My name is Louis Lombardi and this is my first post on Legal Insurrection. I am a graduate of Penn State University and my introductory post is on the passing of legendary football coach Joe Paterno. You can get a complete biography of me by clicking on my name in the other contributors section.
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My family attended the women’s gymnastics meet on Penn State’s campus last night. The meet involved Penn State, Cornell, Alabama and Michigan State. During the meet, word spread through the stands that legendary football coach Joe Paterno was gravely ill. Being that the event was at Penn State, I naturally assumed that some sort of announcement would be made to keep Coach Paterno in our thoughts and prayers. What we got was silence; and it made me think, did the child abuse scandal wipe out sixty plus years of good will?
Joe Paterno passed away earlier today at the age of 85 and much of what he built over these many years has been called into question. Has his legacy gone to the great beyond with him?
Joe Paterno was extremely competitive and loved football. He did not just love football for the sake of the game but as a vehicle to prepare men for their future. He used the sport to teach and his success in this area is second to none. No other football program consistently graduated as many of their student athletes as Penn State. With the success of the football program in winning games and graduating students, he took his fame and money and rolled it back into the University. An example of his generosity is the $3 million dollars he donated to expand the school library, an amount of money that equaled over three years of his coaching salary (even after being relieved of his coaching duties, Coach Paterno donated $100,000.00 to the school). In addition to his own donations, he tirelessly raised funds on behalf of the University, bringing in untold millions. Penn State is a world class university and a big portion of the credit goes to Coach Paterno.
Joe Paterno was famous but he did not live an extravagant life style. He lived in the same house for over fifty years and till this day, his address and phone number are listed in the local phone book. Although easily one of the most famous football coaches of all time, he was paid less than most. Money did not drive him, teaching did and he taught through his football program.
Joe Paterno’s legacy is not his football teams’ wins and losses. If that was the case, the scandal that engulfed him and Penn State would surely consume it. Joe was about preparing men for the life that lay ahead and that legacy will live on through his players, who will in turn teach the next generation.
Death cannot erase this legacy, it will go on forever.
That's all good and fine, but I will remember him as a pedophile enabler & hope that he gets his just rewards in the pits of Hell.
ReplyDeleteJust my .02
Amen Rich T!
ReplyDeleterich t and anon:
ReplyDeletei prosecuted and defended sex offenses for a goodly portion of a 25 year law career. there are few of these offenses that are not major felonies, and that applies to both adult offenses and offenses committed by juveniles.
having done this for so long, i can tell you that making an "accusation" against someone not based upon being the object of sexual assault or not having witnessed it personally, is an extremely tricky matter.
i can also tell you that almost no prosecutor could have undertaken any kind of investigation, or brought the matter to a grand jury seeking a bill of indictment, or filed an information on his own motion based upon what joe paterno might have had to say about it stemming from the remarks made to him by mitch mcquery.
i can also tell you that as a matter of law mcquery's statement "as related" by joe paterno would have been inadmissible as evidence in a court of law, in an attempted prosecution of sandusky.
i can further tell you, after having cases in which i did everything i could think of to no avail to secure the testimony of a victim in a sexual assault/rape case, that sometimes it is extremely difficult to bring these cases without the direct testimony of the victim.
and, evidence is very hard to secure, without the aid of a victim's testimony, either to police or grand jury.
having worked these cases from the other side, e.g., defending alleged perpetrators, i can tell you that the best "defense" is to avail a client the "defense" of time, and the growing reluctance of victims to testify.
as a final matter, keep in mind that in 2002 sandusky had a tenured professor's status at penn state, retired, and that had any allegation or administrative disciplines been brought against him by way of joe paterno's unsupported allegations, there would have been hell to pay to both paterno and the university.
i am not going to try and talk you out of your opinions, they seem well set. i will suggest to you, however, that your remarks are ill taken, and based upon only a very superficial understanding of the situation that joe paterno found himself in.
without the victim's testimony, and the support/corroboration of mcquery, there is very little that could have been done, even if paterno had shouted out sandusky from the rooftops.
if you don't accept my understanding on these matters, i suggest that you speak to an attorney who has had some experience in these matters, and talk to someone else who has knowledge of faculty procedures, etc., in these matters.
john jay
p.s. paterno did just about what he could do, and that was report mcquery's version of things to his administrative superiors.
and, i will remind you, that in about 1999 or 2000 the county prosecuting attorney refused to bring a case based upon sandusky, presumably involving similar facts, and also presumably, facing the real world concerns i have voiced above.
it isn't that damned easy. period. go here, http://wintersoldier2008.typepad.com/summer_patriot_winter_sol/2012/01/joe-paterno-is-dead-.html , for an index of articles discussing these very matters.
you may find these posts helpful, you may think me full of poop, but you really should learn a bit about this very difficult situation.
John-I am not a lawyer, nor do I pretend to be one ( nothing against you).
DeleteI was simply offering my opinion on how I felt about him and his pedophile asst. coach.
For that I need no evidence, just my gut.
Follow the $$$. It makes people do all kinds of bad shit.