Newly unsealed court documents detail former Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky’s pattern of abuse among young men. They also reveal that head coach Joe Paterno knew about the abuse and that he allegedly dismissed a victim’s complaint about Sandusky.
Here are the other explosive details revealed in the documents, which were part of a civil suit.
‘I have a football season to worry about’
One victim, designated as John Doe 150, said he told Paterno that Sandusky had “put his finger in [the victim’s] rectum.” According to the victim, Paterno dismissed him, saying “I have a football season to worry about.”
“I was shocked, disappointed, offended,” the victim said. “I was insulted.”
Another victim, John Doe 75, was not interviewed for Sandusky’s criminal trial, but he described a 1987 incident in which coach Joe Sarra, also of Penn State, walked in when Sandusky had his hand down the victim’s pants.
“My mind was manipulated so bad that you think like some of this stuff is normal,” John Doe 75 said. “Like it’s scary.”
NFL coach implicated in documents
Another deposition included is from Mike McQueary, former Penn State assistant coach turned key witness in Sandusky’s trial. He testified that he observed Sandusky molesting a young boy in the Penn State football showers in 2001.
McQueary said he told Timothy Curley and Gary Schultz — two crucial members of the Penn State sports administration team at the time — what he had seen. He was contacted by the men after reporting the incident to Paterno.
New in this deposition, though, is that McQueary had also discussed the incident with coach Tom Bradley, who said “another assistant coach had come to him” with similar allegations in the 1990s, according to the deposition. That man was Greg Schiano, who went on to become the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and later the associate head coach for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Over the years, Bradley has repeatedly denied knowledge of any of Sandusky’s abuse. CNN has reached out to Schiano and Bradley for comment.
It’s unclear if Paterno knew about these additional coaches’ knowledge.
Curley and Schultz were also deposed as a part of the case. Both refused to answer most of the questions, citing their rights under the Fifth Amendment.
Reaction from Penn State
Paterno’s family issued a statement in response to the documents, which were part of a civil suit between Penn State and Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association.
“The materials released today relating to Joe Paterno allege a conversation that occurred decades ago where all parties except the accuser are now dead,” the statement read in part.
As previously reported by CNN, documents filed in the case in May indicate that Paterno was aware of allegations against Sandusky as early as 1976.
Penn State President Eric J. Barron additionally issued a statement regarding the documents’ release, emphasizing that “alleged knowledge of former Penn State employees is not proven, and should not be treated as such.”
“Penn State’s overriding concern has been, and remains, for the victims of Jerry Sandusky,” the statement continued. “While individuals hold different opinions, and may draw different inferences from the testimony about former Penn State employees, speculation by Penn State is not useful.”
