BELLEFONTE, Pa. June 12, 2012 -- Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary, a key prosecution witness in the trial of fellow football coach Jerry Sandusky, today yelled at a defense attorney when repeatedly pressed about his claim that he saw Sandusky raping a young boy in the team's showers.
McQueary's testimony is a centerpiece of the state's case against Sandusky and is the first eyewitness account of molestation in the trial. McQueary's eventual statement to investigators, in addition to the alleged victims' own claims, led to Sandusky's arrest on 52 charges of child sex abuse.
McQueary's eventual statement to investigators, in addition to the alleged victims' own claims, led to Sandusky's arrest on 52 charges of child sex abuse. McQueary followed to the stand a teenager being identified by ABC News only as Victim 1 whose wrenching story had jurors wiping tears from their eyes.
“BELLEFONTE, Pa. — The wife of convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky says she still loves him and “he’s not who they say he is.” When I read the first sentence of this article posted today on ESPN.com, I realized that Dottie Sandusky probably sees, and probably always will see, her husband as a loving and gentle man. Truth is, Jerry Sandusky probably was a wonderful, loving husband.
Amendola, however, went back over the incident with Victim 1 , noting that in his grand jury testimony, Victim 1 said it was "hilarious" when he fell of the rock wall with Sandusky when they were climbing, and that he was "laughing hysterically."
McQueary, raising his voice on the stand at Rominger, said that if his father's friend contradicted McQueary's account of events, he "would not call him a liar."
McQueary said that although he described in "vague" terms to his father, his father's friend, and then his Penn State superiors what he saw, he was sure that they knew it was sexual.
Victim 1 threw his head back at one point, covering his face with hands and laughing, before crying, saying 'Stop,' to Amendola. Both the judge and Amendola asked whether the man needed a break from testimony, but he declined.
Amendola also hinted that Victim 1 had discussed getting rich by bringing a civil suit against Sandusky, part of the defense strategy Amendola has described since the beginning of the case.
McQueary confidently gave the court a detailed description today of hearing "skin-on-skin slapping sounds" when he walked into the shower room of the Penn State football building on a Friday night in 2001 and seeing Sandusky pressed against a young boy in the shower.
Victim 1 described staying In Sandusky's basement bedroom, where a water bed and television were sequestered away from a pool table. It was there that Sandusky began abusing him, he said.
Amendola, however, went back over the incident with Victim 1 , noting that in his grand jury testimony, Victim 1 said it was "hilarious" when he fell of the rock wall with Sandusky when they were climbing, and that he was "laughing hysterically."
McQueary, raising his voice on the stand at Rominger, said that if his father's friend contradicted McQueary's account of events, he "would not call him a liar."
McQueary said that although he described in "vague" terms to his father, his father's friend, and then his Penn State superiors what he saw, he was sure that they knew it was sexual.
Victim 1 threw his head back at one point, covering his face with hands and laughing, before crying, saying 'Stop,' to Amendola. Both the judge and Amendola asked whether the man needed a break from testimony, but he declined.
Amendola also hinted that Victim 1 had discussed getting rich by bringing a civil suit against Sandusky, part of the defense strategy Amendola has described since the beginning of the case.
McQueary confidently gave the court a detailed description today of hearing "skin-on-skin slapping sounds" when he walked into the shower room of the Penn State football building on a Friday night in 2001 and seeing Sandusky pressed against a young boy in the shower.
Victim 1 described staying In Sandusky's basement bedroom, where a water bed and television were sequestered away from a pool table. It was there that Sandusky began abusing him, he said.