Former Second Mile Participants Defend Sandusky
By: Andy Mehalshick
Updated: June 21, 2012
Bellefonte, Centre County -- The defense called two former clients of the Second Mile charity that was started by Sandusky in the late 1970s.
Investigators say Sandusky used the charity to find, groom and then sexually molest young boys.
Chad Rexrode is now 35. He was 10 years old when he met Sandusky at Second Mile. Here is his exchange with the defense attorney:
Rexrode: Jerry was a father figure to me. He helped me in so many ways. My family admired him.
Defense lawyer: Did he ever do anything inappropriate with you?
Rexrode: No, never. He was always a father to me.
Another Second Mile client, Dave Hilton said pretty much the same thing, that Sandusky was a good man and like a father. But Hilton also said that police were relentless when they tracked him down as a potential victim.
Hilton said in his testimony: "They kept asking me if Jerry did anything to me. I kept saying no. They said I would get into trouble if I lied. It's almost like they wanted me to say something happened."
In the courtroom Wednesday was Christoper Anderson. He runs a group called Male Survivor, a victims rights organization. He said no matter the verdict, sexual abuse victims have already gained a victory. "I believe the trial is a shift in our culture for the ability of accusers to be heard, to be believed. This is a landmark moment for more survivors of sexual abuse to come forward."
Investigators say Sandusky used the charity to find, groom and then sexually molest young boys.
Chad Rexrode is now 35. He was 10 years old when he met Sandusky at Second Mile. Here is his exchange with the defense attorney:
Rexrode: Jerry was a father figure to me. He helped me in so many ways. My family admired him.
Defense lawyer: Did he ever do anything inappropriate with you?
Rexrode: No, never. He was always a father to me.
Another Second Mile client, Dave Hilton said pretty much the same thing, that Sandusky was a good man and like a father. But Hilton also said that police were relentless when they tracked him down as a potential victim.
Hilton said in his testimony: "They kept asking me if Jerry did anything to me. I kept saying no. They said I would get into trouble if I lied. It's almost like they wanted me to say something happened."
In the courtroom Wednesday was Christoper Anderson. He runs a group called Male Survivor, a victims rights organization. He said no matter the verdict, sexual abuse victims have already gained a victory. "I believe the trial is a shift in our culture for the ability of accusers to be heard, to be believed. This is a landmark moment for more survivors of sexual abuse to come forward."
