Trial Deliberations In Sandusky Trial

Joe DeStio of NewsRadio 1020 KDKA has been covering the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse trial and joined the Norris and Davis Show to give listeners some insight.

In a trial that was thought to go as long as three weeks, DeStio says the eight-day trial has had no downtime, and has been attention grabbing from the start.  DeStio credits the short trial to Judge John Cleland, who has upheld a strict courtroom demeanor.  Listen to the entire interview here:

Matt Sandusky, Jerry and Dottie's adopted son, has sat in support of his father until he told prosecutors yesterday that he was ready to testify, saying he too was molested by his father, a testimony that was not heard by the court.

"It's certainly a surprise, the prosecution not using that testimony, but Matt was not on the witness list.  To have him testify would have put the trial in jeopardy I suspect, and the defense wanted time to prepare, and it's quite possible the prosecution just felt they didn't need it."

In trying to defend 48 counts of sex abuse, DeStio says the defense has only done its job of raising reasonable doubt on some of the cases, but has remained vague on many of the charges.  DeStio says the incredibly disturbing testimonies have led to a sphere of emotions, ranging from witnesses breaking down into tears to an unemotional Dottie Sandusky, who testified in her husband's defense.

Dottie Sandusky raises the biggest question mark of the entire trial: How could her husband have had so many alleged relations with these underage boys and her not know anything about it?

"That's the huge question.  How could she not know?  Of course, that's the defense argument: How could this happen without her knowing?  And she testified that she did not.  It comes down to a question of believability."

DeStio says the defense made the right decision to not have Jerry Sandusky testify himself, as it would have opened himself up to a tough cross-examination from the prosecution, which has used Sandusky's own interview with NBC's Bob Costas against him.

As far as the notorious culpability surrounding the trial, John Cleland has driven the point home that this trial is about the alleged wrongdoings of Sandusky, and Sandusky alone.

"It's not Penn State on the witness stand.  It's not Joe Paterno's legacy on the stand here, it's Jerry Sandusky."