[chuckee]

The act took place on university grounds.Paterno did not witness it. It was only reported to him as part of the chain of command. Paterno did report the transgression within the university chain of command when it was reported to him. It would literally take 10 to 15 minutes to get to the top of the chain and be reported to the police. The question is where did it break in the chain. That is the guy responsible. Must everyone in the chain reporting something they did not see or could testify to in court go directly to the police? Is Paterno to be held accountable for his superiors even though he did not witness the act.I think many are being too hard on the guy

[Norm Lenhart]

Imagine you are the parent of the raped boy and repeat what you just typed. Still OK with it?

[MrEdd]

It was only reported to him as part of the chain of command. Paterno did report the transgression within the university chain of command when it was reported to him.

But by Pennsylvania and federal law, he was required to report this to acual law enforcement. Both as a University employee, and as a member of the board of The Second Mile.

No matter what policies Penn State may have posted or had Paterno sign onto, those policies do not trump the law. Joe is toast.

[gimme1ibertee]

The question is where did it break in the chain. That is the guy responsible.

If you want to be precise about it,it should have been reported by the one who witnessed it firsthand (McQueary).First of all,he should have expressed his outrage by knocking the pervert on his ass,tending to the child,calling 911,then contacting his father to let him know what had happened.It more than likely would have STOPPED right there.

[Colofornian]

It was only reported to him as part of the chain of command. Paterno did report the transgression within the university chain of command when it was reported to him. It would literally take 10 to 15 minutes to get to the top of the chain and be reported to the police. The question is where did it break in the chain. That is the guy responsible. Must everyone in the chain reporting something they did not see or could testify to in court go directly to the police? Is Paterno to be held accountable for his superiors even though he did not witness the act.I think many are being too hard on the guy

This was a FELONY. (Do you want that spelled out for you?)

Place yourself in a situation where, say, you are a High school coach.

Say your very credible 28 yo frosh coach comes to you and tells you that someone with lockerroom access -- say the local sports writer...is somebody he saw commit murder in the lockerroom showers & took pains to dispose of the evidence, including the body.

What do you & the eyewitness do? You call the police, right?

Not if you're a would-be coach & a coach @ Penn State.

OK, so let's emulate their actions for a moment. You're the High school. You've found out about this murder. The frosh coach's father called you; and now you're hearing it face to face the next day. So this felony's been committed. An urgent situation. You don't wait, right?

Not if you're the head coach @ Penn State. Then you wait another 24 hours to report it face to face to your superiors.

Then over time you as the HS coach begin to wonder why, "No headlines re: this murder." Why hasn't the alleged murderer been arrested. What? Do you never queery the McQueary guy on this? (Your frosh coach?)

What? You just let weeks, months, and years roll by...and you don't care who the victim was? You don't care that the murderer got away with it? You don't care that the murderer may murder again?

You just stay all snug & buggle in your conspiracy of silence?

You and so many posters with your "I'll do the barely legal" approach to ethics ESPECIALLY IN THIS CONTEXT OF MULTIPLE FELONIES is sickening, repulsive, horrific and worse!

You and other "keep forever silent to the authorities on child rape attacks" disgust me!