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Jerry Sandusky Denied New Trial

BELLEFONTE — A judge has denied Jerry Sandusky’s request for a new trial in Centre County. The ruling issued Wednesday said Sandusky’s claims ...

BELLEFONTE -- A judge has denied Jerry Sandusky's request for a new trial in Centre County.

The ruling issued Wednesday said Sandusky's claims of an inadequate defense were without merit.

Sandusky, a former Penn State University assistant football coach, was found guilty in June of 2012 of 45 counts related to the sexual abuse of children.

In October of 2012, a judge sentenced Sandusky to 30 to 60 years in prison.

Sandusky sought a new trial under the state's Post-conviction Relief Act.

Earlier this year, a new judge was assigned to oversee the appeal.

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The Pennsylvania Supreme Court named Judge John Foradora to the case. Foradora serves as a judge on Jefferson County's Court of Common Pleas.

Judge John Cleland oversaw the original trial and the subsequent appeal. He asked to be removed from the case after he said the defense attorneys attacked the credibility of everyone involved in the trial, including him.

Sandusky is now 73 with decades left on his sentence for sexually abusing ten boys starting when he was a football coach for Penn State.

This decision upholds Sandusky's conviction back in 2012 in Centre County.

Since his conviction, Sandusky and his attorneys have been pushing for a new trial, claiming his defense attorney at the time was ineffective.

Sandusky claimed his attorney let him be interviewed by Bob Costas on national television and that evidence was used at trial for a conviction.

The convicted pedophile also claimed he didn't have a fair and impartial jury even though he chose not to have jurors from outside Centre County hear the case.

The judge found at each turn that Sandusky was involved in the decision-making process and therefore he does not deserve a new trial.

"The initial trial, it was hardly what we would call a real trial," said Sandusky's attorney Alexander Lindsay. "It's our position (that) there are many, many reasons why he should've been granted a new trial. And I think the public, if they understood how bad this trial was, would lack confidence that the decision that everything has been based on has any justification."

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro says prosecutors achieved justice for the victims in this case and are confident that these convictions will continue to stand.

"Hopefully, today's decision will allow the victims of Mr. Sandusky to live their lives knowing that this serial sexual abuser will remain behind bars," Shapiro said.

Sandusky can now appeal this latest decision to the state Superior Court.

Meanwhile, he'll continue to serve what amounts to a life sentence for his crimes against children that spanned years in central Pennsylvania.

The charges against Sandusky came to light in the fall of 2011.

Earlier this year, the former president of Penn State was convicted on one count of child endangerment in connection with the Sandusky scandal. Two Penn State administrators also pleaded guilty to child endangerment charges.

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