As former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was being heard on NBC-TV last night declaring "I am innocent of those charges" and that he's not sexually attracted to young boys, The New York Times was landing with a report that:
"Close to 10 additional suspected victims have come forward to the authorities since the arrest of the former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky on Nov. 5 on 40 counts of sexually abusing young boys, according to people close to the investigation. The police are working to confirm the new allegations."
Sandusky, 67, has been charged with sexually abusing eight boys over more than a decade, sometimes on the Penn State campus after his 1999 retirement. The allegations led last week to the departures of long-time head football coach Joe Paterno and university President Graham Spanier, who both came under fire for not alerting police after they had been told of incidents involving Sandusky and boys who were part of a charity for at-risk youth that Sandusky had founded.
There has also been an intense focus on Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary, who told a grand jury that in 2002 he saw Sandusky engaged in a sexual act with a young boy in the Penn State locker room. McQueary told Paterno about it the next day. But he also did not call call police.
According to NBC News, last week McQueary sent emails to friends in which he assured them that "I did the right thing ... I didn't just turn and run, I made sure it stopped."
On NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams Monday night, Sandusky told correspondent Bob Costas that he had showered with some young boys. "I could say that I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids," he said. "I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their legs without intent of sexual contact."
Asked if he is sexually attracted to young boys, Sandusky gave this answer: "Am I sexually attracted to underage boys? Sexually attracted? You know, I enjoy young people. I love to be around them. But no, I'm not sexually attracted to young boys."
But as NPR's Tom Goldman told host Renee Montagne on Morning Edition today, "I think most people watching were kind of stunned by his meandering answer that finally worked its way to 'no.' "
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