The adopted son of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky said he was abused by his father and was prepared to testify on behalf of the prosecution at his father's trial, according to a statement released Thursday by the son's attorneys.
The announcement on behalf of Matt Sandusky, one of Jerry Sandusky’s six adopted children, came hours after a sequestered jury began deliberating the fate of the former coach, who is facing 48 criminal counts for alleged child sexual abuse.
According to the official court update from the courthouse in Bellefonte, Pa., the jury of seven women and five men ordered a dinner meal and prepared to resume deliberations after eating. The jury began its work about 1:15 p.m. Eastern time.
Sandusky, 68, is accused of abusing 10 boys over 15 years. The boys were all connected to the charity Sandusky founded.
Matt Sandusky was not among the accusers at his father’s trial. But according to the statement released by his attorneys, Andrew Shubin and Justine Andronici, the younger Sandusky met with prosecutors in Pennsylvania and told them he, too, was a victim.
“During the trial, Matt Sandusky contacted us and requested our advice and assistance in arranging a meeting with prosecutors to disclose for the first time in this case that he is a victim of Jerry Sandusky’s abuse,” the lawyers said in the statement. “At Matt’s request, we immediately arranged a meeting between him and the prosecutors and investigators.”
No further details on the alleged abuse were released. Neither of the lawyers responded to a telephone call.
The prosecution did not release any statements.
“This has been an extremely painful experience for Matt and he has asked us to convey his request that the media respect his privacy,” the statement said.
Matt Sandusky went to live with Sandusky and his wife, Dottie, as a foster child in 1995 and was adopted by them as an adult. The boy was also a client of the Second Mile, the charity the elder Sandusky founded for at-risk children.
The prosecution alleges that Sandusky groomed children from the charity and later abused them in the basement of his home and in showers in the locker room at the football training facility at Penn State.
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This is exactly what's wrong with our society, and how we glorify winning and prestige, over the welfare of our children.