# Is there any chance that Sandusky is found not guilty? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 15, 2012, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190 "2012-06-15T01:10:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/61 "2012-06-17T19:03:53Z")
Because the original thread was in the Pit, and _this_ is GD, maybe? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/62 "2012-06-17T20:11:51Z")
I think a plea bargain would be best for all of us at this point. Jerry isnā€™t going home, heā€™s going SOMEPLACE (hopefully GenPop) for the rest of his life, and we can all be spared from the sick, sick testimony. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/63 "2012-06-17T20:49:32Z")
As far as the trial is concerned, I think the sick sick testimony is probably over unless Sanduskyā€™s lawyer IS truly incompetent. Of course, thereā€™s always the sentencing phase. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/64 "2012-06-17T22:40:26Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > I think a plea bargain would be best for all of us at this point. Jerry isnā€™t going home, heā€™s going SOMEPLACE (hopefully GenPop) for the rest of his life, and we can all be spared from the sick, sick testimony. I donā€™t think either side is interested. Sandusky is completely deluded that heā€™s going to get off (no pun intended), and the charges are so heinous that thereā€™s no way the prosecution is going to cut him a deal. ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2012, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/65 "2012-06-17T23:56:39Z")
So, while weā€™re discussing the Paper Towel Tube defense, what are the odds that Starving admits he was deeply wrong about the whole thing when the conviction does happen? ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/66 "2012-06-18T00:21:00Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > I think a plea bargain would be best for all of us at this point. Jerry isnā€™t going home, heā€™s going SOMEPLACE (hopefully GenPop) for the rest of his life, and we can all be spared from the sick, sick testimony. What kind of plea could they offer Sandusky that he would take? Heā€™s going to spend the rest of his life in jail. If a prosecutor offered any less than that, he will not win re-election, and should not win re-election. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/67 "2012-06-18T00:35:39Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > So, while weā€™re discussing the Paper Towel Tube defense, what are the odds that Starving admits he was deeply wrong about the whole thing when the conviction does happen? Has he even been back since then? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/68 "2012-06-18T00:55:54Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > Has he even been back since then? Heā€™s been around. He last posted a couple of weeks ago, but his profile shows him as being online right now. I donā€™t think heā€™s been back to any of the Sandusky threads, though. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/69 "2012-06-18T00:58:00Z")
> [@Zeriel](#): > > So, while weā€™re discussing the Paper Towel Tube defense, what are the odds that Starving admits he was deeply wrong about the whole thing when the conviction does happen? In fairness, that thread was about Paterno and how he should have reacted to McQuearyā€™s allegations. It was not, taking the evidence as a whole, whether Sandusky was guilty of anything. I donā€™t wish to hijack this thread and re-debate Paterno. We had many, many pages discussing that in the Pit. I wanted to point out the differences in the topic of the two threads. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/70 "2012-06-18T01:28:24Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > What kind of plea could they offer Sandusky that he would take? Heā€™s going to spend the rest of his life in jail. If a prosecutor offered any less than that, he will not win re-election, and should not win re-election. Offer him unlimited supply of paper towel tubes? ---
**Author:** ![Zeriel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/58956e/32.png) [@Zeriel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeriel)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/71 "2012-06-18T01:44:45Z")
> [@jtgain](#): > > In fairness, that thread was about Paterno and how he should have reacted to McQuearyā€™s allegations. It was not, taking the evidence as a whole, whether Sandusky was guilty of anything. In fairness, the Paper Towel Tube Defense WAS both the subject of my reference AND about Sanduskyā€™s guilt. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/72 "2012-06-18T02:02:30Z")
Man, I canā€™t believe that nobody has mentioned the Paper Towel Defense yet. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/73 "2012-06-18T02:44:42Z")
Personally, I think the defense should be exploring the notion of gradually diminishing credibility of witnesses that are so embroiled in supporting the policies and theories of their supervisors that even against their better judgement theyā€™ll testify to that effect. The Taper Powell defense. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/74 "2012-06-18T10:43:08Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Personally, I think the defense should be exploring the notion of gradually diminishing credibility of witnesses that are so embroiled in supporting the policies and theories of their supervisors that even against their better judgement theyā€™ll testify to that effect. > > The Taper Powell defense. Brilliant!! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/75 "2012-06-18T14:43:16Z")
> [@The\_Man\_In\_Black](#): > > Random question, and I know this is not the place butā€¦ If it is known and accepted that Starving Artistā€™s comments are disgusting to the point where a moderator tells people not to talk about it, why was he allowed to continue to make those comments and not given a warning for them? > [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > Because the original thread was in the Pit, and _this_ is GD, maybe? šŸ˜‰ Thatā€™d be the big reason, yes. This is also supposed to be a somewhat serious discussion and that was a rambling Pit thread about the failings of Penn State. I was trying to cut **Kobal2** some slack for his joke, but Iā€™m serious about not letting this tangent about the Pit thread overwhelm this discussion. If you want to say something about **Starving Artist** ā€™s comparison, add it to that Pit thread. ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/76 "2012-06-18T14:57:51Z")
> [@FinnAgain](#): > > Man, I canā€™t believe that nobody has mentioned the Paper Towel Defense yet. If the dick doesnā€™t fit, you must acquit! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/77 "2012-06-18T15:00:22Z")
> [@Enderw24](#): > > If the dick doesnā€™t fit, you must acquit! Iā€™ll assume you didnā€™t see the mod note I posted 15 minutes ago. Last chance: if this keeps up Iā€™m just closing this thread. ---
**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/78 "2012-06-18T17:10:21Z")
The impression I get from media reports is similarly that the trial is not going well for the defense. But IMHO, itā€™s hard to get an accurate sense of how well itā€™s going from media reports, which tend to focus on the most sensational aspects of the testimony. Media reports of the defense are generally buried in the reports of the trial, but I gather that the defense has made the following points in cross-examination: [ul] [li]Many of the victims admit having changed and enhanced their stories over the years (including revising their initial reports to police)[/li][li]Some of the victims admit that parts of their testimony are ā€œrecoveredā€ memories[/li][li]Many of the victims have maintained friendly contact with Sandusky until very recently[/li][li]Some or many of the victims have hired civil lawyers and intend to use their testimony[/li][/ul]to sue for big bucks Whether this all adds up to enough for Sandusky to walk is hard to say. I would tend to doubt it, but itā€™s hard to say based on media reports, as above. In any event, I donā€™t know if itā€™s fair to say that the defense is completely incompetant. They took on a case in which there is a lot of evidence against the defendant. It doesnā€™t look all that different than most other defenses in such cases, to me. See e.g. [http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/18/sandusky-could-take-stand-as-trial-second-week-turns-to-defense-case/?test=latestnews](http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/06/18/sandusky-could-take-stand-as-trial-second-week-turns-to-defense-case/?test=latestnews) penultimate paragraph. (Iā€™m not sure what ā€œat least sixā€ means - I thought there were only six victims testifying.) ---
**Author:** ![Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a183cd/32.png) [@Barkis\_is\_Willin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barkis_is_Willin)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/79 "2012-06-18T17:52:51Z")
A couple other former coaches testified today that they also showered with young boys. I fail to see how this makes Sandusyā€™s actions Ok. In other Jerry Sandusky news, there is apparently more to the[Costas interview](http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/18/12279408-prosecutors-may-present-unaired-portions-of-nbc-news-sandusky-interview?lite)than was initially aired. Supposedly it makes Sandusky look even worse, which seems impossible. The story was somewhat unclear, so Iā€™m not sure if the following excerpt is from the unaired portion of the interview or not. > [@](#): > > [snip]ā€¦And I didnā€™t go around seeking out every young person for sexual needs that Iā€™ve helped. There are many that I didnā€™t have ā€“ I hardly had any contact with who I have helped in many, many ways." ---
**Author:** ![al27052](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/41988e/32.png) [@al27052](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/al27052)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2012, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190/80 "2012-06-18T18:39:17Z")
> [@Fotheringay-Phipps](#): > > Whether this all adds up to enough for Sandusky to walk is hard to say. I would tend to doubt it, but itā€™s hard to say based on media reports, as above. If Iā€™ve heard correctly, Sandusky actually took boys to local hotels sometimes. Not on trips, they were just staying with him at a hotel in town. If thatā€™s true, I really donā€™t know how the defense is going to counter that. What possible logical reason, other than sex, are you going to take someone to stay with you at a hotel in town? Maybe if the defense can produce at least a few boys who had close relationships with Sandusky who say they _werenā€™t_ abused, then he might have a small chance. However, it sounds like every single boy he brought home, showered with, etc.. has accused him of abuse. How can the defense recover from that? Surely at least one of these boys, if they werenā€™t abused, would have enough loyalty to Sandusky to tell the truth. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-chance-that-sandusky-is-found-not-guilty/625190.md?page=5)