Last week, former Penn State athletic director Tim Curley, along with former senior vice president Gary Schultz, pleaded guilty to child endangerment charges stemming from their part in the school’s purported cover-up of Jerry Sandusky’s serial molestation of children. Today, Curley testified against PSU’s former president, Graham Spanier, who is facing similar charges.
Curley’s testimony today focused on his, Schultz’s, and Spanier’s knowledge of an incident involving Sandusky abusing a child in 1998. Curley’s testimony backed previous testimony of his, confirming that he had copied Spanier on an email chain between himself and Schultz about the incident, and that Paterno was also well aware of the allegations against Sandusky in 1998. From PennLive:
Curley said he received his information about the 1998 Sandusky incident from Schultz, who oversaw the university police department. He said he was told that a mother of a young boy reported that Sandusky had given her son a “bear hug” while both were naked in a shower room at Penn State.
Schulte presented Curley with email streams during which he and Schultz discussed the 1998 investigation. In one entry, Curley asked for an update and told Schultz, “I have touched base with coach. Keep us posted.”
The coach mentioned in the email was head football coach Joe Paterno, Curley said. In another email seeking an update, Curley told Schultz that “coach is anxious to hear where it stands.”
Curley said he copied Spanier when Schultz informed him by email that the 1998 probe was ending without the filing of criminal charges against Sandusky. “I hope it is now behind us,” Curley wrote.
The prosecution’s case against Spanier is centered on his failure to report Sandusky to child protective services after then-coach Mike McQueary informed him that he’d witnessed Sandusky raping a boy in a school shower in 2001. Schultz is also expected to testify against Spanier.
[PennLive]