Earlier this week, former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested on new charges that he sexually assaulted two boys in addition the eight other alleged victims. One of the most chilling parts of the grand jury report said that Sandusky kept a boy in his basement and abused him during overnight visits to his home and, “on at least one occasion he screamed for help, knowing that Sandusky’s wife was upstairs, but no one ever came to help him.” Today Dorothy, Sandusky’s wife, bailed him out of jail and responded to the allegations, saying that the accusers are all lying.
Yesterday Sandusky was taken to jail after his arraignment because he wasn’t able to come up with $250,000 to pay his bail. The Washington Post reports that he spent the night there and was released today after paying his bail using $200,000 in real estate holdings and a $50,000 certified check provided by Dorothy. Sandusky still isn’t entirely free. He’s been confined to his house and fitted with an ankle monitor. He also isn’t allowed to contact any of the witnesses or victims and can’t have unsupervised contact with minors.
After working to get her husband released, Dorothy, who goes by the nickname Dottie, issued this statement:
I want to thank our children, our family, our extended family of former Second Mile participants, and all our friends for standing by us through these difficult times. Jerry and I want to express our sorrow for all the hurt that has come to those who have supported us and our beloved Penn State and State College Communities.
I have been shocked and dismayed by the allegations made against Jerry, particularly the most recent one that a now young man has said he was kept in our basement during visits and screamed for help as Jerry assaulted him while I was in our home and didn’t respond to his cries for help.
As the mother of six children, I have been devastated by these accusations. I am also angry about these false accusations that such a terrible incident ever occurred in my home. No child who ever visited our home was ever forced to stay in our basement and fed there. All the kids who visited us ate with us and our kids and other guests when they were at our home. Our children, our extended family and friends know how much Jerry and I love kids and have always tried to help and care for them. We would never do anything to hurt them. I am so sad anyone would make such a terrible accusation which is absolutely untrue. We don’t know why these young men have made these false accusations, but we want everyone to know they are untrue.
I continue to believe in Jerry’s innocence and all the good things he has done. Jerry’s many success stories with his Second Mile kids and positive memories of those kids keep me going. I am asking everyone to please be reasonable and open-minded until both sides of this case are heard, and Jerry has the opportunity to prove his innocence.
I would like to thank all those individuals who continue to support Jerry and hope they will continue to support us through the conclusion of this very sad time in our lives.
Dottie Sandusky
A few weeks ago, we discussed how someone could not know that their spouse is abusing children. If what Dottie said is true, in addition to never hearing a boy call her name, amazingly, having 10 kids claim they were molested hasn’t caused her to doubt her husband — at least, not yet. It seems like this case just keeps getting worse and worse, and there will undoubtly be disturbing new developments when Sandusky makes his next court appearance on December 13 for a hearing on the 50 plus charges he’s facing.
Jerry Sandusky Posts $250,000 Bail, Is Released From Jail [Washington Post]
Dottie Sandusky’s Statement [WSJ]
Earlier: More Child Abuse Charges Filed Against Jerry Sandusky
How Could You Be Married To A Pedophile And Not Know It?