Jerry Sandusky Trial: Defense witness says Sandusky had an "exemplary" reputation

By: Crimesider Staff
Topics: Daily Blotter

Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky leaves the Centre County Courthouse after the fourth day of his child sex abuse trial June 14, 2012, in Bellefonte, Pa.

Jerry Sandusky leaves the Centre County Courthouse after the fourth day of his child sex abuse trial June 14, 2012, in Bellefonte, Pa.

/ Getty Images

(CBS/AP) BELLEFONTE, Pa. - The first defense witness called in the child-sex abuse case of Jerry Sandusky testified Monday morning that he "never saw anything inappropriate" between the former assistant football coach and any young boys while they showered.

Pictures: Child-sex scandal rocks Penn State

Richard E. Anderson, a retired member of the Penn State coaching staff, was called as a character witness. Anderson said it was not unusual for him to shower with boys at the YMCA, either.

According to StateCollege.com, Judge John McCleland stopped Prosecutor Joseph McGettigan before he could ask Anderson if he had "heard rumors" about Sandusky and his contact with minors.

A former camper at Sandusky's charity, "The Second Mile", and another former member of the PSU football staff were also called as character witnesses. Booker T. Brooks, a former assistant coach for the PSU football team, told the court that Sandusky had an "exemplary, top-notch" reputation.

Meanwhile, on Friday, Judge John Cleland ruled that he would allow the defense to call a psychiatrist to the stand to testify as to the former Penn State assistant football coach's mental health.

CBS This Morning reports that Judge John Cleland said that the psychiatrist could testify early this week about a psychiatric condition called histrionic personality disorder. According to the National Institutes of Health, histrionic personality disorder is a condition "in which people act in a very emotional and dramatic way that draws attention to themselves."

According to CBS News chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian, the defense is expected to argue that Sandusky's behavior was not that of a sexual predator but rather of a man attempting to draw attention to himself by his activities.

Additional reporting by CBS News' Paula Reid in Bellefonte, Pa.

Complete coverage of the Jerry Sandusky trial on CBSNews.com

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by varigdc10 June 19, 2012 3:05 AM EDT: When the jury comes back, this guy will see the sun rise square for the rest of his life.; Reply to this comment


by wattermelann June 19, 2012 1:50 AM EDT: Well, there are behaviors in predators practice to demonstrate pristine character. I am sure the more he preened and groomed and molested, the more impeccable behaviors he practiced. He is like a serial killer-sociopath-that lives "a normal life" while secretly enforcing his role as a predator-serial killer...He needed the pedophilliac sex to be an outstanding member of his community...He is a sicko alright. And to think not one drop of compassion or remorse has been felt for the oppression, humiliation and sexual violation these young men have had to process. Sexual abuse on anyone is traumatic and some research has revealed that men suffer greatly in silence because of the humiliation felt. He knew exactly what he was doing when he initiated the actual type of sex act and reaped the satisfaction from it...He knew, he craved it, he plotted it and he got the craving satisfied and that is what he lived for...And now it is at an end and he is scrambling desperately....; Reply to this comment


by mick7744 June 18, 2012 9:11 PM EDT: Of course Sandusky's reputation is "exemplary"

The reputations of predatory pedophiles often are...they're outstanding members of the community...always volunteering to work with the kids...any way they can!; Reply to this comment


by VA_Jill June 18, 2012 7:52 PM EDT: Of course he didn't see it......ya think Sandusky was going to do anything with people WATCHING????? Sheesh, people are dumb sometimes.; Reply to this comment


by addict42 June 18, 2012 4:36 PM EDT: Well of course he's not going to make a public display of his pedophilia in front of other adults and at the YMCA, DUH! This witness is clueless and from the testimonies of the victims and other adult witnesses, Sandusky was a master manipulator impersonating a revered fatherly coach who could do no wrong--in public that is.; Reply to this comment


by DC_Clark June 18, 2012 3:53 PM EDT: I just wished this trial was televised I would love to see his goofy face contort when he has to listen to all the families and kids he has hurt. His wife must be a real doozy too; Reply to this comment


by hillzhavays June 18, 2012 3:43 PM EDT: It's guys like this Anderson that make me sick. I don't care if it was my own brother who committed these acts Sandusky is "alleged" to have done. I wouldn't be sitting there as a character witness for him in the face of all this evidence.; Reply to this comment


by CORPORATE_HEADQUARTERS June 18, 2012 3:26 PM EDT: Hello. The guy did all those awful things to the kids, the University covered it all up, the Defense atty. is a person I do not want to clutter my mind thinking about. Here is the simple truth in this unfortunate universe. He did it to those kids.

Question: did he do it?
Answer: yes he did
That's what exists in the land of truth.
In this Universe of ours.
In this world.

Others can talk about evidence, and courts, and prosecutors, and judges, and fair trials, and jurors, and criminal justice, and mistaken dates, and missing memories, reputation, character, psychobabble terms and on and on and on, and the familiar words like the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and guilty, and innocent, and mistrial, and deliberations, and unanimous...

In the world: he did it
In the universe: he did it

JOHN LONGENECKER; Reply to this comment


by hemusbull June 18, 2012 3:16 PM EDT: No jail for this aupermonster, he must be annihilated!; Reply to this comment


by Jaylah54100 June 18, 2012 2:54 PM EDT: I wasn't aware that Sandusky was on trial for his coaching abilities. How are coaching and pedophilia mutually exclusive?

"Exemplary reputation"? From other cases I've heard/read about, that's SOP for criminals of this nature. Make sure your community sees you as a pillar of the community. Then it's more difficult for people to want to open their eyes and see the warning signs of your criminal behavior.

If the defense calls a psychiatrist to testify as to Sandusky's "personality disorder", does that not then open the door for the prosecution to do the same? I've been led to believe that allowing the defense to call an "expert witness" to testify that the expert has examined the defendant and found him to have Histrionic Personality Disorder also opens the door for the Prosecution to call an "expert witness" to testify that he has examined the defendant and found him to be a pedophile.

Not to mention that even if Sandusky does have Histrionic Personality Disorder, that doesn't excuse him from the crimes he's charged with.

I really hope the defense puts Sandusky on the stand. Given Sandusky's answers to gentle questioning by Bob Costas, imagine what Sandusky will say at the hands of a well-trained prosecutor.

Buh-bye Jerry!; Reply to this comment