Jerry Sandusky asks court for visits with his grandchildren
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In a motion filed at the court of common pleas in Centre County, Sandusky attorney Joseph L. Amendola asks that the conditions of his bail be modified to allow Sandusky, 67, to see his grandchildren at his home if they are accompanied by at least one of their parents.
The motion also asks that he be allowed to contact the children by mail or electronically, such as by phone or email. Each child would have to have the permission of at least one parent to communicate with their grandfather.
PHOTOS: Penn State football rocked by sexual abuse scandal
The motion was filed Friday, a day after an emotionally charged memorial service held in University Park, Pa., for former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno, who died Jan. 22 at age 85.
Although Paterno spoke to superiors about Sandusky’s alleged conduct after a graduate assistant told him he saw a nude Sandusky sexually molest a boy in the showers at Penn State in 2002, Paterno was widely criticized for failing to follow up or do more about the incident. Paterno, the winningest coach in major college football, was fired Nov. 9, five days after the scandal broke.
Some commentators and college football fans have said Paterno’s failure to act aggressively forever tarred his legacy. Others, especially since his death, have said Paterno should be remembered not for one bad decision but for a legacy of leading winning football teams and molding young student athletes into fine men.
FULL COVERAGE: Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal
Sandusky was arrested Dec. 7 and released on $250,000 bail the next day. He was ordered not to have contact with anyone younger than 18.
Sandusky has 11 grandchildren under 18, with another to be born in the near future. “The defendant’s minor grandchildren have expressed their sadness to their parents about not being able to visit or talk with the defendant,” the motion says.
The sexual abuse charges stem from incidents involving 10 boys. Sandusky has maintained he is innocent of the charges.
[For the Record, 1:05 p.m. Jan. 30: An earlier version of this post incorrectly stated that the memorial service for former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno was held in College Station, Pa.]
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