Sandusky Response to Trial Delay
By: Jeff Preval
Updated: March 29, 2012
BELLEFONTE, CENTRE COUNTY - The Jerry Sandusky trial has been delayed three weeks, after Senior Judge John Cleland agreed Thursday that more time is needed in the case.
The trial has been delayed three weeks from May 15 to June 5.
Cleland says in an order that various logistical issues have arisen causing the trial to be delayed. The ruling's in response to a request from Joe Amendola, Sandusky's attorney to have the trial pushed back.
The Commonwealth also responded Thursday to Amendola's request for more information in the case and that charges should be dismissed.
The attorney general writes that the Commonwealth has given the information required and will give more as necessary. Prosecutors also say Sandusky should be able to develop a defense based on grand jury reports and other information that's been given.
An important part of the response from the prosecution is that Sandusky and Amendola had a chance to learn more information about witnesses and the alleged victims at the preliminary hearing in December. Amendola waived the hearing for several reasons.
"[The hearing] is only for the purpose of the Commonwealth to present its evidence and we get to present no evidence. So we don't get to cross-examine anybody, the Commonwealth puts on the stand whoever and we don't get to test their credibility or motivation for testifying," said Amendola.
Amendola says if the judge agreed to increase bail in December, Sandusky wouldn't have been able to pay and would've been arrested. Amendola wanted to prevent this from happening.
Thursday night, Amendola wrote "We are continuing to review volumes of discovery materials we have recently received from the Attorney General's Office which are generating further discovery requests. We don't know if we will have all the information we need and are entitled to receive prior to the new trial date, but we will do our very best to be ready to procced to trial on June 5th. The AG has conducted a 3 plus year secret Grand Jury investigation in this matter. We've only had a couple of months since we received our first discovery materials in mid January to begin preparing our defense. I am still reviewing the AG's response to our OPTM and will comment on the AG's response tomorrow."
Cleland says the pre-trial hearing on April 5 is still scheduled.
The trial has been delayed three weeks from May 15 to June 5.
Cleland says in an order that various logistical issues have arisen causing the trial to be delayed. The ruling's in response to a request from Joe Amendola, Sandusky's attorney to have the trial pushed back.
The Commonwealth also responded Thursday to Amendola's request for more information in the case and that charges should be dismissed.
The attorney general writes that the Commonwealth has given the information required and will give more as necessary. Prosecutors also say Sandusky should be able to develop a defense based on grand jury reports and other information that's been given.
An important part of the response from the prosecution is that Sandusky and Amendola had a chance to learn more information about witnesses and the alleged victims at the preliminary hearing in December. Amendola waived the hearing for several reasons.
"[The hearing] is only for the purpose of the Commonwealth to present its evidence and we get to present no evidence. So we don't get to cross-examine anybody, the Commonwealth puts on the stand whoever and we don't get to test their credibility or motivation for testifying," said Amendola.
Amendola says if the judge agreed to increase bail in December, Sandusky wouldn't have been able to pay and would've been arrested. Amendola wanted to prevent this from happening.
Thursday night, Amendola wrote "We are continuing to review volumes of discovery materials we have recently received from the Attorney General's Office which are generating further discovery requests. We don't know if we will have all the information we need and are entitled to receive prior to the new trial date, but we will do our very best to be ready to procced to trial on June 5th. The AG has conducted a 3 plus year secret Grand Jury investigation in this matter. We've only had a couple of months since we received our first discovery materials in mid January to begin preparing our defense. I am still reviewing the AG's response to our OPTM and will comment on the AG's response tomorrow."
Cleland says the pre-trial hearing on April 5 is still scheduled.
