Sandusky's son says his father abused him; case goes to jury
Prosecutors said Sandusky was "a serial, predatory pedophile" who used gifts and the pageantry of Penn State's vaunted football program to lure and abuse vulnerable boys who came from troubled homes.
"What you should do is come out and say to the defendant that he molested and abused and give them back their souls," Senior Deputy Attorney General Joseph McGettigan III. "I give them to you. Acknowledge and give them justice."
Standing behind Sandusky, McGettigan implored the jury to convict him
"He molested and abused and hurt these children horribly," McGettigan said. "He knows he did it, and you know he did it.
"Find him guilty of everything."
Defense attorney Joseph Amendola argued that the 68-year-old Sandusky was targeted by investigators who coached accusers into making false claims about a generous man whose charity gave them much-needed love.
"They went after him, and I submit to you they were going to get him hell or high water, even if they had to coach witnesses," Amendola said in a sometimes angry closing argument.
Prosecutors said Sandusky met his victims through The Second Mile, a charity he founded for at-risk youth.
Eight young men testified that they were abused by Sandusky, and jurors also heard about two other alleged victims through other witnesses, including another former coach.
Sandusky has repeatedly denied the allegations, but he didn't testify during the trial.
But Amendola said the accusers' stories didn't make sense, since they also included frequent visits to Sandusky's home, trips to football games and other activities.
"Folks, you have to use your common sense," Amendola said. "Jerry Sandusky took these kids everywhere. Is that what a pedophile does? ... Does he parade these kids around?"
McGettigan countered with Sandusky's own words in a November interview with NBC's Bob Costas, in which he struggled to give direct answers to questions.
Asked if he was sexually attracted to boys, Sandusky said: "Sexually attracted, you know, I, I enjoy young people. I, I love to be around them. ... No, I'm not sexually attracted to young boys."
"I would think that the automatic response, if someone asks you if you're a criminal, a pedophile, a child molester, or anything along those lines, would be: `You're crazy. No. Are you nuts?"' McGettigan said.
Earlier Thursday, the judge in the case threw out three of the 51 child sex abuse charges against Sandusky.
If convicted, Sandusky could spend the rest of his life in state prison.
Additional reporting by CBS News' Paula Reid in Bellefonte, Pa.- prev
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Too late for a do-over but this should have come to light back in April....
What is "strange", as you say, is your comment - You are not very bright dear.
I'm really worried that Sandusky, will get away with these charges this time, because the son was not allowed to testify. His next jury will be able to hear Matt's testimony, then this creep of a man, will get what's coming to him.
That will be sweet!!!!!
He came forward early in the week to the prosecuters, who knew they couldn't put him on at this late point. They informed Sandusky on Thursday that if he testified in his own defense, they could put his son on as a rebuttal witness. That's why Sandusky decided against it, and that's when the defense rested their case.
It's been presented in the news, and definitely before the jury got the case. I do wish he had come forward earlier though.