No Pressure on Paterno To Leave Says Board of Trustees Chair
By: Joe Holden
Updated: November 9, 2011
Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County- Despite some national media accounts, Board of Trustees Chairman Steve Garban told Eyewitness News by phone Monday night that there was no pressure being exerted by the board to seek the resignations of Coach Joe Paterno or Penn State University President Graham Spanier.
Paterno is expected to hold his weekly press briefing on Tuesday afternoon amidst rumors swirling he'll resign shortly before the gathering.
A Grand Jury this weekend recommended charges against ex-coach Jerry Sandusky, accusing him of molesting and sexually abusing eight boys spanning a decade. On Monday, Vice President Gary Schultz and Athletic Director Tim Curley were charged with failure to report the abuse and perjury. The Grand Jury found the administrators' testimony less than credible.
Asked if he had read a Grand Jury presentment, Garban said he had. He added he could not speak on behalf of other trustees. Asked directly if he would ask for Paterno or Spanier's resignations, he said he would not.
The storied, platinum reputation of Penn State's football program was sacked over the weekend, when the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office first released word of the case against Sandusky. It's alleged the former defensive coordinator used his charitable organization, The Second Mile, to farm at-risk children. He showered them with gifts, football games and in one case, a promise to be a walk-on player with the Nittany Lions, according to the report. Testimony revealed Sandusky would fondle and molest boys, some as young as eight. The abuse would occur in showers, locker rooms and a sauna, according to the Grand Jury.
Attorneys for Schultz, Curley and Sandusky have all promised a vigorous defense of the charges.
Schultz and Curley both stepped away from their duties at the university effective Sunday night following an emergency meeting of the board of trustees.
Sandusky retired in 1999, but maintained access to university facilities.
Over the years, complaints were made to authorities, including the Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar in 1998. According to the report, Gricar closed the investigation. The prosecutor mysteriously disappeared in April, 2005.
Others were contacted about questionable conduct and contact with children, according to police, including Curley and Schultz. Paterno relayed a report of abuse to Curley, according to the report ten years ago. Testimony varies on how Curley painted the information to Spanier, the university's president. One thing state police say Curley didn't do was call police.
Linda Kelly, attorney general, said the investigation continues. Prosecutors said it is not out of the realm of possibility that more victims are out there.
Paterno is expected to hold his weekly press briefing on Tuesday afternoon amidst rumors swirling he'll resign shortly before the gathering.
A Grand Jury this weekend recommended charges against ex-coach Jerry Sandusky, accusing him of molesting and sexually abusing eight boys spanning a decade. On Monday, Vice President Gary Schultz and Athletic Director Tim Curley were charged with failure to report the abuse and perjury. The Grand Jury found the administrators' testimony less than credible.
Asked if he had read a Grand Jury presentment, Garban said he had. He added he could not speak on behalf of other trustees. Asked directly if he would ask for Paterno or Spanier's resignations, he said he would not.
The storied, platinum reputation of Penn State's football program was sacked over the weekend, when the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office first released word of the case against Sandusky. It's alleged the former defensive coordinator used his charitable organization, The Second Mile, to farm at-risk children. He showered them with gifts, football games and in one case, a promise to be a walk-on player with the Nittany Lions, according to the report. Testimony revealed Sandusky would fondle and molest boys, some as young as eight. The abuse would occur in showers, locker rooms and a sauna, according to the Grand Jury.
Attorneys for Schultz, Curley and Sandusky have all promised a vigorous defense of the charges.
Schultz and Curley both stepped away from their duties at the university effective Sunday night following an emergency meeting of the board of trustees.
Sandusky retired in 1999, but maintained access to university facilities.
Over the years, complaints were made to authorities, including the Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar in 1998. According to the report, Gricar closed the investigation. The prosecutor mysteriously disappeared in April, 2005.
Others were contacted about questionable conduct and contact with children, according to police, including Curley and Schultz. Paterno relayed a report of abuse to Curley, according to the report ten years ago. Testimony varies on how Curley painted the information to Spanier, the university's president. One thing state police say Curley didn't do was call police.
Linda Kelly, attorney general, said the investigation continues. Prosecutors said it is not out of the realm of possibility that more victims are out there.
