Completely innocent no.
But I question where the “moral” responsibility ends. If I make a report to my supervisors based on a report from my subordinate, that I did not witness, as required by company policy, am I also “morally” expected to go outside of that policy and call the police? Before they can even investigate the report?
Why does the man who reported to Paterno get off free? Where did his moral responsibility end?
What about the parents? None of them knew or suspected anything? If any of them contacted PSU officials without a satisfactory response did they then follow up with a call to the PSP? Why not? Where is their moral responsibility.
Things were done wrong here and I don’t excuse Sandusky or the PSU administration, but expecting Paterno to personally pursue the man to the gates of hell and light the fire before he left is a slippery slope.
Did Paterno meet the letter of the law? Perhaps yes.
Did he meet the moral obligations expected of someone of his stature and tenure? The verdict is still out on that, but the facts of the case as known now indicate he did not.
The issue is that Joe saw NOTHING was done after he told Curley. He knew that rapist was still raping. What did he do. He kept quiet.
Why does the man who reported to Paterno get off free? Where did his moral responsibility end?
Most here totally agree that McQueary wimped out.
What about the parents? None of them knew or suspected anything? If any of them contacted PSU officials without a satisfactory response did they then follow up with a call to the PSP? Why not? Where is their moral responsibility.
A mother went to the authorities in 1998. They got Sandusky cold. The DA wouldn't prosecute.
The mother that finally broke this even had her son's school officials urging her not to report it. Fortunately she did.
What did Joe do. Nothing.
Paterno is toast.