First lawsuit filed by new accuser in Penn State child sex abuse scandal
The first lawsuit alleging sexual abuse against a child by former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky has been filed in a Pennsylvania court.
In this Nov. 5 file photo provided by the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, former Penn State football defensive coordinator Gerald "Jerry" Sandusky, center, walks to the office of Centre County Magisterial District Judge Leslie A. Dutchcot while being escorted by Pennsylvania State Police and Attorney General's Office officials in State College, Pa.
Penn. Office of Attorney General via Commonwealth Media Services/AP
Philadelphia
Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky sexually abused a young boy more than 100 times after meeting him through the charity he founded, then threatened the boy's family to keep him quiet about the encounters, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday.
The lawsuit identifies the plaintiff, an adult, only as John Doe. It claims Sandusky abused the boy at the coach's State College home, at Penn State facilities and on at least one bowl game trip.
The plaintiff is not among eight victims named in a grand jury report released earlier this month that detailed a series of alleged assaults involving Sandusky and boys as young as 10. Sandusky has acknowledged showering and embracing young boys but denies molesting them.
According to the lawsuit, Sandusky gave the boy gifts, travel and privileges after meeting him through his charity, The Second Mile, in 1992. The abuse began shortly after and lasted until 1996, the suit said.
Sandusky is charged with abusing eight boys, some on campus, over 15 years, allegations that were not immediately brought to the attention of authorities even though high-level people at Penn State apparently knew about at least one of them.
The scandal has resulted in the departures of school President Graham Spanier and longtime coach Joe Paterno. Athletic Director Tim Curley has been placed on administrative leave, and Vice President Gary Schultz, who was in charge of the university's police department, has stepped down.
Schultz and Curley are charged with lying to the grand jury and failure to report to police, and Sandusky is charged with child sex abuse. All maintain their innocence.
Attorney Jeffrey Anderson planned a news conference for Wednesday morning to discuss the lawsuit, which was filed in Philadelphia.
Messages were left for Sandusky's lawyer and for officials at Penn State and the Second Mile.