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Sandusky: The Defense’s Turn

The prosecution has wrapped up, and the focus is now on the defense in the Jerry Sandusky trial, with Sandusky, himself, expected to be the star witness.  Jerry...

The prosecution has wrapped up, and the focus is now on the defense in the Jerry Sandusky trial, with Sandusky, himself, expected to be the star witness.

 Jerry Sandusky is expected to tell his side of the story next week.

"Many people think you can make or break it by the defendant taking the stand," said attorney Chris Powell of Scranton.

Powell is a defense attorney with an office in Scranton.

He said he expects the Sandusky defense team to call character witnesses to testify on Sandusky's behalf, like executives of his charity, The Second Mile, and Sandusky's wife, Dottie and children too.

"As I understand it the children are adopted children and they will say nothing like this ever happened to us or to our children, his grandchildren," said Powell.

There have been reports that the widow and son of legendary Penn State Football coach Joe Paterno will be called to testify too.

Sue and Jay Paterno issued a statement through an attorney saying they had no idea they were potential witnesses.

Powell said it is not likely they will take the stand.

"I mean if Joe Paterno was alive, you would expect him to take the stand, but as far as the sons and the wife, I don't think they were involved in this, unless they are character witnesses, but to call a character witness, you have to have their agreement," said Powell.

In all, the Sandusky defense team has a list of dozens of potential witnesses to call to testify.

Powell said they certainly will not call all of them, but they will call every big name they can to testify on behalf of the former Penn State assistant football coach.

"They'll call in all the stars that they can get, probably a lot of them, saying, 'He was always kind to me, he never did this to me and, and I received gifts from him,'" said Powell.

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