Some of Sandusky's jurors hoping for life sentence

Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky leaves the Centre County Courthouse in handcuffs after a jury found him guilty in his sex abuse trial June 22, 2012, in Bellefonte, Pa. / Getty Images

HARRISBURG, Pa. Jerry Sandusky should be sent to prison for life when a judge sentences him Tuesday, according to several of the jurors who convicted the former Penn State assistant coach of molesting several boys over a period of years.

None of the jurors interviewed by The Associated Press said they have had second thoughts about their June verdict, and several plan to attend the sentencing.

"There isn't a sentence that I believe is harsh enough for what he has done and how it has affected the university," said Joan Andrews, a juror who has worked for Penn State for 41 years and held football season tickets since 1969. "I don't think there's been one individual in this entire campus that has not been affected by this."

Four jurors said they plan to be in the courtroom when Sandusky, 68, learns the penalty for sexually abusing boys he met through a charity for at-risk children. Sandusky's own attorney expects his client to be handed a long sentence from Judge John Cleland after conviction on 45 counts.

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Although a list of jurors has not been released by Cleland, the AP was able to contact five of them. They said they recently received a letter from the court informing them about the sentencing and offering to have a court official meet them outside the courthouse.

A court system spokesman said the jurors are guaranteed a seat but won't necessarily be sitting together.

Only one of the five, retired Penn State soil sciences professor Daniel D. Fritton, said he would not attend.

"I'd just like to stay out of the limelight, for one thing," Fritton said. "I figure I could read in the paper what happens."

Gayle Barnes, a homemaker and former school district employee, said she thinks a lot about the victims, particularly the eight who testified against Sandusky and provided what she considers the critical evidence of guilt. She said he deserves life in prison.

"I do still feel good, what we as jurors did," Barnes said. "I didn't go there saying off the bat he's guilty. I needed to listen to every single thing that was said."

Barnes said she has been in touch with a fifth juror and an alternate juror who also plan to attend the sentencing.

High school science teacher Joshua Harper, who has bachelor's and master's degrees from Penn State, said that he takes pride in having served on the jury, and that the guilty verdict was not a close call. He wants Sandusky "put away for the rest of his life, really."

"This is what prisons are for, you know," Harper said. "I mean, I don't think you let a guy loose like that."

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[Mick_from_Amsterdam]

What could possibly be an appropriate sentence for stealing and destroying so many childhoods?

Not that it actually matters much in Sandusky's case...

If he is sent into mainstream population of any correctional facility...given the prevailing attitude of hard-working criminals toward pedophiles...a 90 day incarceration would probably do it...

But this predatory monster needs to suffer that one moment of utter despair when the judge informs him that whatever happens...he's going to die inside

[Rldvs]

I think he should get the death! Rapist,child molesters and murderers should all be put to death.

[Rldvs]

Joan Andrews, a juror who has worked for Penn State for 41 years and held football season tickets since 1969. So how did she get on the jury?

[Mick_from_Amsterdam]

It sounds as though her seat on the jury SHOULD have been challenged by Sandusky's lawyers...

Based on her comments in the above article...she's really pissed about the damage to the program...and displays none of the blind semi-religious PSU loyalty they obviously expected from her

[kbbpll]

I sure hope it's life without parole. His next victim would end up dead.
The juror who still defends Paterno needs to read the grand jury testimony again.

[Mick_from_Amsterdam]

Why not give him the possibility of psrole?

After all...none of the members of his parole board have even been born yet...

[Jaylah54200]

Given the number of counts he was found guilty of, even if he is given the smallest sentence possible for each, if they were to run consecutively instead of concurrently, he'd be locked up for life.

But yes, he needs to die in prison. And not one of those "country club" prisons like Martha Stewart went to, but a REAL prison.

[kroguej]

Look how old he is, any sentence is a life sentence.

[gmcken]

I wish the sentencing hearing was televised

[Jenna1955]

There isn't a sentence that I believe is harsh enough for what he has done and how it has affected the university," said Joan Andrews, a juror who has worked for Penn State for 41 years and held football season tickets since 1969.....Really, Ms. Andrews? How it affected the university??? What about the HUMAN BEINGS this POS hurt and your PSU officials turned their backs and looked the other way to avoid a scandal!

[lloydbest1]

Given that Mr. S. has been convicted with no shred of doubt about his guilt and also given he still maintains he either (1) didn't commit the crimes he was accused of or (2) even if he did, nothing of it should be considered criminal; the best place to put him is in a maximum security prison for as long as he lives.
Leaving him in he general population should also be considered.

[starbuk95]

Give guy a f'n break. After all, it's not like he murdered anyone.

[standupfanatic]

Starbuk, are you insane? Sandusky sodomized at least 10 young boys. He used his position to manipulate and groom them for his own use. He is a serial pedophile and we have no idea how many other boys he has abused sexually. He apparently abused his adopted son.

The lives of these young men have been changed forever. Sandusky prematurely sexualized them. He filled them with shame, fear, and confusion. He exposed them to sexual acts inappropriate for their age and acts to which they could not legally consent. No, Sandusky didn't murder them; he "only" killed their chance at a normal life.