Jerry Sandusky is likely to spend the rest of his lie in jail as he was recently sentenced to at least 30 years in prison after being convicted of sexual abuse. Sandusky had faced a maximum sentence of 400 years for dozens of charges related to his sexual abuse charges, however, his maximum sentence will remain at 60 years and he will not be eligible for parole for 30 years.
On June 22, Sandusky was convicted on 45 counts of child sex abuse, from corruption of minors to involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, in which his accusers testified to during a trial that lasted less than two weeks.
During the trial, which garnered national attention and cast a shadow on Penn State’sPenn State’s heralded football program, the 23-year-old Victim No. 4 testified that he was only 13 when Sandusky sexually abused him in a university shower.
Sandusky’s trial consisted of an emotional hearing in which victims detailed the horrors stories of their inappropriate interactions with Sandusky. Victims also angrily confronted Sandusky at the recent sentencing hearing. After the sentencing, defense attorney Joe Amendola insisted that if the team had had more time to prepare for the trial, Sandusky would have been acquitted.
Despite the large amount of testimony offered by the prosecution in convicting him, Sandusky has maintained his innocence and repeatedly stated: “I did not do these disgusting acts.” Sandusky further stated, “They could take away my life, they could make me out as a monster, they could treat me as a monster, but they can’t take away my heart.”
His attorneys have 10 days to appeal the judge’s decision and they have stated that they will do so.