Jerry Sandusky’s lawyers said Saturday they tried to quit at the start of jury selection in his child sex abuse trial because they weren’t given enough time to prepare, raising an argument on the trial’s speed that could become the thrust of an appeal. Â Read more after the jump.
A day after Sandusky’s conviction, his lawyers disclosed they felt too unprepared to adequately defend him because of how quickly the case was brought to trial. Experts have said the seven months between Sandusky’s November arrest and trial was fast-paced by Pennsylvania standards.
“We told the trial court, the Superior Court and the Supreme Court we were not prepared to proceed to trial in June due to numerous issues, and we asked to withdraw from the case for those reasons,” attorney Joe Amendola told The Associated Press.
The issues included a scheduling conflict with a defense team member and the need to read a cache of documents produced by a lengthy grand jury investigation. Judge John Cleland denied their request.
The attorneys raised other issues that could be part of the future appeal, saying a mistrial was sought and denied over a repetition at trial of a brief part of a November interview Sandusky had with NBC’s Bob Costas.
Jurors in the two-week trial convicted Sandusky of 45 of the 48 counts against him, meaning Sandusky, 68, likely will die in prison.
“I looked at him during the reading of the verdict and just the look on his face. No real emotion,” he said, “because he knew it was true.”
Philadelphia-based lawyer Fortunato Perri Jr., who followed the trial, said the jury’s dismissal of the charge involving the 2001 shower incident could help Curley and Schultz’ defense.
“You’ve now had a jury kind of preview your case with respect to the credibility of McQueary, and they didn’t believe him,” Perri said. “Who knows if the next jury would believe him or not believe him?”
But the administrators’ attorneys would probably be precluded from introducing the acquittal evidence at the separate trial, Perri said.
Sandusky’s sentencing is expected to occur in about three months; an exact date hasn’t been set. Because of the severity of the charges and mandatory minimum sentences, he faces an effective life sentence.
Until his next court date, Sandusky is one of 272 inmates at the Centre County Correctional Facility, seven miles from the Penn State campus. He was kept under watch overnight and is allowed access to some personal items including a prayer book, and can get visits from family, friends and attorneys.
