Penn State horror story

[bmags]

They were informed 4 years earlier about another incident. THEY could have ended it there, without any of Paterno's additional input. But the fact is, even when the cops are involved, and the DA has been notified (of the 2002 incident) NOTHING f***ING HAPPENED. So no, you cannot say with certainty that Paterno's notification to the police would have resulted any differently here.

 

Now, whether Paterno could have used other means to get this s*** out, that's another issue. And he certainly could have told Sandusky to get the f*** out even if the police/university didn't.

 

I can say with certainty that had Paterno gone to the police, he would not be the ire of so many right now. But he didn't, so you are hanging on that it wouldn't matter. I disagree, but do know that at the point of him filing a police report on record would satisfy many's threshold for conviction and compassion in the face of evil.

[iamshack]

I have, and you've claimed that Paterno did not hold significant influence as PSU because he doesn't use email or facebook. If Paterno holds influence and he wants this investigated, then it will be investigated. Paterno holds influence, but he didn't want it investigated.

 

I'm also intentionally leaving out the possibility that PSU blocked the 1998 investigation because that is speculation right now, but it is a possibility.

No, my argument is that Paterno is an elderly old man who can hardly remember the name of his quarterback let alone arrange some campus-wide coverup, or go chasing Sandusky around a campus of 44,000 students.

 

He reported the incident and the University failed him. At one point, in the 70's and 80's, maybe into part of the 90's, Paterno probably got a lot of things done on campus. By the time these events were occurring, he was an elderly figurehead and certainly not the one calling all the shots at the University.

 

Get this through your head...44,000 students. That is bigger than many towns in America. And you think Paterno is calling all the shots. I don't deny that he was still very influential...but give me a break...we've all seen how elderly people who have had the times pass them by get treated. I am sure most of the time people just rolled their eyes at Paterno and laughed.

 

 

[RockRaines]

I think people underestimate how small and close nit of a town State College is.

 

Here is the Town's website. PSU is its entire focus

 

http://www.statecollege.com/

Edited November 10, 2011 by RockRaines

[iamshack]

I can say with certainty that had Paterno gone to the police, he would not be the ire of so many right now. But he didn't, so you are hanging on that it wouldn't matter. I disagree, but do know that at the point of him filing a police report on record would satisfy many's threshold for conviction and compassion in the face of evil.

Well most of the people passing judgment on Paterno in this thread are doing so with the belief that he could have stopped the victims molested after 2002 from having their lives ruined by Sandusky.

 

And yet, it doesn't appear that the local police or DA were too interested in preventing it.

 

 

[StrangeSox]

They were informed 4 years earlier about another incident. THEY could have ended it there, without any of Paterno's additional input. But the fact is, even when the cops are involved, and the DA has been notified (of the 2002 incident) NOTHING f***ING HAPPENED. So no, you cannot say with certainty that Paterno's notification to the police would have resulted any differently here.

 

Now, whether Paterno could have used other means to get this s*** out, that's another issue. And he certainly could have told Sandusky to get the f*** out even if the police/university didn't.

 

Paterno is an influential and famous man. "Investigate this case or I'm calling SI" means this case gets investigated and doesn't get stonewalled by PSU, if we assume that's what happened. And yeah, again, for the 11.4 trillionth time, Paterno's one guy in a long list of fail.

 

When was the DA been notified of 2002 incident?

[Steve9347]

Why don't you finally answer how you know for sure that Paterno reporting anything to the police is going to result in Sandusky going to jail when the police heard Sandusky admit to molesting a child and the DA did not prosecute him?

Well, your facts are wrong. The police "heard" about the 1998 incident, and were told Sandusky simply showered with a boy.

 

The stakes were raised when first-hand witness knowledge tells someone that a 57 year old man is raping an 8-year old in a shower. You hear this. You report this. Had the proper authorities been alerted, in this instance, Sandusky is in prison immediately, and Joe Paterno is a hero.

[Jenksismyhero]

I can say with certainty that had Paterno gone to the police, he would not be the ire of so many right now. But he didn't, so you are hanging on that it wouldn't matter. I disagree, but do know that at the point of him filing a police report on record would satisfy many's threshold for conviction and compassion in the face of evil.

 

Doubtful. Paterno would get a pass in this case only if he had insured that the electric wires on the electric chair were attached to Sandusky's balls in 1998. Or at least that's the impression i'm getting from the majority on this board.

[iamshack]

Paterno is an influential and famous man. "Investigate this case or I'm calling SI" means this case gets investigated and doesn't get stonewalled by PSU, if we assume that's what happened. And yeah, again, for the 11.4 trillionth time, Paterno's one guy in a long list of fail.

 

When was the DA been notified of 2002 incident?

I just can't believe you find it more fascinating to try to convince a few of us as to Paterno's guilt rather than discuss the failure of the local police and the DA to prosecute Sandusky.

 

Honestly, I am not even going to argue about Paterno anymore. The police and the DA's actions are just infinitely more fascinating to me.

[iamshack]

Well, your facts are wrong. The police "heard" about the 1998 incident, and were told Sandusky simply showered with a boy.

 

The stakes were raised when first-hand witness knowledge tells someone that a 57 year old man is raping an 8-year old in a shower. You hear this. You report this. Had the proper authorities been alerted, in this instance, Sandusky is in prison immediately, and Joe Paterno is a hero.

Steve, it is my understanding that the police heard Sandusky tell the mother of a young boy that he did indeed molest him, and was sorry for it. They did not hear "about" it. They heard it come directly out of his mouth.

[Jenksismyhero]

Paterno is an influential and famous man. "Investigate this case or I'm calling SI" means this case gets investigated and doesn't get stonewalled by PSU, if we assume that's what happened. And yeah, again, for the 11.4 trillionth time, Paterno's one guy in a long list of fail.

When was the DA been notified of 2002 incident?

 

Actually sorry, I got my dates mixed up. The campus police AND the DA failed to do anything about the 1998 incident, even though the mother of the victim explained what happened. The 2002 stuff didn't come out until the grand jury investigation.

[StrangeSox]

No, my argument is that Paterno is an elderly old man who can hardly remember the name of his quarterback let alone arrange some campus-wide coverup, or go chasing Sandusky around a campus of 44,000 students.

 

He doesn't need to do either of those things. He can pick up a phone, call the police or PSU admin and tell them "investigate this, now." And he can follow up.

 

He reported the incident and the University failed him. At one point, in the 70's and 80's, maybe into part of the 90's, Paterno probably got a lot of things done on campus. By the time these events were occurring, he was an elderly figurehead and certainly not the one calling all the shots at the University.

He still held lots of sway until last week and people still listened to what he said. If he came to the media with these allegations of being stonewalled by PSU, they'd listen.

 

Get this through your head...44,000 students. That is bigger than many towns in America. And you think Paterno is calling all the shots. I don't deny that he was still very influential...but give me a break...we've all seen how elderly people who have had the times pass them by get treated. I am sure most of the time people just rolled their eyes at Paterno and laughed.

 

I do not think that Paterno was "calling the shots" and already said so. I clarified my statement since you took issue with calling him powerful. If he was still very influential, then your point is moot; he could use his influence to make sure a proper investigation was performed.

[StrangeSox]

Well most of the people passing judgment on Paterno in this thread are doing so with the belief that he could have stopped the victims molested after 2002 from having their lives ruined by Sandusky.

 

And yet, it doesn't appear that the local police or DA were too interested in preventing it.

 

Right, because I'm being charitable in assuming that PSU did not cover up the 1998 incident. If that is what happened, that doesn't exonerate Paterno. That damns everyone involved .

[Milkman delivers]

Steve, it is my understanding that the police heard Sandusky tell the mother of a young boy that he did indeed molest him, and was sorry for it. They did not hear "about" it. They heard it come directly out of his mouth.

 

As the Grand Jury report reads, he didn't say he molested him. In retrospect, it clearly was molesting because of all of the other things he's done. But that story was about showering at adjoining shower heads with the boy and, I believe, picking him up at one point while both were naked in the shower.

 

Yes, that sounds incredibly strange and, given the rest of the knowledge we have about Sandusky since then, it was another attempt at rape. But at the time, it could have seemed like a really stupid mistake, albeit incredibly inappropriate and weird.

[StrangeSox]

As the Grand Jury report reads, he didn't say he molested him. In retrospect, it clearly was molesting because of all of the other things he's done. But that story was about showering at adjoining shower heads with the boy and, I believe, picking him up at one point while both were naked in the shower.

 

Yes, that sounds incredibly strange and, given the rest of the knowledge we have about Sandusky since then, it was another attempt at rape. But at the time, it could have seemed like a really stupid mistake, albeit incredibly inappropriate and weird.

 

right, that's why I was asking if the police were informed of the 2002 incident, because that's much, much worse than the 98 one.

[Steve9347]

Steve, it is my understanding that the police heard Sandusky tell the mother of a young boy that he did indeed molest him, and was sorry for it. They did not hear "about" it. They heard it come directly out of his mouth.

You need to check your facts. You've been arguing without knowing the facts. Sandusky didn't admit anything and apologized for "showering" with the kid in 1998.

[Kid Gleason]

Somebody on another board I go to, who works at Penn, says this is about to get MUCH worse. Take that for what it is worth. Which isn't much. But ya know, might want to brace ourselves for some uber-ugliness.

[Milkman delivers]

right, that's why I was asking if the police were informed of the 2002 incident, because that's much, much worse than the 98 one.

 

You need to check your facts. You've been arguing without knowing the facts. Sandusky didn't admit anything and apologized for "showering" with the kid in 1998.

 

And putting yourself into the shoes of the police/DA at the time, it's not hard to see why the case would be dropped. At this point, the guy has no previous record of such strange activity. In fact, he's a highly respected member of the community that even has a charity geared towards helping younger boys. The incident sounds like (and you have to exclude everything you know about Sandusky currently) a very awkward mistake from a guy that otherwise never did anything similar before. Add in the fact that he apologized and seemed distraught for having done it, and that might be enough for a lot of investigators.

[StrangeSox]

Somebody on another board I go to, who works at Penn, says this is about to get MUCH worse. Take that for what it is worth. Which isn't much. But ya know, might want to brace ourselves for some uber-ugliness.

 

I honestly hope that it does not but expect that it will.

[The Sir]

Somebody on another board I go to, who works at Penn, says this is about to get MUCH worse. Take that for what it is worth. Which isn't much. But ya know, might want to brace ourselves for some uber-ugliness.

 

Penn = University of Pennsylvania

 

Penn State = Pennsylvania State University

[iamshack]

You need to check your facts. You've been arguing without knowing the facts. Sandusky didn't admit anything and apologized for "showering" with the kid in 1998.

Did the police not eavesdrop on Sandusky confessing to showering with the boy?

[StrangeSox]

Did the police not eavesdrop on Sandusky confessing to showering with the boy?

 

Which is significantly different from Sandusky fondling or raping a boy, especially when coupled with past accusations of impropriety coming from a very influential man who was also a close friend.

[Kyyle23]

Penn = University of Pennsylvania

 

Penn State = Pennsylvania State University

 

come on man, lame correction. we all know who he is talking about.

[Steve9347]

Did the police not eavesdrop on Sandusky confessing to showering with the boy?

This is where you admit you are wrong.

[Milkman delivers]

Which is significantly different from Sandusky fondling or raping a boy

 

Exactly. Don't get me wrong, it's incredibly creepy, but it's not on the same level. It was in a locker room shower, not a single-person home shower. It's still weird, but it could have been the mistake of a guy that may just be an idiot.

[iamshack]

Which is significantly different from Sandusky fondling or raping a boy, especially when coupled with past accusations of impropriety coming from a very influential man who was also a close friend.

He said he deserved to die for it. I don't think there was much confusion as to what was going on...

 

The point is the police heard Sandusky admit it. They did simply "hear about it."