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Subscribe to RSSMSNBC’s Thomas Roberts talks to NBC National Investigative Correspondent Michael Isikoff and Attorney Jeffrey Fritz, who represents Victim Number Four, about the sentencing in the sexual abuse conviction of Jerry Sandusky.
Updated at 4:08 p.m. ET: BELLEFONTE, Pa. — Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison Tuesday for abusing 10 boys he met over 15 years through his charity for troubled children.
Sandusky — who was defensive coordinator and for many years the presumed heir-apparent to legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno — could have faced as long as 400 years for his convictions on 45 counts of child sexual abuse.
But McKean County Common Pleas Court Judge John Cleland, who was brought in to hear the trial after all of Centre County's judges recused themselves, told Sandusky that at age 68, he would be in prison "for the rest of your life."
"The crime is not only what you did to their bodies but to their psyches and their souls and the assault to the well-being of the larger community in which we all live," Cleland said.
Read the full sentencing order (.pdf)
Sandusky's lead attorney, Joe Amendola, told reporters outside court that he would file an appeal within 10 days, saying he hadn't had enough time to prepare an adequate defense.
Legal analysis: Sandusky sentencing was logical and reasonable
Three of Sandusky's victims addressed the court, some of them speaking tearfully to Sandusky. They told of how they had looked up at Sandusky as a mentor, only to have him betray their trust.
The former Penn State coach will spend at least 30 years in prison for sexually abusing young boys. NBC's Danielle Leigh reports.
"You were the person in my life who was supposed to be a role model, teach honor, respect and accountability, and instead you did terrible things that screwed up my life," said one of the victims, whom NBC News isn't identifying.
"You had the chance to plead guilty and spare us the testimony," he said. "Rather than take the accountability, you decided to try to attack us as if we had done something wrong."
Another said: "I have tried to think of the words to describe how Jerry Sandusky has impacted my life. There are no words adequate to express the pain and misery he has inflicted in the past, present and future.
Lead prosecutor Joseph McGettigan applauded the victims' courage to "speak truthfully" and condemned Jerry Sandusky for his unwillingness to accept responsibility.
"He promised to be my friend and mentor. Then came the ultimate betrayal and deeds. He humiliated me beyond description."
For his part, Sandusky — as he did in a surprise audio statement Monday night on the Penn State student radio station — insisted that "I didn't do these alleged disgusting acts."
Saying he had been advised against speaking at length, Sandusky told Cleland that "as I began to relive everything, I remember my feelings. So many people were hurt, and my eyes filled with tears. It was a horrible time in life to witness, to listen to, be a part of."
Sandusky said he had "hope in my heart for a brighter day, not knowing when that day will come."
"Many moments I have spent looking for a purpose," he said. "Maybe it will help others — some vulnerable children who may have been abused may not be as a result of all the publicity — but I'm not sure about it. I would hope that it would happen.
"I would cherish the opportunity to be a little candle for others as my life goes on as they have been a huge light to me."
After the hearing, Senior Deputy Attorney General Joseph McGettigan, who prosecuted the case for the state, called Sandusky's comments "banal self-delusion completely untethered from reality."
"It was, in short, ridiculous," he said.
Sandusky alleges massive conspiracy
Wearing a red prison jumpsuit and appearing notably thinner than before he was convicted in June, Sandusky was transported to Centre County Court from jail in a sheriff's patrol car shortly before the hearing. His wife, Dottie, was in attendance.
Jerry Sandusky spoke out from jail on the eve of his sentencing. NBC's Michael Isikoff reports.
Sandusky's statement echoed many of the ideas — some of them word for word — that he broached in his surprise statement Monday night, in which he blamed a widespread conspiracy among police, university administrators and the media for his conviction.
After the hearing, Amendola alluded to that theory, alleging that there was "an undercurrent" in some parts of state government to bring down Penn State because of the power Paterno had amassed in 46 years as head football coach.
"Folks, my understanding is for years opponents had ongoing battles with the state Legislature over funding," Amendola said. "Penn State always held itself over and above" other state institutions, which rankled some officials, he said.
But in sentencing Sandusky on Tuesday, Cleland called that theory "unbelievable."
Transcript: Full radio statement from Jerry Sandusky
Related: Audio of Sandusky's statement on Penn State student station ComRadio
In a statement, Penn State President Rodney Erickson said: "Our thoughts today, as they have been for the last year, go out to the victims of Jerry Sandusky's abuse. While today's sentence cannot erase what has happened, hopefully it will provide comfort to those affected by these horrible events and help them continue down the road to recovery."
The statement reflected how deeply the scandal rocked Penn State and Centre County.
Paterno, who was a revered figure representing integrity in college football, was fired Nov. 9 amid allegations that he didn't properly report concerns about Sandusky to authorities. He died in January at age 85.
University President Graham Spanier resigned in November. Athletic Director Tim Curley is on administrative leave, and Senior Vice President Gary Schultz retired. Curley and Schultz face separate trials on charges that they lied to a grand jury about what they knew.
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Penn State's storied football program, meanwhile, was fined $60 million by the NCAA and was stripped of all victories back to 1998.
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You know I just can't imagine that so many boys who are now men would come forward and all claim the same abuse at the hands of such a sick and depraved man. What would they have to gain by sending him to prison and ruining him and the college football program forever? I just can't see a motive here. There is only the truth and that is that Sandusky, his wife and all those who were even remotely aware or suspicious of his actions for all those years and stood by and did nothing are all filthy, disgusting and poor excuses for human beings. Their actions and/or inactions have affected many men who will carry this with them for life. Their childhood memories ruined. I say let the punishment fit the crime! Rot in jail and then burn in hell!
It's a shame, I've been a victim and cant take sides; because, I also know people who lied about being a victim and was more convincing then the people who were victims. Really hard to tell, in a world where there are some very sick people ;but, it is also a world where people will do or say anything for power and or money.
400 years isn't long enough! Least that goofy ass grin is off of his face!!! If he just gets 10 years I will lose my sanity.
I've got an idea: Let's make colleges and universities schools of education again. You know, learning, classes, etc...We now have so much focus on sports it has become ridiculous. I'm all for sports, but let's quit giving scholarships to students simply because their good athletes. Keep academic scholarships and if those students want to play sports, that's great. Does any one still wonder why we can't educate and graduate students to fill today's high-tech jobs? They were too busy playing football or were at the football game.
This is very true. Every year, there are countless academic scholarships that go unused. But the athletic scholarships are gone almost as quickly as they are made available. What does this say about us, as a society?
First of all have any of you been sexually abuse?I have and let me say everytime I see Jerry on TV or in the news it brings back horrible memories.He is a preditor and he got what he wanted young boys whenever he wanted the only thing is he did not expect to get caught.He sounds just like the slime that abused me it took 30 yrs til I could bring it out to tell someone.Now we on earth can judge a person so far but in the longrun God will be the one to make his sentence.I can see by the new pictures he looks very thin and he will not last long when he goes to the BIG HOUSE may he stay in their til his dying breath.
I hope they fry the goofy looking fvck....
Sandusky has to live with his own problems no matter what he believes, that between him and God. However, I feel it was unfair of the NCAA to strip Penn State of all their victories back to 1998 because it was the players who put in the effort, sweat, and tears to win those games. Shame on the grow-ups for the part they played in all of this, but the players should not be denied. They were not the preditors.
Huh? They did not take away the players' degrees, future prospects, etc. Current players are at liberty to go elsewhere.
I think it only right to punish Penn State in this manner. They let a football program take over their moral obligations. Stripping those victories is absolutely in keeping with the nature of the crime.
He will get a lengthy jail sentence but be housed in the senior section where he will live his life out with 3 hot meals, nice surroundings, creature comforts and we the tax payers will front his living expenses. Put him in the general prison population so he understands what it feels like to be taken advantage of and raped repeatedly. With any luck then someone will end his sorry existence and he can finally really pay for his actions.
A good shiv to the ribs or castrate him and he's done.
Is there any way to properly dispose of this kind of trash?
Child molestation is the work of a diseased person with a sustained history of abuse. It is not a random one time event, it is a compulsion. Here we see many victims coming forward and a history of abuse over a long period of time. All the evidence one would expect to see and it points toward the characteristics of a child molester.
Rot Sandusky, just go rot. It disgusts me that our tax payer dollars will keep you for the rest of your retched life but hopefully you will meet a new friend in prison.
Ive read enough to know that pedo's never apologize! They are the victim in there own sick and twisted minds! Scumdusky i hope you have long and very "bumpy" road to hell, because even dalmer paid the ultimate price at the end! And heres hoping jailhouse justice will give it back to you 2000 fold! Putrid piece of $hit!
THE PIGS continue to play FOOTBALL and slap the face of VICTIMS like nothing happened, that school should be CLOSED and the their HEARTLESS SUPPORTERS SHOULD BE ASHAMED!
BOB D....It was the adults that were involved; not the students. Why would you close the school because of the adults that NO LONGER work there. Get a new administration and let the kids go to school.
Looks as though the b*stard is still smiling, judging from the pic in the "headline". BTW...I disagree with those who think he's going to enjoy the punishment doled out by others in prison...pedophiles like to be in charge, they like to be the ones who are performing the act, not the ones having it performed on them. I hope every moment of his time there is spent in hell...a prelude of things to come after he actually does us the favor of dying.
The main stream in prison they do not like any sort of sex offender.
I would have given him 10 years for each count.
He just got 30 to 60 years
9fingers
Don't tell me you think that is long enough for what this nut put all those young men and boys through do you? Granted he won't live past his maximum sentence but well.
tucsand
No I don't think that is long enough but I do wish he would have gotten sentenced to the general population, not the protective environment.
HEY CHRISCROSSING- Who has anything to gain from "setting up" Jerry Sandusky ? I don't like to call people names- but- you, sir are a MORON
tryntosmile
Nice point
Sandusky should have been a priest. He would be in the clear.
Well he was at penn state now he's in the state pen . POS should be shot , hung , stabbed and then fried . Anything he got is not enough .
breaking news...the monster was given a sentence of...
"no less than 30, no more than 60(years)".
He will die in prison.
Hope Jerry is flexible enough to grab his ankles.
I hope the boys, now men, he did this to can find peace in their hearts that this monster will never hurt another child.
Here's hoping he loses all appeals. He will surely die in prison,which is the only fair sentence. Evil,just plain evil.
30-60 years? Too light of a sentence for a man that victimized so many children for so long. I realize he will probably never be a free man again (let's all hope), but I really believe that this light sentence is a slap in the face to the victims. Jerry Sandusky sentenced these innocent boys to a life of having to deal with being raped. Why couldn't the judge give Sandusky the same sentence? Sandusky is pathethic. I hope to never hear his name again or see the smirk on his face again. Bye Bye.
some of the legal beagles on CNN, commented that he was given this particular sentence because of his age....he's like, what--in his late 60's, or something like that.His age doesn't really matter--he's done.
he will surely die in prison,whether it be from natural causes,or from other causes.
The sentence read...."no less than 30,no more than 60".
This monster will NEVER see the light of day again. Fitting, seeing as his victims were in their own prison,for all these years.
Hold on to that soap! And good luck with that.
Still not long enough in my eyes! Even today you still can't admit to the sick disgusting acts of ruining all these boys lives....Sandusky you better be thanking your lucky stars I was not the mother of one of those boys. I'm a loving caring individual by nature but what you've done to these children just makes my blood stand still...I would be absolutely positive that you suffered so much more than these boys ever suffered and for twice as many years. You absolutely make me sick and there's a special place in hell for people like you!
GOOD!