Jerry Sandusky and Gag Order: Media Denied Access to Sex Abuse Trial
A gag order has been placed on the Jerry Sandusky trial, severely limiting any further details that will be released concerning the case.
Judge John Cleland put forth a gag order on Monday, in the interest of securing a fair trial. The new order will limit what either attorneys or law enforcement investigators will be allowed to share with reporters.
The items off limit will include "opinions about Sandusky's guilt or innocence or about legal and factual matters under discussion; and 'the reputation, character, credibility or criminal record of the defendant or any witness, prospective witness or organization which is or may testify at trial, or be the subject of trial testimony or evidence,'" according to the Associated Press.
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Sandusky's attorney Karl Rominger appeared taken off guard by the new order.
''Having never been gagged by a court before, I will need to research the law and First Amendment issues,'' Rominger told AP. ''I'm pretty sure the court has the authority to limit press contacts, I just don't know what the law says about the scope and nature of such limits. Since the order does affect the media as well, I'll be curious to see if any press outlets appeal it.''
The order was placed by the judge in an effort to maintain a ''fair, impartial and orderly trial."
Sandusky is a former football player who served as assistant coach for Pennsylvania State University from 1969 to 1999. In 2011, Sandusky was indicted with 40 counts of sex crimes against young boys.
The judge stated that the case had received "unprecedented publicity." Sandusky is currently on house arrest after posting $250,000 in bail.
His trial will begin in June.
He stands accused of sexually abusing ten different boys over a 15-year period. Sandusky has firmly denied that he is attracted to young boys, despite the number of victims that have come forward in the case.
