A US JUDGE ANNOUNCED today he will sentence Jerry Sandusky on 9 October, nearly four months after the retired American assistant football coach was convicted in the child molestation scandal that brought shame to Penn State.
Sandusky was convicted in June of 45 counts of sex abuse involving 10 boys. Prosecutors said some of the assaults took place on the Penn State campus.
Given his age and the serious nature of the crimes of which he was convicted, Sandusky is likely to receive a sentence that will keep the 68-year-old in prison for life. He is jailed pending sentencing and maintains his innocence.
Judge John Cleland scheduled a hearing for 9 am at the courthouse in Bellefonte to determine if Sandusky should be classified as a sexually violent predator, a designation that subjects a convict to intense reporting requirements upon release. An assessment board has recommended Sandusky for the designation, though it’s expected to have little practical effect since he stands to die in prison.
Sandusky will be sentenced immediately afterward.
The abuse scandal rocked Penn State, bringing down famed coach Joe Paterno and the university’s president and leading the NCAA to levy unprecedented sanctions against the football programme.