June 22, 2012 - 10:41 pm
Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was found guilty Friday on 45 of 48 counts related to sexual abuse of boys over a 15-year period.
Jurors delivered the verdict around 10 p.m. after deliberating for about 21 hours. There were convictions related to all 10 sexual abuse victims, with the three not-guilty verdicts applying to three different individuals.
Ed Morrissey writes that sentencing will take place at a later date. “If he gets less than 40 years, I’d be shocked,” Ed adds.
Update: A typically killer Drudge Report headline, added above. Meanwhile, Twitchy.com asks, “Did New York Times break Sandusky judge’s order on verdict, and will the paper be held in contempt?”
Thirty years ago.
Oh wait, he meant contempt of court.
The important thing to remember is that those Penn State football victories no one can even name anymore were worth it. As a nation, we just need to have priorities. Justice can always wait.
Delighted with this verdict, if it means the victims take another step forward in their healing process.
Perhaps Sandusky will discover something these boys already know, showers can be very scary places.
However cathartic a prosecutorial victory may be, the cheering will stop, the crowds will dissipate, the media television trucks will pack up and go on to the next big thing, some victims may, after much delay, win a judgment against the institutions behind Sandusky,—-but, in the end, each victim will be left with his own thoughts and his own demons.
Surviving childhood sexual abuse is very much like PTSD (post traumatic stress discorder). You are often tormented for years on end with recurrent and intrusive thoughts of the crimes done to you as a youth. The thoughts invade your day-to-day life while you are showering in the morning, at the breakfast table, while you commute to work, while you are sitting through a staff meeting at work, while you are with your friends and family, while you are having sex with your spouse, and at all sorts of other inconvenient moments. Yet, you try to maintain a presence in this world as if nothing had ever happened to you.
Most male survivors of childhood sexual abuse seldom mention the facts of their abuse to anybody for years and, even, decades afterwards. Most male victims try to deny or downplay the effects of the abuse. Yet, to cope, they drink, smoke, blow dope, work compulsively, exercise compulsively, engage in sexually compulsive activities***—–anything to avoid the pain.
After clearly understanding the wrongs done to him, and mourning for his lost childhood, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse must, ultimately, choose to forgive the abuser. Not pardon him for his crimes. Not reconcile with him. Not to let the abuser off the hook. But, to let the victim, himself off the hook. To let the past go, so that you can enjoy the present, and plan for the future.
Unfortunately, it often takes many years of therapy, a lot of introspection, and a lot of prayer to arrive at forgiving a man such as coach Sandusky. The victims should choose forgiveness, when the time is right. They should choose forgiveness because their religious tradition directs them to do so. Otherwise, they should choose forgiveness because it is the rational thing to do.
***Most child molesters victimize scores of children over their lives. A small percentage of those victims grow up to become child molesters, themselves. The other 95%, or more, of the victims abuse themselves in a myriad of destructive ways, but not others. In fact, when you hear some ill-informed newscaster intone nonsense about the unending “cycle of abuse”, he or she is simply, and unintentionally, compelling many survivors of childhood sexual abuse to remain isolated, alone, and silent, and to not seek help for fear of being branded a child molester, themselves.
A fine comment.
I especially appreciate your footnote.
I doubt he’ll spend one decade in prison. But I do think he’ll get get life in prison.
I doubt he’ll spend one decade in prison. But I do think he’ll get life in prison.
G-d Speed to the victims of this reprobate POS. It’s to bad that Father in Texas didn’t catch him at his crimes.
Awaiting comment from NAMBLA.
They led him out of the court with his hands cuffed in front of him, rather than behind. I remarked that they did that because it’s the only mercy they’re going to show him. I predict he’s sentenced to 300 years, eligible for parole after no less than 75 years.