Sandusky bail judge has ties to Second Mile

(CBS News) 

The judge who set a reduced bail for former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky after he was arrested earlier this month was a volunteer and donor for The Second Mile, the charity organization Sandusky founded.

District Judge Leslie Dutchcot, who released Sandusky on $100,000 bail - far less than the $500,000 requested by prosecutors - names The Second Mile as one of the organizations for which she volunteers, according to her attorney profile on the website of her firm, Goodall & Yurchak.

The link was first reported by the website Deadspin.com.

Dutchcot is a former Assistant District Attorney from Monroe County who received her license to practice law in 2000. She is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and attended the Duquesne University School of Law.

According to her profile, she is Vice-President of Centre County Meals on Wheels, a counselor at Centre County Law Enforcement Camp Cadet, Inc., and lists organizations for which she volunteers as The Second Mile, the American Heart Association, and Centre County PAWS.

She and her husband were also listed as donors to The Second Mile in the charity's 2009 Annual Report, having gifted between $500-$999.

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The ties between Dutchcot and Second Mile extend beyond volunteering.

In 2007 Robert Stone, the Board Chairman of Second Mile, hosted a fundraiser for Dutchcot in his home, for her campaign for District Judge, according to records of the Committee to Elect Leslie A. Dutchcot.

Stone is president and CEO of S&A Homes, a State College-based homebuilder.

In 1999 he and his wife donated $500,000 to Penn State for endowments marked for the Smeal College of Business Administration, the University Libraries, and the College of Engineering, and in support of the Penn State athletics program.

[7monte77]

Is there anyone left in the state of Pennsylvania that isn't somehow connected to the Second Mile or Penn State University? How are any of the accused going to be properly charged? The judge should be ashamed of herself for not putting Sandusky in jail and keeping him off the streets. Does anyone care about the safety of Pennsylvania's children?

[thelma13]

I agree with you wholeheartedly. I pray that Dutchcot will not be the judge when this goes to trial. She obviously knows him personally through the Second Mile. How can she let this horror of a person off so easily when he took children who needed help and trusted him and took away their innocense!!!...She obviously does not know anyone who has been sexually abused as she has no understanding for the victims. I know for a fact that it ruins their life, they never forget it and carry it with them all their lives. I had a nephew who was sexually abused by a neignbor and he was convicted and sent to jail, however he never forgot it. The damage had already been done. He was on drugs for a number of years and finally died at the age of 35 years old. Dutchcot got away with this decision, all I can say to her is "think about how you would feel if this happened to your children or a family member that you loved".

[87lwrdr]

Here we go again with the "legal, moral and I'm an ******" issues. The prosecutor wants $500k bond and a monitor for a guy with 40+ child abuse charges against him and the judge with ties to Second Mile ONLY requires $100k (that's unsecured)and "Jerry the Perv" is running wild. This judge should have to try and pass a I'm Smarter Than a 5th Grader test before she is allowed to make another asinine decision like this one.

[endurorob_5]

The facts an this story are a bit limited. It doesn't let you know that the prosecution also asked that he be required to wear a monitor to which the judge did not agree and also that the $100,000.00 bail is actually unsecured bail which means he pays nothing unless he fails to show up to a hearing.

[FreshxWater]

I don't believe Sandusky was the only pedophile. I can't believe he's out on bail!!!!!!!!!!! Someone is going to kill him so the other pedophiles aren't exposed.

As soon as the Pedo State riot started I posted (everywhere) that Pedterno ordered the jocks and frats to go out and drum up a riot. (I had a feeling in my bones.) Many raked me with the nuts/conspiracy responses. Now I heard on the Alan Colmes radio program that "coaches told students to go out and support Pedterno." Will there be an investigation?

Will the Corporate Media ignore the sexual deviate acts fraternities make pledges perform? Is this how a pedophile develops?

[Nuff__said]

Are you kidding me???????

THIS IS CHILD RAPE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT!!!!!! He will get off with a slap on the wrist for this heinous crime if its not tried by a different judge.

[LoadedAndDangerous]

Oh no, she might be corrupt, but that would make her a classless Liberal.

[tsigili]

She should have recused herself. Bottom line.

[hurtin4sertain]

They made her an offer, she couldn't recuse.

[Willgopher]

Unsecured bail--that is, NONE was posted. He only pays if he doesn't show up. PSU's miserable administration probably hopes Sandusky will kill himself so more secrets die with him. Move this case, Attorney General.