Free Republic

Joe Paterno, the Penn State football coach who preached success with honor for half a century but whose legend was shattered by a child sex abuse scandal, said Wednesday he will retire at the end of this season. Paterno said he was "absolutely devastated" by the case, in which his one-time heir apparent, Jerry Sandusky, has been charged with molesting eight boys over 15 years, including at the Penn State football complex. PENN STATE ABUSE SCANDAL Paterno retiring | His statement Reiter: Chaos in Happy Valley Trustees launch investigation Alleged victim's moms rip Penn St. Whitlock: Paterno has got to...

Defense lawyers suggested Wednesday that the District Attorney's Office may have shown favoritism as early as 2002 to an exotic dancer who claimed she was gang raped during a Duke University lacrosse party in March. In a written motion filed in Durham County Superior Court, attorneys for indicted rape suspect Reade Seligmann asked why the dancer received "such a favorable plea bargain" for criminal charges arising out of a drunken, stolen-car, high-speed police chase in June 2002. Court records show that even though the woman was charged with four felonies and numerous other traffic violations, the offenses were plea-bargained down...