Report: Paterno sought criminal defense lawyer

Embattled former Penn State coach Joe Paterno has contacted a criminal defense attorney in the child sex abuse case that has rocked the university, NBC News has reported.

A source told NBC that Paterno's advisers Thursday reached out to J. Sedgwick Sollers, who had previously represented President George H.W. Bush. NBC said that the attorney has not met with the ex-coach and no retainer agreement has been formalized.

Paterno is not charged with any crimes in connection with the case, but was fired late Wednesday for his role, and said that he regretted not doing more after learning about allegations against ex-defensive coordinator Jerry Sandunsky.

Sollers offered no comment on Thursday and Paterno's spokesman said via email that "no lawyer has been retained." Paterno's son, Scott, also wrote on Twitter Thursday evening: "To be clear, no lawyer has been retained. Not sure where that report originated."

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Paterno has not been criminally charged in the child sex abuse case surrounding his former coach, Jerry Sandusky, and is reportedly viewed as a cooperating witness in the matter. He was fired as Penn State's coach late Wednesday evening by the university's trustees.

Paterno, along with the school, could still face trouble legally. "All of the officials involved in the scandal, including Paterno, could be sued in a civil case by the alleged victims and their families," said CBS News legal analyst Andrew Cohen, "and if that happens, and the case doesn't settle quickly, we'll likely see a lot of finger-pointing between and among the defendants."

Along with his job as head football coach at Penn State, Paterno may also lose a shot at the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom.

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Penn State riots after Paterno's ousting

Pennsylvania's U.S. Sens. Pat Toomey, a Republican, and Bob Casey, a Democrat, said Thursday they are rescinding their support for Paterno's nomination for the nation's highest civilian honor, citing recent events at the school.

Republican Rep. Glenn Thompson also nominated Paterno earlier this year, but wouldn't say Thursday whether he would also withdraw Paterno's name.

The trio submitted Paterno's name in September, citing his contributions to athletics and higher education.

Meanwhile, Penn State's trip to the Alamo Bowl in 1999 has attracted the interest of Texas.

San Antonio police Sgt. Chris Benavides said Thursday his department is "looking into the possibility that an offense may have happened" while the football team was in town.

Sandusky faces child sex abuse charges in Pennsylvania. A grand jury report says Sandusky took one boy he allegedly molested to the game and threatened to send him home when the victim resisted his advances.

The Alamo Bowl was Sandusky's last game at Penn State, where he coached for more than 30 years and was once the heir apparent to Joe Paterno.

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Video: S.I. writer on Paterno firing, student reaction

[PourpaixPourpaix]

Those of you all high and mighty about what Joe Paterno and McQueary should have done ....... you should try reporting criminal activity to the police. Try being the victim of a crime and see what happens. You very quickly get accused, threatened, and intimidated. Police are often unable to help, and criminals not only are good at convincing you to lay off, they feel a criminal need for retribution. It is hell on Earth, no other way to describe it.

Compound that with trying to retain a job in an organization while going outside the chain of command. Been there, done that, lost my job, my home, my family. What did Joe know? Absolutely nothing except a report from a student, with no idea how reliable the student is or whether the student was acting out a grudge. He reported it to school authorities and had reasonable expectation that such authorities would contact police if it were necessary. Still, Joe feels bad he didn't do more, just like any responsible adult would. But how does one distinguish the one time that action is necessary in the bizarre, back-stabbing, foul-attituded gossip that characterize our lives? Concentrate on the perp, the school officials responsible for the decision not to contact police, and the student who actually saw it happen.

[dcspsu]

Yours is the best summary of Paterno's situation I have read so far.

[GeneralJDavis]

Surely Paterno knew of the prior allegations that didn't go anywhere because of lack of evidence. So when the student came to him with the smoking gun, he should have acted, yet he all he did was to help bury it.

[qmpash]

i KNOW THAT SOMEBODY BESIDES ME MUST HAVE NOTICED THIS: WHAT ON EARTH WAS SANDUSKY'S WIFE THINK WAS GOING ON WITH ALL OF THE YOUNG BOYS HER HUSBAND WAS CONTINUALLY BRINGING HOME? DIDN'T SHE EVEN SUSPECT WHAT WAS HAPPENING?

[JohnPublic5017]

His wife was probably in on the action with the young boys also. These people aren't kidding anyone here!

[Nettielee1]

Paterno should consult with McQuaide Blasko, the same firm that assisted Penn State and the Second Mile program with getting the indictment against Sandusky dropped back in 1998.

But as luck with have it, that DA is dead. Evenso,Wendell Courtney and his colleagues at McQuaide Blasko should be able to represent Paterno since they dropped The Second Mile program as clients on the same day that Paterno and Spanier were fired.

The federal government needs to get involved before this law firm can destroy all of its files.

[nancy_naive]

Makes you wonder what Sandusky had on Paterno and the Penn State athletic program that kept them from going to the police...

This thing stinks and probably involves more of the program, more schools, and/or perhaps the NCAA itself.

[codefore]

I am a retired homicide investigator and I specialized in crimes against children. You can learn all about what a pedophile is and how they think and operate by reading a book called "Protectus Prol"

I wrote it. Sandusky is a classic organized pedophile. I wouldnt be surprised if he has assaulted hundreds of boys. The fact that he has attacked boys does not mean he is homosexual. It means that boys happen to be the easiest for him to access.

After all how many little girls hang out in men's locker rooms and attend football camps. Not to mention the attention it would create should he take a little girl with him to a bowl game.

I personally hold that piece of work McCleary more responsible than anyone except Sandusky himself. McCleary and his father are a piece's of **** and should also be dealt with. McCleary wasnt dealing with second hand information like Paterno he actually saw the crime being committed. I wonder if his actions or inaction would have been the same if that was his little boy standing in the shower room with his hands forced on the wall?

Can you imagine the horror that little boy was experiencing? And McCleary just walks away. After all he is now in line for Joe P's job. Makes me sick.

[GeneralJDavis]

All the janitors in the gym were also aware of the abuse--2 years before McCleary--yet they didn't report it either out of fear for their jobs. Do you want to "deal" with them too?

[jamesxbrown]

lol-boys weren't easier for him to access.
They made the same gay excuse for priests by saying they didn't have access to girls and went after altar boys. The problem is that altar servers were boys and girls, and most kids were being accessed thru the schools and organizations not church.
Sandusky was taking boys out of school to rape them wherever he wanted, not just locker rooms. Second mile org was loaded with girls he had easy access to.
Sandusky is a classic old fashioned pederast, a gay man looking to sodomize boys, not girls.

[PostOnLine]

Here is the play sports fans. All of us who root for the little children of America will finally put a stop to this horrific and evil act. An act which destroys the hearts and souls of too many children. As we all see that old stereotype of the child sexual abuser has been broken. Focus Adolescent Services has been telling us for decades that it can be a doctor, lawyer, or a four-star general. Focusas.com has been telling us that 50% of the abused children are abused by a member of their own family; one in four girls in our great country have been sexually abused-as we see boys may never say. Support Focus Adolescent Services, they work to save our children.Support that dedicated team. If they get only 1% of what many spend to support their home team we can put a stop to this and save innocent little children. Sadly, we spend more on our coffee and beer than on saving these kids. Hells Bells, the value of the cans is more than we give to put an end to this evil.

[GoUnion86]

SANDUSKY--From Penn State to the State Pen. At least the uniform colors will be the same.

[vette_man]

Hope they clear you Joe... it appears most of these people making comments here have accused you because of Media reports but none of them really know the facts.. mostly because they hate Penn St period...

[no_molester]

You are right. Penn State football is of far more value than 10 year old boys.

[diamondcrust]

Poor Joe. He is the victim in all of this, isn't he?

[no_molester]

Penn State*Paterno*mob

[kathywelch85]

Joe Paterno was a mandated reporter because he worked with the children at Penn State .The law states he must report abuse to Authorities,not to some to someone else at the school and because he did not he should be fired .He made a decision to handle this his way and that was not in the best interest of the poor 10 year old boy who was being raped in the shower.He could have prevented further abuse but choose not to in order to protect the schools reputation at a very high cost!!!