Jerry Sandusky On Joe Paterno's Death: 'This Is A Sad Day!'

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Jerry Sandusky, the retired Penn State assistant coach who faces child sex abuse charges in a case that led to the firing of Joe Paterno, called the death of his former boss a sad loss Sunday.

"This is a sad day! Our family, Dottie and I would like to convey our deepest sympathy to Sue and her family," Sandusky said in a statement. "Nobody will be able to take away the memories we all shared of a great man, his family, and all the wonderful people who were a part of his life."

Sandusky is awaiting trial on 52 criminal counts for what prosecutors say was sexual abuse of 10 children over 15 years. He denies the allegations.

Sandusky was Paterno's top assistant for years until he retired in 1999, and he said he remembered Paterno as a great man who met high standards in a difficult job.

"He maintained a high standard in a very difficult profession. Joe preached toughness, hard work and clean competition," Sandusky said. "Most importantly, he had the courage to practice what he preached."

Related on HuffPost:

Comments

[Arthur T]

02:07 PM on 01/27/2012

The bottom line:
Mike McQueary, Joe Paterno sought vindication under the “Letter of the Law” (only do what the law requires) and appear fearful or afraid to “Snitch on” Jerry Sandusky as being a suspected child molester employee at Penn State.
-
Tim Curley and Gary Schultz didn’t honor the “Letter of the Law” or the “Spirit of the Law”. Everyone involved didn’t love these children like they were their own child, grandchild, cousin, or nephew etc.!
-
How sad that self-righteousness and moral purity are so easily trumped by job security and “I don’t want to get involved”; which leads to the many unnecessary and “Avoidable” molestations!
My final thought:
-
In this human rights scandal, the easiest and most practical way to be perceived as 100% innocent of any wrong doing after one hears about or observes a crime against another person; is to demand that those in authority over us fulfill all legal and moral obligations to rescue the victim and bring legal judgment against any criminal.
-
God bless the memory of Mr. Joe Paterno !!!

[OldFreddie]

09:40 PM on 01/24/2012

It is irresponsible for any media outlet to print the slime from the man's mouth on the occasion of Paterno's death, period.

[bart4u]

12:10 AM on 01/24/2012

Why is the media reporting a comment from this slime goat. This child molester will gets his in jail. Hopefully soon.

[bridgeman]

10:39 PM on 01/23/2012

He went to his grave because he covered for this sick man...who cares what he thinks.

[banker67]

09:50 PM on 01/23/2012

How about the GOP governor who did all he could in his first months in office to hand Sandusky $3 million tax dollars to expand his operation? How did that story disappear from the news?

Oh yes: The governor put a hold on this massive payoff AFTER the scandal broke. I am so often wrong, but I don't remember reading about new governors expending tenuous new clout to drop a cool $3 million on a pal he didn't know very, very well.

"Who, Sandusky? Never heard of him: Give him $3 million, stat!"

Who's following up on the governor's obvious personal involvement with Sandusky? Or is that officially 'out of bounds' for the corporate press?

[OldFreddie]

09:43 PM on 01/24/2012

How about the fact that that charity kept giving kids to Sandusky long after 2002, when they had much more information on him than Paterno, and they were his employers in 2002? He was a "consultant".

[banker67]

09:25 AM on 01/25/2012

Hypothetically, assume 'the word has gone out' that everything stops with Sandusky. Assume the attorneys of all the powerful people who abetted Sandusky's alleged crimes have agreed to cauterize the situation, and the accused has cut a deal to keep mum in exchange for sentence that will later be reduced to hospitalization 'for health reasons.'
No further investigations, no serious journalism...etc. Is there any other way for the public interest to be served by outing all those involved?

[jerryhattrick]

01:11 PM on 01/23/2012

Sandusky honored Patero's passing by raping another 10 yr old boy...

[Nick Matolyak]

10:42 AM on 01/23/2012

Sandusky ruined JoePa's life and is now praising it, what an absolute monster.

[George Costanza]

09:54 AM on 01/23/2012

Jerry Sandusky killed Paterno, as sure as if he walked up to him and shot him.

[Bude]

11:12 AM on 01/23/2012

Paterno ALLOWED Sandusky to prey on children for at least 15 years!

[George Costanza]

01:30 PM on 01/23/2012

JoePa would be the first person to admit that he didn't handle the situation the way it should have been handled. Sandusky was a long time associate, and I'm sure Joe considered him a friend. He admitted that he couldn't process the idea that this guy he's known for all these years could do such a vile and horrible thing, and he allowed that disbelief to cloud his judgment and convinced him to take a half measure in response.

He should have called the cops and let the legal system sort it out. But you don't get to lay this all at Joe's feet. Joe was responsible for the Penn St. football team. He wasn't responsible for allowing Sandusky to use Penn St.'s facilities for his "charity". That was the administration and the athletic director.

Joe Paterno gave his whole life to that college. And because he was unable to process a situation with which, thankfully, the vast majority of us will never have to interact, the college threw him out like so much garbage after 62 years, and people like you paint him with the same brush they rightfully use on Sandusky.

Sandusky is a pedophile and a sociopath. Joe was an educator and a trusting friend, whose friendship and trust Sandusky callously abused to satisfy his pathology. But the way you characterize it, Joe might as well have been holding the kids' ankles. I don't think that's fair, and I don't think Joe deserves that much blame.

[loax]

09:49 AM on 01/23/2012

Sanudsuky must be pleased. Paterno can't testify against him any more

[Cards423]

12:50 PM on 01/23/2012

He already has though and the transcripts can be used at trial.

[westphilly726]

02:18 PM on 01/23/2012

I'm sure he's doing backflips.

[demorick2]

09:35 AM on 01/23/2012

Too bad it wasn't you, pedophile...

[westphilly726]

02:19 PM on 01/23/2012

Hopefully the Karma will train will stop at his house.

[AliveInNYC]

08:56 AM on 01/23/2012

May you rot in hell Mr. Sandusky.

You speak of the high standands that Joe Paterno set yet you failed miserably to come even close to meeting them.

[I AM THAT]

08:36 AM on 01/23/2012

I only read the headline...I dont want to hear one word of this monsters mouth. He's not worthy of any coverage whatsoever. Bye bye.

[subherbanite]

10:14 AM on 01/23/2012

Same here, I don't think the Paterno family needs his 2 cents right now.

[Sandie123]

12:19 PM on 01/23/2012

Paterno is NOT innocent in what happened to those boys!!!

[jmk6653]

04:27 AM on 01/23/2012

I believe this headlines is to cause a reaction - What came out with Jerry Sandusky pretty much nailed it for Paterno - yes Paterno wasn't totally innocent in all of this - I believe his end came much sooner due to all of the publicity - Let's give Paterno's FFF (family, friends and fan's) time to mourn his passing and remember the high points of his career and his life

[ZeroCoke]

02:41 AM on 01/23/2012

ughhh.. i dont think they need YOUR sympathy sandusky

[rsg11]

01:51 AM on 01/23/2012

I think Sandusky would be better off not commenting on this - very inappropriate.

[WeCanDoIt]

02:21 AM on 01/23/2012

Evidently, he can't help himself.

Sandusky = very inappropriate aka criminal