I agree that Paterno probably knew about the 1998 incident. There is no doubt in my mind that Sandusky's surprise retirement in 1999 was related to it. I would like to know if Paterno had any influence on those investigations and what was revealed to the university and Paterno about the results. I also have no doubt that having a 50 year relationship with someone as a coach and a supervisor clouds anyone's judgment about what they are willing to believe about someone they have known since he was 18 years old.
So if he did know, then the '02 accusation was at least the second time Sandusky was accused of fondling and/or raping a little boy that Paterno knew about. So, JoePa, by allowing that freak Sandusky to maintain a presence at PSU and take 10 and 12 y/o boys around with him abetted this felon. Yeah...I know...JoePa did a lot of good though...let's just forget about those boys he allowed to be raped by a guy who was a dee end for him and a really good dee coordinator. Sheesh.
Paterno reported the incident to his superiors. The question is how vigorously he should have pursued it. IMO his longtime personal relationship with Sandusky clouded his judgment. Could he have put pressure on the university to deny Sandusky the privileges accorded to former professors, i.e., office space and access. Sure, but the 2002 investigation did not result in any penalty or finding of guilt. And then there was Sandusky's participation in charitable activities.
After retirement, Sandusky hosted many summer football camps and was active in The Second Mile, a children's charity he founded in State College, Pennsylvania in 1977. President George H. W. Bush praised the group as a "shining example" of charity work in a 1990 letter, one of that president's much-promoted "Thousand points of light" encouragements to volunteer community organizations. Citing Sandusky's work with The Second Mile charity to provide care for foster children, then U.S. Senator Rick Santorum honored Sandusky with an Angels in Adoption award in 2002. Ex-Eagles head coach Dick Vermeil, current Eagles head coach Andy Reid, R.R.M. Carpenter, III, former Eagles owner, Matt Millen from ESPN, actor Mark Wahlberg, Arnold Palmer, and football player Franco Harris, among others, served on the Honorary Board of Second Mile,
My point is that this is much more complex and difficult than some black and white choice between good and evil. I can forgive Paterno for making a mistake in judgment and being human given his almost father like relationship to Sandusky, someone he first knew as an 18 year old. This is a real, Greek-like tragedy.
And please remember: JoePa had a very long history of burying and forgiving his football players' bad behaviors over the years (not unlike most other D-1 football coaches)--everything from indiscretions and poor judgments to felonies. He treated this like one of his players was caught shoplifting or got into a bar fight. For me, that is unforgivable.