From what I’ve read, Paterno had power and influence far above what you would expect from a typical football coach. Paterno must have known why Sandusky suddenly retired in 1999, and why he suspiciously wasn’t given another coaching job.
The main reason the victim was never identified in the shower incident witnessed by McQueary, is because everybody in Penn State kept this information in-house, all of them agreeing to a cover-up. (It’s silly to think that talking to the administrator technically in charge of the PD is the same as reporting a crime.)
McQueary telephoned his father, and they waited until the next day to meet with Paterno. Paterno waited another day before notifying the head of the athletic department. That guy waited even longer to notify his boss, and no police investigation was ever started. NONE of these people ever considered the 10-yr old victim, or took steps to identify him. It was the cover-up itself that made it possible for Sandusky’s shower victim to remain unidentified, and eliminated any chance for him to be examined by medical professionals, or interviewed by experts trained to deal with juvenile victims.
When told by McQueary about the shower incident, all Paterno had to do was tell McQueary to immediately accompany him to the police station, and instruct McQueary to tell the police what he had seen in the shower. That’s exactly what any competent administrator would have done. Paterno was as big a part of the cover-up as anybody else. Unfortunately, for the purposes of hiding the identity of the 10-yr old victim and making him unavailable to be examined and interviewed, the cover-up was a success.
From Paterno on up, I’m disgusted with these people and anybody who defends their actions.
thank you well said
It’s what any normal person would do. Would all these people have acted the same way if it had been little girls instead?
It’s what any normal person would do. Would all these people have acted the same way if it had been little girls instead?