We never went away. We just got lazy. However, when one is an old geezerly Turkey, one is prone to distraction.
This week, Sudden Impact centers on — what else? — the Supreme Court ruling on Obamacare the Sandusky affair.
As Jerry sits in a Centre County jail isolation cell doing his psych evaluation, his attorneys and he await sentencing in order to kick off the appeal process. After sentencing, about 90 days from last Friday, Jerry will undoubtedly move to a far less hospitable climate in a Pennsylvania state penitentiary, where co-defense counsel Karl Rominger says he will watch things closely.
Meanwhile, the Louis Freeh investigation wears on, reports the Chronicle of Higher Education. (Alas, you won’t be able to read the full article without a subscription.) Penn State President Rod Erickson stated that he and his staff are prepared to take responsibility for whatever the probe turns up. Results are expected to be published before the end of July.
Take responsibility? Hell, they don’t have to take it — they are responsible, before, during and after Freeh’s investigation. I’ll give you “take responsibility”, already. In the head I’ll give you.
* * * * * * * * * *
Carlisle attorney Karl Rominger decided to take on the Sandusky defense in order to clear Joe Paterno’s name, even though he knew that after reading the grand jury presentment, it would be a tough, uphill battle. He did not ask Sandusky, nor did he want to know, whether he was guilty.
In that same connection, I was talking with friends the other day, none of which are lawyers. Someone said that criminal defense attorneys want to know whether their client actually did what he or she is being accused of doing. My thought was that they would rather not know. But what do I know? This Turkey thinks that an effective Sandusky defense would be anything but the soft Cover-3 we’ve seen on the field ad nauseam. But I digress. Any of you lawyers out there have any thoughts on this subject?
* * * * * * * * * *
The original defense counsel for Sandusky is cocky Joe Amendola, who stuck his foot in his mouth big time comparing the trial to a soap opera. Which one? All My Children.
* * * * * * * * * *
Back to the 2012 Nittany Lions, for a refreshing change of pace, the Patriot News’ Bob Flounders reports on recruiting, player departures, and coach Bill O’Brien. Curtis Drake and Devon Smith are gone, so O’Brien and staff have been scrambling to prepare for the season ahead. It is good that they got the quarterback issue sorted out early.
* * * * * * * * * *
The family of the late Joe Paterno has made a formal request to unseal the will and estate records of the former Penn State head coach. The records have been filed under seal since June 26, 1997.
* * * * * * * * * *
Anne Danahy of the Centre Daily Times reports that Penn State spent almost $12 million relating to the Sandusky scandal through the end of April. That sucks, doesn’t it? Collateral damage from Jerry the Perv continues to show up.
* * * * * * * * * *
You probably know that Jack Ham was a legendary, Hall of Fame linebacker with the Nittany Lions and the Pittsburgh Steelers, as well as a current radio voice of Penn State football. In this Daily Collegian article, Ham gives reporter Tim Gilbert his two cents on the Sandusky scandal and the verdict. Sandusky coached Ham back in the day.
* * * * * * * * * *
In the wake of the verdict, Penn State announced plans to invite victims of Sandusky abuse to participate in resolution sessions, ultimately to decide on compensation. You know that will be a three-ring circus, but it is good that the University took the first step immediately after the former coach and now convicted child molester was adjudged guilty. Alas, this story is in the New York Times, which has joined the movement to charge for digital subscriptions, so if you do not have a subscription, you won’t be reading much of it.
Well, that’s it for this week’s Sudden Impact, the last only one in June. This Turkey wishes all of you a great Independence Day celebration. Be safe out there, and don’t pile in too many hot dogs!
