Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky faces up to 373 years in prison for his conviction in June on 45 counts of child sexual abuse.  Click “more” for full details on the sentencing.

DJ Matthew Tyler

Sentencing by Judge John Cleland, known for running a fast-paced court, is expected to go quickly,Karl Rominger, a Sandusky lawyer, told Reuters.

“I don’t see that the sentencing will take more than several hours at the most, but it all depends,” he said.

Asked later if Sandusky would make a statement at the hearing, Rominger texted: “Unsure but likely.” Sandusky did not testify at his trial.

Rominger and fellow defense attorney Joe Amendola have said they plan to appeal. They contend they did not have enough time to prepare for the high-profile case.

Defense attorneys and prosecutors will meet with Cleland on Monday afternoon at the courthouse in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, to coordinate the hearing.

Daniel Filler, a law professor at Philadelphia’s Drexel University, said Cleland likely would focus on two factors in sentencing – the severity of the crimes and Sandusky’s background, both good and bad.

Sandusky, who retired as Penn State’s defensive coordinator in 1999, was convicted of abusing the boys after meeting them through The Second Mile, a charity he founded for at-risk youth.

“What would normally be a defendant’s strongest argument for leniency – a lifetime of good works – may be used to justify a harsh sentence for Sandusky because he betrayed the trust of the kids he served,” Filler wrote in an email.

Before sentencing, the state’s Sexual Offenders Assessment Board will report to Cleland on its evaluation of whether Sandusky is a sexually violent predator. The designation would put him under reporting requirements if he were to be released from prison on probation.

Source: Yahoo!