The psychological scars involved in child abuse scandals probably are never truly healed, so the best option our country’s legal system has devised is to throw money at the situation.
Convicted child abuser and former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, just cost the Penn State Nittany Lions a pretty penny and reminded everyone of the heinous acts that shrouded the university’s image these past few years.
Via the AP
Penn State said Monday it is paying $59.7 million to 26 young men over claims of child sexual abuse at the hands of former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.
The school said 23 deals are fully signed and three are agreements in principle, but did not disclose the names of the recipients. The school faces six other claims, and the university says it believes some of those do not have merit while others may produce settlements.
University president Rodney Erickson issued a statement calling the announcement a step forward for victims and the school.
“We cannot undo what has been done, but we can and must do everything possible to learn from this and ensure it never happens again at Penn State,” said Erickson, who announced the day Sandusky was convicted in June 2012 of 45 criminal counts that Penn State was determined to compensate his victims.
The settlements have been unfolding since mid-August, when attorneys for the accusers began to disclose them. Penn State followed a policy in which it has not been confirming them, waiting instead to announce deals at once.
Harrisburg lawyer Ben Andreozzi, who helped negotiate several of the settlements, said his clients were satisfied.
The case became bigger than football when the national media got involved but the team organization was still greatly affected. As punishment, the NCAA wiped out all of former head coach Joe Paterno’s 111 wins as atonement for the scandal. The program’s road to recovery has been a shaky one.
They currently have a record of 4-3 in the 2013 season.
