dallas, Pa.

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