STATE COLLEGE, CENTRE COUNTY - A judge in Lancaster has ordered a special prosecutor to look into whether the grand jury for Jerry Sandusky's trial violated "secrecy protocol."
According to the Centre Daily Times, the probe started on February 8th, and is now expanding after a preliminary investigation warranted a closer look.
According to the report, James Reeder, who's an Assistant District Attorney in Lancaster, will have six months to investigate the 33rd Statewide Grand Jury which investigated Sandusky. But the report doesn't mention the Sandusky case specifically.
Reports say a probe is underway to see whether secret information about proceedings involving the grand jury was brought to light illegally.
The report says that James Reeder will investigate two rules of the state's Crime Code.
Meanwhile Penn State's lawyers are busy offering settlements to 30 of Jerry Sandusky's victims and accusers.
Michael Boni represents Aaron Fisher who's better known as "Victim #1". Boni said he didn't even know about the probe, and doesn't think it'll affect Penn State's progress with the settlement negotiations, or when they'll be made public.
"...I don't know what Penn State has in mind in terms of how it wants any settlements announced to the public..."
Boni says as of now, he doesn't know of any settlements that have been finalized. But says as far as he knows, if his deal gets done, the public should know soon after.
"...I'm sure that if we reached a settlement, it'll be announced."
Meanwhile Scott Cooper, a lawyer for another Sandusky accuser says he hasn't even heard from Penn State yet.
"...Since we represent one, it's disappointing their own people are publicizing these offers but not making them all at one time."
There is not a lot of reaction to the report of a probe as of yet. David La Torre, a spokesperson for Penn State said the school didn't even know about it, and he wouldn't comment. We also reached out to the attorneys for Graham Spanier, Tim Curley, Gary Shultz, and even Jerry Sandusky,
and didn't hear back from any of them. We'll continue to follow this story as it develops.
