Jury Begins Deliberations
By: Mallory Lane
Updated: June 22, 2012
BELLEFONTE, CENTRE COUNTY - Joseph McGettigan began his closing arguments around 11:50 A.M. Thursday.
Overall McGettigan was not polished and seemed distracted during his closing argument.
McGettigan said he would outline, underline and show evidence. He presented a quote from Amendola in Amendola's opening that "the Commonwealth had overwhelming evidence," against Sandusky.
He said his main points proved that jurors must admit what's there and deny what may be questionable. McGettigan said the defense would call everyone a liar, counter charges would be made, and that the defense would allege a conspiracy.
The defense didn't want Accuser #4's recording played because it would show serial abuse.
McGettigan questions how so many agencies like the Attorney General's office, Child Youth Services, Police, etc. could be part of conspiracy.
McGettigan pointed out that David Hilton, a Second Mile kid, said that Sandusky sent many letters. He repeated that accusers didn't report abuse because of humiliation, shame and fear, which equals silence.
"The substance of this case is about these boys," said McGettigan, while showing faces of the boys on a screen. "That's the person that did it," Mcgettigan said while showing slide of Sandusky on a screen.
McGettigan said that the recollection capabilities of accusers are different because they're all different people.
He said that the Defense asked leading questions and asked about dates, places and car colors, which he claimed were worthless questions.
Dick Anderson, a former coach, said the boys shower with adult men regularly in Penn State University showers.
McGettigan said Sandusky's humanitarian efforts isn't supposed to "insulate" him from crimes. He said accusers were victims in escalating fashion.
McGettigan said Mike McQueary did the right thing by taking appropriate steps and accepted criticism after seeing a coach he knew abusing a boy in February 2001 on PSU campus.
When discussing the NBC interview, McGettigan said Sandusky should've adamantly said 'no,' that he didn't abuse boys.
He said Sandusky remembered Mike McQueary alleged incident and that Sandusky "knew this day was coming."
"The testimony shows that you saw a serial predatory pedophile, seeking the most vulnerable," said McGettigan. "A child that's looking for a father."
McGettigan said accusers were ravaged and incinerated by Sandusky.
McGettigan physically stood behind Sandusky and said that kids were "hurt horribly, took pieces of their souls," he said. "You know he did it, he knows he did it, find him guilty of everything."
Cleland said he thought the case was going to be longer. The Jury will deliberate in Courtroom Two only. The schedule of the Jury deliberations will be their own. Sequestering will be at a local hotel. No deliberations will be done at a hotel.
The verdict must be unanimous. The 12 jurors were escorted to Courtroom Two. The three alternates were kept in courtroom and spoken to by Cleland. Juror 16 was excused. Jurors 14 and 15 will still serve and will be sequestered separately from the other 12 jurors.
The Jury retired at 1:12 P.M.
Overall McGettigan was not polished and seemed distracted during his closing argument.
McGettigan said he would outline, underline and show evidence. He presented a quote from Amendola in Amendola's opening that "the Commonwealth had overwhelming evidence," against Sandusky.
He said his main points proved that jurors must admit what's there and deny what may be questionable. McGettigan said the defense would call everyone a liar, counter charges would be made, and that the defense would allege a conspiracy.
The defense didn't want Accuser #4's recording played because it would show serial abuse.
McGettigan questions how so many agencies like the Attorney General's office, Child Youth Services, Police, etc. could be part of conspiracy.
McGettigan pointed out that David Hilton, a Second Mile kid, said that Sandusky sent many letters. He repeated that accusers didn't report abuse because of humiliation, shame and fear, which equals silence.
"The substance of this case is about these boys," said McGettigan, while showing faces of the boys on a screen. "That's the person that did it," Mcgettigan said while showing slide of Sandusky on a screen.
McGettigan said that the recollection capabilities of accusers are different because they're all different people.
He said that the Defense asked leading questions and asked about dates, places and car colors, which he claimed were worthless questions.
Dick Anderson, a former coach, said the boys shower with adult men regularly in Penn State University showers.
McGettigan said Sandusky's humanitarian efforts isn't supposed to "insulate" him from crimes. He said accusers were victims in escalating fashion.
McGettigan said Mike McQueary did the right thing by taking appropriate steps and accepted criticism after seeing a coach he knew abusing a boy in February 2001 on PSU campus.
When discussing the NBC interview, McGettigan said Sandusky should've adamantly said 'no,' that he didn't abuse boys.
He said Sandusky remembered Mike McQueary alleged incident and that Sandusky "knew this day was coming."
"The testimony shows that you saw a serial predatory pedophile, seeking the most vulnerable," said McGettigan. "A child that's looking for a father."
McGettigan said accusers were ravaged and incinerated by Sandusky.
McGettigan physically stood behind Sandusky and said that kids were "hurt horribly, took pieces of their souls," he said. "You know he did it, he knows he did it, find him guilty of everything."
Cleland said he thought the case was going to be longer. The Jury will deliberate in Courtroom Two only. The schedule of the Jury deliberations will be their own. Sequestering will be at a local hotel. No deliberations will be done at a hotel.
The verdict must be unanimous. The 12 jurors were escorted to Courtroom Two. The three alternates were kept in courtroom and spoken to by Cleland. Juror 16 was excused. Jurors 14 and 15 will still serve and will be sequestered separately from the other 12 jurors.
The Jury retired at 1:12 P.M.
