JoePa & Happy Valley (Penn State scandal)

[Samai139]

Thanks to those who responded to my post about Fine and Sandusky and led me to think more deeply about pedophiles. I suspect there are all kinds of studies/psychological probings out there about this kind of behaviour. I admit I haven't read them and my gut reaction or rather gut repulsion is to just turn away in disgust from those who indulge or give in to those urges. I intend to try and learn more---not because I have any sympathy for the molestors but because children need to be protected and all of us have to play a part. I have three great-nephews, ages, four, three and two. If a teacher, coach, cub scout leader, religious leader, baby sitter or whoever ever fondled them or "used" them in a sexual way I'd be sorely tempted to kill him (or her) and suffer the consequences. I lost a nephew to SIDS when he was 8 months old and I thought I witnessed the worse pain parents could go through, but I wonder. Is a child and later an adult who lives with abuse every day a worse pain for him/her and the parents?

[seeker630]

As I said in a earlier post, the main obligation of a educator is to protect the child!

 

(11-27) 18:54 PST Syracuse, N.Y. (AP) --

 

Bernie Fine was fired Sunday by Syracuse University after a third man accused the assistant basketball coach of molesting him nine years ago.

 

"At the direction of Chancellor Cantor, Bernie Fine's employment with Syracuse University has been terminated, effective immediately," Kevin Quinn, the school's senior vice president for public affairs, said in a statement.

 

The 65-year-old Fine was in his 36th season at his alma mater. He had the longest active streak of consecutive seasons at one school among assistant coaches in Division I.

 

Zach Tomaselli, 23, of Lewiston, Maine, said Sunday that he told police that Fine molested him in 2002 in a Pittsburgh hotel room. He said Fine touched him "multiple" times in that one incident.

 

He was the third accuser to come forward in the investigation of child molestation allegations against Fine.

 

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said he supported the university's decision to fire his longtime assistant and expressed regret for his initial statements that might have been "insensitive to victims of abuse."

 

If he is guilty, he certainly deserves to be severely punished, but the presumption of guilt here bothers me. Our legal system is based on the concept of 'innocent until proven guilty' but Fine has already been fired. And one of his accusers, Tomaselli, himself is under indictment for involvement with a 14-year-old, and his father denies that Tomaselli was at the place where the alleged event occurred.

 

Just to be clear - my own feeling is that Fine is probably guilty, but nothing has yet been proven and people have certainly been falsely accused in the past.

[Samai139]

Agreed we must withhold judgement on FIne and Sandusky until they are proven guilty or found innocent. The evidence against Sandusky, just from his own admissions, seems stronger than that against Fine. But as Seeker630 correctly points out, innocent people have been accused many times before and public opinion once unleashed can do formidable damage, even to the innocent.

[instudiocity]

... The evidence against Sandusky, just from his own admissions, seems stronger than that against Fine. ...

I'm just guessing you haven't heard about the audio tape that the police and ESPN have had of Fine's wife from 2002. These types of accusations/prosecutions are always messy because they are based on the recollections of kids based on time they spent alone with a trusted adult. It's worse than a he said, he said.

 

Also, interesting in the Fine case, is the 3rd accuser also accused his father while being accused of the same behavior by a boy. Sorta like he might have learned that behavior.

[seeker630]

I'm just guessing you haven't heard about the audio tape that the police and ESPN have had of Fine's wife from 2002. These types of accusations/prosecutions are always messy because they are based on the recollections of kids based on time they spent alone with a trusted adult. It's worse than a he said, he said.

 

http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/7286347/otl-audio-tape-bernie-fine-wife-admits-worries-abuse

[Samai139]

Not sure if I was aware of the tape that ESPN had or not. Fine's wife is supposed to give an interview or make a statement today, Tuesday, about that tape. If she contends that the tape was doctored in some way or denies that it is her on the tape, things could get very interesting--from what I've read, it is relatively easy to determine if a tape has been doctored. If the tape proves to be Fine's wife, and she said what she said, all I can say is "What a piece of s...t she must be."

The third accuser, Tomaselli, as you point out has been accused of molesting a young boy and he is estranged from his father, who claims he could not have been where he says he was when he was molested by Fine. I don't know what psychologists/psychiatrists say about young men who have been molested---I think many of us feel that youngsters who have been molested go on to become molesters---as children who grow up in families where parents inflict violence on each other often do the same thing as adults. I have no idea how often this happens, One way of reducing molestation of children should then be obvious---ensure that children who have been physically or sexually abused get as much therapy as possible. I've forgotten her name, but the girl/woman who was kept in the backyard of her kidnapper/abuser and had two children with him, seems to have received treatment which has allowed her to return to her family and hopefully raise her children to become healthy adults. Maybe I'm just looking for "half-full glass" but if there is some way our culture can heal youngsters who have been so badly treated and reduce the future instances of molestation, I'm all for it. Better we train more specialists in the treatment of damaged chidlren than cosmetic/plastic surgeons who specialize in making Americans look better. Enough, I'll get off the pulpit now.

[EZEtoGRU]

NYT reports Sandusky is indicating that he and Paterno never discussed any of the allegations. If true(and it may not be), this is further evidence of "looking the other way" and "hoping it will all go away" by Paterno.

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-03/sandusky-paterno-didn-t-speak-of-misconduct.html

[+ azdr0710]

the latest grand jury report on new victims 9 and 10.....graphic and sad....

 

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/NEWS/111207_Sandusky-Presentment.pdf

[+ glutes]

Jerry Sandusky must be the Blagojevich of pedophiles...

 

As his lawyer told him today, 'Things are going to get worse.'

 

I want to know what happened to the missing DA that was investigating him several years back.

[+ glutes]

Sandusky's lawyer is a total boob, and is certainly doing him no service. Amendola let him speak to press, bluffed (and then waivied) the pre-lim, and handing out a gay porn-line?

 

 

BELLEFONTE, Pa. - Joe Amedola, the attorney for Jerry Sandusky, apparently gave out the number for a gay-porn site during his post-hearing press conference on Tuesday.

 

Amendola was speaking at the Centre County courthouse after his client, the former Penn State assistant football coach, waived a preliminary hearing.

 

At one point, Amendola told the press that if they believed Mike McQuery, assistant who said Sandusky raped a young boy, then "I suggest you dial 1-800-REALITY."

 

The number is actually for a phone sex service that charges 99 cents a minutes and specializes in pornography for gay and bisexual callers. That fact was verified by Fox 29.

 

The phone flub was just one of several odd occurrences at the hearing in Centre County, where Amendola had said for weeks he would confront as many as 10 accusers at the hearing.

 

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/local_news/sandusky-lawyer-gives-out-porn-number-121311

[leigh.bess.toad]

It has just been announced that Joe Paterno passed away this morning at the age of 85 from lung cancer.

 

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=dw-wetzel_joe_paterno_obituary_012212

 

The article is right: this is a complicated passing. A man who for almost all of his life was looked to as a role model and to have it end so horribly is sad. Should have have done more? Yes, he himself said so. But we shouldn't overlook the good the man did for so many decades.

 

RIP JoePa. Condolences to his family.

[+ WilliamM]

I attended Penn State for 18 months as a grad student. That period included Joe Paterno's first year as Head Coach. Of course, Paterno wasn't a big deal that first year, 1966.

 

To be fair, I did not have as much invested in the university and the team as a 4-year undergrad. But, I became increasingly concerned as Paterno moved into his 70s and 80s, even refusing to retire when the university requested that he do so eight years ago. I did not see the sex scandal coming. And I did not live or die based on whether Penn State won a football game. I saw a Head Coach hold on against all reason and good judgment. I feel badly for his family, just wished they had organized an intervention with their dad/husband at some point. Easier said than done though.

[RockCreekRunr]

I agree with both Lee and William. JoePa:

-should have done more regarding Sandusky;

-should have known it was time to retire 8-years ago;

-should be remembered for his winning legacy, his positive influence on countless students' lives and everything else he got right.

 

Rest in Peace Joe.

[+ FreshFluff]

Not just yet. Turns out Paterno's still alive. (Where's Mark Twain when you need him?)

 

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2012/01/joe-paterno-penn-state.html

 

However, the family is considering stopping life support according to CBS Sports.

[+ azdr0710]

Not just yet. Turns out Paterno's still alive. (Where's Mark Twain when you need him?)

 

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2012/01/joe-paterno-penn-state.html

 

However, the family is considering stopping life support according to CBS Sports.

 

 

your quoted story was written last night at 7:15pm.....he died early this morning

[GoodFella69]

Freshfluff, the dateline on that blog is yesterday, January 21. Sadly, Joe was pronounced dead earlier today (January 22nd).

[+ FreshFluff]

You're right, guys; I just saw that and was about to edit my post. RIP, Paterno.

[Toulouse]

If Paterno knew that one child was being molested and he did nothing, then what he did on the football field is meaningless to me.

[orbital sander]

Yeah RIP. Hopefully his passing will end some elements of the circus...

[JackTwist]

R.I.P. Joe Paterno

 

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/6801/39699710151193827695322.jpg