Sandusky defense claims police gave details to accusers
The trial of the former Penn State assistant football coach could be in jurors' hands by the end of the week. There was no indication whether the 68-year-old Sandusky might testify.
Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky arrives at the Centre County Courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., on June 19. Sandusky is charged with 51 counts of child sexual abuse involving 10 boys over a period of 15 years.
Gene J. Puskar/AP
BELLEFONTE, Pennsylvania
Defense attorneys in Jerry聽Sandusky's聽child sex abuse trial suggested Tuesday that investigators shared details among accusers that led to evolving accounts of abuse.
The trial of the former Penn State assistant football coach could be in jurors' hands by the end of the week. There was no indication whether the 68-year-old聽Sandusky聽might testify.
Sandusky聽faces 51 counts of abusing 10 boys over more than a decade in a scandal that has rocked one of the most storied sports programs in the U.S. He denies the allegations.
Eight young accusers have testified for the prosecution. Another two have never been identified.
Defense attorney Joe Amendola had sharp questions Tuesday for two state police investigators who interviewed alleged victims. He asked retired Cpl. Joseph Leiter whether they told interviewees about others who had stepped forward.
"In some of our interviews ... we did tell them," Leiter said, adding it was to let possible victims know they were not alone.
Leiter said that did not include sharing individual accusers' recollections of abuse, such as specific sex acts.
But Amendola later read Leiter portions of an interview transcript in which the investigator told the victim others had reported abuse that progressed to oral sex.
Earlier Tuesday, Amendola told reporters to "stay tuned" to find out whether聽Sandusky聽would take the stand himself.
Remaining possible defense witnesses include聽Sandusky's聽wife, Dottie, and an expert who could discuss whether聽Sandusky聽has "histrionic personality disorder," which experts have called a personality disorder characterized by inappropriate sexual behavior and erratic emotions.