The jury selection process for the Jerry Sandusky trial ended on Wednesday, which now sets up arguments to begin within the next week. Sandusky is the former Penn State University football assistant coach who has been accused of child sexual abuse. The jury consists of seven women and five men who will be responsible for considering the charges, which includes 52 counts of molesting 10 boys over a period of 15 years. Sandusky pled not guilty to the charges and if convicted faces close to 500 years in prison if he is convicted on all counts.
Sandusky has been accused of meeting the boys through a charity he created, the Second Mile, and have claimed that some of the abuse occurred at Penn State facilities.
“The trial in this case will start on Monday morning. We anticipate that it will take at most three weeks and be done by the last day of June,” Judge John Cleland said.
The role of the university in the community is evident by the amount of the jurors who have ties one way or another with the school. One of the jurors is a professor at the school, one is an administrative assistant at the school, one is a dance teacher at the continuing education program and one is a graduate of the school from the Class of 2007. Four alternate jurors were selected along with the 12 regular jurors.
During a break in the jury proceedings, Sandusky joked with reporters, “What did you guys do to deserve me? How did you guys get stuck with this? Ay yi yi.”
Joe Paterno, the former head coach of the football team, died of lung cancer two months after being fired. Jurors were told that Sue Paterno, Joe’s wife, and their son Jay could be called as witnesses. On Monday, it is expected that opening arguments would begin. It has been reported that love letters sent from Sandusky to Victim 4 would be read as testimony when the trial begins. It has been said that the letters are in the handwriting of Sandusky.