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Subscribe to RSSFollowing is the full transcript of former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky's statement Monday, which was recorded from his jail cell in Bellefonte, Pa., and aired on the Penn State student radio station:
I'm responding to the worst loss of my life.
First, I looked at myself. Over and over, I asked why? Why didn't we have a fair opportunity to prepare for trial?
Sandusky, alleging broad conspiracy, insists he's innocent of child sex-abuse charges
Why have so many people suffered as a result of false allegations? What's the purpose? Maybe it will help others. some vulnerable children who could be abused might not be because of all the publicity. That would be nice, but I'm not sure about it. I would cherish the opportunity to become a candle for others, as they have been a light for me.
They can take away my life, they can make me out as a monster, they can treat me as a monster, but they can't take away my heart. In my heart, I know I did not do these alleged disgusting acts.
My wife has been my only sex partner, and that was after marriage. Our love continues.
A young man who was dramatic, a veteran accuser and always sought attention, started everything. He was joined by a well-orchestrated effort of the media, investigators, the system, Penn State, psychologists, civil attorneys and other accusers. They won.
I've wondered what they really won: attention, financial gain, prestige — will all be temporary.
Before you blame me, as others have, look at everything and everybody. Look at the preparation for the trial and the trial. Compare it to others. Think about what happened. Why, and who made it happen?
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Evaluate the accusers and their families. Realize they didn't come out of isolation. The accusers were products of many more people and experiences than me. Look at their confidants and their honesty. Think about how easy it was for them to turn on me given the information, attention and potential perks. I never labeled or put down them or their families. I tried and I cared, then asked for the same.
Please realize all came to the Second Mile because of issues. Some of those may remain.
We will continue to fight. We didn't lose the proven facts, evidence, accurate locations and times. Anything can be said. We lost to speculation and stories that were influenced by people who wanted to convict me.
We must fight unfairness and consistency and dishonesty. People need to be portrayed for who they really are.
We've not been complainers. When we couldn't have kids, we adopted. When we didn't have time to prepare for a trial, we still gave it our best. We will fight for another chance.
We have given many second chances, and now we'll ask for one. It will take more than our effort. Justice will have to be more than just a word, fairness more than just a dream. It will take others: somebody apolitical with the courage to listen, to think about the unfairness, to have the guts to stand up and take the road less traveled.
I ask for the strength to handle everything and willingness to surrender only to God, regardless of the outcome.
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He is innocent...on opposite day.
His statement has succeeded in making me completely sicker than I already was over this case. You are caught, admit it. These victims need to hear it. Is your a** jealous of the sh*t that comes out of your mouth Jerry?
How very sad that this man who was convicted unjustly in his opinion did not say I am sorry. Instead he chose to put the blame on the victims. I might have had more sympathy if Mr. Sandusky when protesting his innocence would have said " I am sorry for your pain and suffering, however I did not do this to you." I feel in my heart that this man is guilty of every count that he was convicted of. Mr. Sandusky you will never know the horror that you bought down on the souls of these young men. When you are in your cell at night and the lights are off and the sounds of horror in the night of prison is around you, that you think about the horrors that these young men have every night and day for the rest of their life because of you. Jerry you are a despicable man . May you never see the outside of a jail again.
30 to 60 years...Not nearly long enough.
whether he did it or not, he was involved in some way by not reporting the "alleged abuse" done by joe paterno. that in itself is guilty by association. so stop with the cop out bull s**t, you are just as much a part of it. there is a special place in hell reserved for people like you that abuse innocent children. so say all you want now but when you die, god will be the one to truly judge you and put you where you belong!! get over yourself and stop trying to play the victim. the only victims in this case are the innocent children that were hurt in this. you are on your own and when you get to prison, those "criminals" that you say you are not are gonna give you a taste of your own medicine. just because you are in prison doesnt mean that it is done and over. you think that you got hell from the media?? wait til you get to prison and you bend over to pick up your own soap lol! they are gonna get you good just like you did to those kids!!!
His statement speaks to why pedophiles cannot be rehabilitated....he truly believes that he didn't hurt his victims, that the abuse he inflicted was an act of love. Pedophiles cannot be treated with a goal of rehabilitation, the urge to be sexual with children is too strong to resist.