Freeh Report Suggests Violation Of Clery Act

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Civil lawsuits are just one part of the legal problems facing Penn State.

The Louis Freeh report also suggests the university has been violating a federal statute.

As one of Pittsburgh's top litigators sees it, Penn State's already got a checkbook out for the Sandusky victims.

"The Freeh report lays out a road map for each one of the civil suits," Bill Caroselli, an attorney, said. "The university is going to have to resolve and mediate and settle all of these civil cases."

Less clear is whether Penn State violated Pennsylvania law that requires the reporting of child abuse.

Because of a quirk in the law, top administrators like former university president Graham Spanier may be in the clear.

"Does Spanier deal directly with minors and is the obligation to report something that he is obligated to do?" Caroselli said.

But it appears painfully obvious that the university was violating a federal statute that requires the reporting of crimes on campus, specifically sexual crimes.

It's called the Clery Act and Penn State may have violated it for 10 years.

"That statute became effective in 2001," Caroselli said. "By the year 2011, Penn State had not implemented."

The Clery Act is named after a rape and murder victim on the Lehigh University campus.

Penn State could face hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines for violation of that act.

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