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Jane Velez-Mitchell
What`s Next in PSU Sex Abuse Scandal?
Aired November 10, 2011 - 19:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HOST (voice-over): Tonight, Penn State implodes in violence and scandal. As the potential number of alleged Jerry Sandusky rape victims soars to 17, the university tells legendary head football Coach Joe Paterno and the university president, "You`re fired," and thousands of students riot in protest.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
VELEZ-MITCHELL: What does this say about our society when football trumps morality?
And tonight, news that the man who reported seeing former assistant coach Sandusky rape a boy in a locker room shower will be coaching in this weekend`s game.
Plus, you won`t believe what Jerry Sandusky titled his book. I`ll talk to the co-author. We are all over this story, on the ground at Penn State. And we`re taking your calls.
ISSUES starts now.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was indicted on some 40 counts of sexually abusing young boys, charges that span more than 15 years.
JEFFREY TOOBIN, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Where were the police? Where were the authorities? Why was no one calling them when all of these things were coming out, year after year?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The media and the fans, and frankly, a lot of Penn State alumni are not going to calm down about this in any way until they get resignations or firings. And that`s going to have to include Joe Paterno.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
JOE PATERNO, FORMER HEAD FOOTBALL COACH AT PENN STATE: And I want you! And I want you guys.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is not a case about football. It`s not a case about universities. It`s a case about children who have had their innocence stolen from them. And a culture that did nothing to stop it or prevent it from happening to others.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Dr. Spanier is no longer president of the university. In addition, Joe Paterno is no longer the head football coach, effective immediately.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We all have a responsibility to take care of our children, all of us.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Chaos and violence at Penn State, as students riot after football legend Joe Paterno is fired in a mushrooming child pedophile scandal involving one of his right-hand men. And they take it out on the media for even reporting on the story. Check this out.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
(SHOUTING)
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Wow.
Good evening. I`m Jane Velez-Mitchell, coming to you live from New York City.
The world is stunned tonight by the reaction of these Penn State students. A lot of them seem more upset about the firing of their icon, Joe Paterno, the coach, than they are about kids, allegedly being raped. A lot of them!
Here`s more of the reaction from Penn State students, as some of them face off with cops. Check this out!
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) If you do not leave, you will be arrested!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you do not leave, you will be arrested! Hear me?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: No.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Keep moving! Keep moving!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`re not saying they all broke the law. Some of them were just marching. Some of them were just standing around. But the students who overturned that news van, what were they thinking? Where is their concern and compassion for the children who say they were raped by Paterno`s good buddy and colleague? Where is their upset over the fact that this alleged predator is out on bail tonight, walking around free? Yes, a free man on campus.
At least nine young boys were allegedly raped or sexually assaulted by a former member of Paterno`s staff. Now, I have to warn you, the details are graphic and disturbing. We`ve been debating all day long how much we can tell you about what`s in the grand jury findings, because it`s just so graphic, what he allegedly did, sexually, to these children.
The assistant, this man, Jerry Sandusky, former assistant football coach, who worked at Joe Paterno`s side for decades and decades, is tonight facing 40 charges of sex crimes against young boys. He allegedly raped and abused boys as young as 8 years old, repeatedly for 15 years.
Especially damning for Joe Paterno, Mike McQueary, Paterno`s assistant coach, says he saw Sandusky raping a 10-year-old in the locker room showers back in 2002 and he says he told Paterno, who simply told the athletic director but did not call 911. That assistant coach, who also failed to call 911, is still on staff, and he is said to be part of the coaching staff during this coming game on Saturday.
OK. These people on Penn State campus somehow think that Paterno did enough. That he told the athletic director and then this legend, this icon, the biggest person on campus, the most famous person from the entire area who ever was, or probably ever will be, didn`t have the obligation to tell cops? Didn`t have the obligation to do something to make sure that this person, who was his right-hand man for decades, did not continue this behavior? He did not take action to make sure that kids are safe? That he would hear a report that somebody he had known for upwards of 40 years was allegedly raping a young boy in the shower, and just let that claim fade away?
I want to hear from you on this tonight. It is beyond comprehension. Call me: 1-877-JVM-SAYS, 1-877-586-7297.
Straight out to my colleague, Mike Galanos, live on the ground at Penn State.
Mike, an extraordinary job all day talking to students. Have any of the students that you`ve talked to expressed remorse for what went on last night?
MIKE GALANOS, HLN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, absolutely, Jane. And that voice is growing. But the students that were the rowdiest, the most boisterous, they had the big say-so yesterday. And I was in the midst of it, Jane, and could not believe how quickly that crowd turned.
But today, to your point, yes, the students who want to put the onus and the priority back on the victims, they`re talking today. And that`s a good thing.
I want to show you a plaque, and I`m going to talk to a couple students in a minute. And it says, "Wear blue on Saturday, blue being the color for bruises that oftentimes go neglected." And an effort to wear the blue ribbons is going to show a sign of solidarity from Penn State football fans for child abuse victims. And that`s a good thing as we put, again, the priority back on those eight victims, nine victims. And as this goes, Jane, many are saying here it could be a lot more.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Arnie Spanier, a radio host, I`m going to show you a little bit more of the riots that erupted on the Penn State campus when it was announced that their icon, Joe Paterno, was being fired immediately. Check this out from YouTube. Then I`ll get your reaction.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you do not leave, you will be arrested!
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: You have covered sports for years. I have never really seen anything like this. I have been in the middle of riots after a team loses or wins. I`ve had beers thrown on me by fans who were drunk, but I have never seen something like this.
What -- what possibly was going through the minds, not of all the students -- some may be watching, we don`t want to paint a broad brush. But of the ones who got violent, what was going through their mind?
ARNIE SPANIER, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST, SPORTING NEWS RADIO: Look at the picture, look at the scene. That`s what`s wrong with American youth today. Are you kidding me? How stupid do you have to be to go ahead and protest over taking down a ring of child abusers? Are you serious? They should have tear gassed those kids and split them up! Sickening.
Anybody that gets in the way of this investigation, they get exactly what you deserve. We should have tear gassed the students and said, "Get the hell out of here and go home. You`re a bunch of knuckleheads."
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let me tell you something, Dr. Judy Kuriansky, my dear friend and clinical psychologist of great renown. I`ve been reading this grand jury finding, and it`s so upsetting that I can`t even tell you. Go to HLNTV.com if you want to read it for yourself, because we`ve had a debate here.
I feel that it`s my responsibility as a journalist to say some of the things that allegedly went on so that parents know that, when some guy who`s saying he`s one of the good people wants your kid to sleep over in the basement, and then starts going down there, allegedly -- these are the allegations in the grand jury report -- and cracking this young kid`s back and letting him sleep there.
And then the next thing, it`s back rubs, allegedly, and then blowing on his stomach. And then the next thing, well, sex, allegedly, oral sex over 20 times and anal sex. And I don`t say that to be shocking. I say it because parents have to know what can happen -- Judy.
JUDY KURIANSKY, PSYCHOLOGIST: I totally agree with you, Jane. We cannot be ostriches and put our heads in the sand over what happened. Parents should know the facts about what their children might be subjected to.
I have goose bumps thinking about it. I think you are absolutely right in saying what happened. Oral sex and anal sex. That is what pedophiles do to children, 8 years old, 6 years old, younger.
It`s a sign for parents to even say, not that, but to say to their little ones, we have been saying, as psychologists who advise parents for years, you must say, "People can do bad touches to you. No one should touch you in your private parts. If they do, you must tell me about it..."
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right.
KURIANSKY: "... and I will stop it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: This has to be a teaching moment. Calls lighting up. We`re going to take them on the other side: 1-877-JVM-SAYS.
Penn State`s famous coach booted out. Some students rioting. We`re going to talk about why is the suspect out on bail, a free man tonight? What the heck is going on with that?
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe Paterno is Penn State but now is no longer the head football coach at this university.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe`s legally clear. So if anyone did right, it`s Joe. And this just makes me sick.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The second I heard it, tears were in my eyes. He`s done so much for our university.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Coach Paterno will go down in history as one of the greatest men. He`s had such a dynamic impact on so many people and players` lives.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Thank you for everything!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe, Joe!
PATERNO: One thing. Thanks, and pray a little bit for those victims.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Unbelievable. Tonight, what`s going on at Penn State?
Now, Mike Galanos talked to a young man who, when he was a kid, was a Second Mile participant and says he had a very creepy experience with Jerry Sandusky. The man now charged with 40 sex crimes.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GALANOS: Thankfully, the extent of it for you was just that.
TROY CRAIG, SECOND MILE PARTICIPANT: Yes.
GALANOS: A hand on the thigh and a drive, or touchy-feely in certain situations.
CRAIG: Right. Bear hugs or, you know, just things that didn`t quite feel right. That another man in my life, another adult man, could do or pull off without that sort of, you know, that discomfort that it was being done for some other reason that I, at the time, couldn`t really fathom or have any understanding of.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Now, given that, I want to go back again to the video, this from YouTube, of these students marching. They`re marching in protest of Joe Paterno being fired.
And here`s what I want to know, Mike Brooks, HLN law enforcement analyst. I would like an investigation into whether there was some kind of cover-up. Because the facts are suspicious.
In 1998 -- this started way back, at least, in 1998, perhaps earlier. But in 1998, this guy, Jerry Sandusky, admitted to showering with an 11- year-old boy. He got caught naked! He gets away with a warning.
Now, the next year in 1999, he`s awarded assistant coach of the year. And then, for no apparent reason, turns around and retires. OK?
Mike Brooks, all these guys know each other. I`m looking at a bio of Sandusky. He`s bragging about spending 27 years at Penn State as an assistant to Joe Paterno. I mean, let`s be real here. These people are friends. They`re buddies. They talk. Ninety-eight, he`s found naked and admits it with a boy, and then in 1999, he suddenly retires. What do you think?
MIKE BROOKS, HLN LAW ENFORCEMENT ANALYST: 1998, let`s go back to 1998, Jane. You`re going to tell me that there wasn`t enough at that time to bring charges against this man? Being naked, with a young boy? I`m not buying it. I`m not buying it.
My question is, did the Penn -- did Penn State campus police, did they do a proper investigation? Did the district attorney`s office do a proper investigation? They decided not to bring charges against him, at that time.
And did Joe Paterno know, going all the way back to 1998, what Sandusky was up to? I would say he probably did and wanted to keep it within the team, within the athletic department, within that school. Didn`t want it getting out.
So I tell you, we hear, there`s eight victims right now. I guarantee you, Jane, there`s more than eight victims over that time span.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Well, one local station is reporting it may be as high as 17. We have absolutely no independent confirmation of that, but we can tell you that that is a number that`s been floated out there by one local news station.
We`re going to go to the phone lines now. Rhonda, Tennessee, your question or thought, Rhonda?
CALLER: Well, my thought is, first of all, I feel so bad for the people who were the victims of this animal. I also feel that...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: He`s not an animal. Animals are not pedophiles. Let`s leave them out of this. But go ahead, Rhonda.
CALLER: OK. Well, I do have to agree with you on that. And the way that the students are acting, every one of them should have been arrested.
But my thought is, it`s all being put on Joe Paterno. Joe Paterno used his, quote, as they say in the military, his chain of command, and went up with it. The man lost the keys to the building or were taken away from him.
How did Joe Paterno know or not know if there had not been some type of a secret deal with local police to where he was then turning in the keys and then later stepped down? How was Joe Paterno to know or not know if this was...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you, Rhonda, great point. Arnie Spanier, briefly? Penn State made $53 million in profit off its football team last year. Should we follow the money?
SPANIER: No. I mean, how disgusting -- how much money do you have to make before you say, "Oh, it`s OK, then rape little boys because you make a bunch of money"? Everything should come down to...
VELEZ-MITCHELL: More on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Penn State!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Penn State!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Penn State!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are...
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Penn State!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Penn State!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Penn State!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe! We want Joe! We want Joe!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: A riot on Penn State campus after their beloved football coach, Joe Paterno, is fired for not properly reporting the alleged rape of a young boy by the assistant coach. Co-eds gathering to support Joe Paterno, the coach.
Listen to what one student said.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I mean, just given his history, I mean, what he means to me is, I grew up in this community. Ever since I can remember, he`s been a prominent figure. Just his pedigree has been something that`s been iconic. I mean, that actually added to his iconic figure, is having a strong integrity and doing what`s right. I can only imagine that he thought that he did what he thought was right.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Straight out to Chris Russo of Sirius XM, Mad Dog Radio.
Chris, I don`t even understand what is going on with these kids. Why they are so blinded by the superstardom of Joe Paterno that they don`t seem to have any compassion for the alleged victims of sexual abuse, kids who were allegedly sexually assaulted by this Sandusky man.
CHRIS RUSSO, SIRIUS XM (via phone): Couldn`t agree with you more. (UNINTELLIGIBLE) for me the last couple days, Jane. I mean, I am shocked that these kids out there, because if my kid was at Penn State and he was marching at Joe Paterno`s house for a little rally, I`d get him out of that school so fast.
Go read the grand jury report, for God`s sake. I mean, gee whiz. I mean, I understand that, you know, listen, it`s a terrible way to go out. And you know, he`s got -- there`s a lot in the resume that you like about Paterno. But he did a terrible, freaking terrible job regarding this whole scenario when he found out about this in 2002. A terrible Penn State cover-up, an awful story. And those Penn State kids are completely out of line.
I mean, the first question they asked last night to the board of trustees, who`s coaching on Saturday if it`s not Paterno? And that`s the last thing they should be worried about.
I think it tells you that that`s a very insular community. I think they`re very protective of the Penn State name. And I think if you are in that Happy Valley area, it`s all Penn State, all Joe Paterno, all the time. And you go away from it, like where you and I are, we look at this aghast that they sit there and are supporting Paterno.
I mean, there is absolutely no way you can march in his support last night. I completely agree with you. Completely.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I am reading from the grand jury findings. Victim No. 2, estimated to be 10 years old, was spotted with his hands up against the wall, being subjected -- and I`m not saying this to shock you people, this is in the grand jury report -- being subjected to anal intercourse by a naked Sandusky. What are these kids thinking?
RUSSO: I don`t understand it.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Have they experienced moral bankruptcy? Has the moral bankruptcy of the adults filtered down to the kids?
RUSSO: Good point. I don`t get it either. Again, they should read the grand jury report.
Don`t forget, a lot of those kids were not there in 2002. Nobody -- most -- none of them were. And they had probably never heard of Jerry Sandusky. He retired in 90 -- or fired -- depends on how you want to look at it, in 1999.
But I`m completely -- I`m completely in support of you. I totally agree. I was flabbergasted of the kids` reaction. I thought they really did very -- they did Penn State a big disservice last night.
I mean, they`re old enough to vote. They`re old enough to go fight in wars. You ought to be old enough to decipher what`s right and wrong, and they did not.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Thank you, Mad Dog. More on the other side.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Joe Paterno is no longer the head football coach, effective immediately.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The Penn State campus is waking up to a new era. Coach Joe Paterno is out as the head football coach.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The announcement was made, Joe Paterno is no longer the head coach at Penn State.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Penn State.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are --
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Penn State.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We want Joe. We want Joe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The outrage that we feel is nothing compared to the physical and psychological suffering that allegedly took place.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
JANE VELEZ-MITCHELL, HLN HOST: A child sex abuse scandal ripping apart Penn State University; riots last night after Coach Joe Paterno is fired. You`ve got to check out some of the video from YouTube. It is absolutely extraordinary. Check this out from YouTube.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: If you do not leave, you will be arrested.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right. My next guest, Kip Richeal, has known Jerry Sandusky, who is charged with 40 sex counts, and you`ve known him for more than 30 years. And you co-wrote a book with Sandusky. And it is, ironically, entitled "Touched: The Jerry Sandusky Story".
Kip, first of all, when we heard that the name of this book was called "Touched", we all just, went, like, what? How did that happen? Did he come up with that name, "Touched"?
KIP RICHEAL, CO-AUTHOR OF JERRY SANDUSKY`S BOOK, "TOUCHED": Well, yes, it was his title. And when we were doing the book that was written in some of the notes and everything, and I did ask him. I kind of didn`t like it.
And not for this, because I had no idea about this, of course, but I`m saying I didn`t like that to begin with. I just didn`t understand. I thought there were a lot of other better names, even just calling it "The Jerry Sandusky Story" or whatever.
But I asked him and he said, well, the meaning by it is because of the many people that have touched my life over the years, from his days as a youth in the recreation center, the influence of his parents and family, the Penn State football family.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: All right.
Let me -- I want to really get into this whole alleged pedophilia, and get your reaction to it. You wrote a book with him.
First of all, one former Second Mile participant, this is apparently where he found his alleged victims, this charity that he founded for at- risk, underprivileged youth. This young man, very courageously, just spoke about the time he spent with Jerry Sandusky with HLN`s Mike Galanos and said the guy was creepy. Listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
MIKE GALANOS, HLN CORRESPONDENT: Did you ever say anything to anybody, like, "Hey, mom or dad, I like being a part of the football program, but I sure feel uncomfortable sometimes?
TROY CRAIG, SECOND MILE PARTICIPANT: I might have indicated that I was uncomfortable on a few occasions, but I was careful to play it down. Because I didn`t want to miss out on any opportunities that I knew I would if I did something to end that relationship.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: So, Kip Richeal, you wrote a book with Jerry Sandusky, the man now accused of 40 sex counts. He was accused of using common grooming practices. Getting Eagles tickets for these kids, golf clubs for the boys, gym clothes, cash, then moving up to hair washing, back rubs, back cracking, and kissing before ultimately moving to sex. That`s the man we`re talking about this. That`s the suspect.
RICHEAL: Right.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Did you ever see any of it? Anything that you --
RICHEAL: No, ma`am.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Anything that made you question him?
RICHEAL: No, honestly, ma`am, I didn`t. My time with Jerry, most of the time was way before all of these alleged things occurred. And let me explain that because I was a student manager in the late `70s, early `80s. I graduated from school in `87. It was four years later that the idea of the book came about, and then I didn`t actually -- we didn`t really get it done until nine years later and any writing that I did on the book, it was -- I was doing the writing on my own, and I asked him to talk in the tape recorders, send me the tapes with the notes.
So I never really wrote with him direct there. So I would never have the opportunity to even see this.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Can I ask you this -- how do you feel about this? What`s your reaction?
RICHEAL: I`m very -- well, obviously, reading further into all this, because I did read the papers, the grand jury papers, and it is very disturbing. And graphic, as you said. And it sickens me and makes me sad at the same time, because we were such good friends.
And if all of this, you know, comes out to be true and it`s convicted in court and what not, I would be very -- I would feel betrayed by a friend that this occurred. And my heart goes out to the families and the victims, like anybody else.
And knowing Jerry for as long as I did, and if this is true, to me, it`s just like he became a second personality. That`s how I kind of see it. Because, you know, he was such a nice person. And I think a lot of former players back in the days when I was there, would tell you the same thing.
He was very well-loved by players, managers. And they would all come with the same conclusion, they just couldn`t picture him being like, being this second person or I don`t know -- whatever. I`m just saying, they would say the same thing. Just, you can`t imagine that it would turn out to be the way it is.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Beth Karas, correspondent, "In Session", why is he walking around out on bail? I mean we have people doing hard time for being caught with a tablespoon of crack cocaine. And this man who is accused of 40 counts of sexual assault on children is walking around a free man tonight. Why?
BETH KARAS, CORRESPONDENT, "IN SESSION": Well, that is true. That may not be the case after the preliminary hearing, once the judge hears the evidence. Granted a grand jury has heard evidence and have made recommendations of charges, and thus the attorney general filed charges, but this preliminary hearing will result -- assuming that Sandusky doesn`t waive his right to it because he could waive -- will result in some of these victims coming forward and testifying. That`s on December 7th.
A lot of what the grand jury heard, a judge is going to hear and a judge may feel differently about bail after that.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: And we don`t know how many people are involved in this -- how many kids. I mean we had eight, nine, now some local news stations saying it could be as high as 17. We don`t have any independent confirmation, but the truth is, that when they do it once Mark Serrano, when they do it once, they do it over and over again.
You, Mark Serrano, are a survivor of child sexual abuse. What was your reaction to the rioting in support of Joe Paterno, the coach who worked so closely with this alleged pedophile for so many years?
MARK SERRANO, SEX ABUSE SURVIVOR ADVOCATE: Good evening, Jane. You know, I was upset about it, because these students are well meaning, some of them. Some of them are riotous and they ought to be subject to criminal punishment for that, but they`re really misguided.
They shouldn`t be rallying in support of Coach Paterno. Coach Paterno was wrong. He had information about a serial sex offender; he didn`t provide it to the police. He was wrong, and he`s now paying the price for it, or beginning to. And these students are very misguided. And frankly, I hold the university responsible for that.
You know, I`m in public relations and crisis communications and the university is completely mismanaging this. They should be guiding students to understand that the victims should be rallied for right now. They`re the ones who are suffering. They`re the ones who finally have an opportunity to be free from the shackles of silence that Coach Sandusky subjected them to years and years ago, and some of them maybe more recently.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Let`s go out to the phone lines. Diane, Arizona, your question or thought?
DIANE, ARIZONA (via telephone): Hi, Jane.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Hey.
DIANE: I`ve been listening all day to you and the Mikes and Vinnie and everybody, and I heard this McQueary, the grad student, mentioned kind of in passing. And I want to know why you guys aren`t coming down harder on him? Here he is a big, strapping young football player. Why didn`t he go in there and drag that old pervert off the kid, wrap the kid in a towel, take him to the hospital, a report would have been made, end of pervert.
Even I would have done that and I`m a 5`2 little woman.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: You are asking the best question of the night. You`re looking at Mike McQueary. He`s the one who allegedly witnessed a naked Jerry Sandusky having -- and again, we don`t say this to shock you, but -- well, let`s just say, sexual relations -- and I mean real sexual relations, not just fondling, with a young boy in 2002, naked against a wall, in a shower. And he has come under fire for not going straight to the cops, not calling 911.
Now, get this, he is the interim head coach, and he is going to be participating in the game on Saturday. Ok. I don`t know exactly what his title is, actually. He`s an assistant coach. That`s what I meant, an assistant coach. He`s going to be participating in the game on Saturday.
Arnie, what do you make of that?
ARNIE: You know what, there is that law about the whistle-blower`s law, so that`s why they probably haven`t gotten rid of him. But the whole thing should have been wiped clean. The program -- the football program should be gone for three or five years. And there should be a needle in Jerry Sandusky`s arm a week from now.
That`s all I need to see. This guy`s got -- it`s disgusting? Why you`re messing around -- either you`re with us or against us. Get a needle in his arm and put the program out of its misery.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Here`s what Joe Paterno is quoted as saying. "Success without honor is an unseasoned dish. It will satisfy your hunger but it won`t taste good. They ask me what I`d like written about me when I`m gone. I hope they write that I made Penn State a better place, not that I was just a good football coach." The words of Joe Paterno.
All right. Hundreds of students rioted after hearing the decision to fire Joe Paterno. HLNtv.com talked to the sister of an alleged victim. You will not believe what she is saying about the former coach. Everything you need to know about this scandal on HLNtv.com.
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(RIOTS AT PENN STATE)
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: You are looking at YouTube video of riots taking place at Penn State, after the iconic coach, Joe Paterno, is fired, after he -- it`s learned -- did not call 911 after learning that his right-hand man, allegedly, was caught having sex with a little boy, naked, in a shower. That was in 2002.
Mike Galanos, you are out there right on the scene. You`ve been there all day long. You have some of the students. Take it away.
GALANOS: Some of the students are putting these victims first and think of those 8-year-olds who were probably wide-eyed innocent kids who were invited to a football game by Jerry Sandusky. Next thing you know, they`re allegedly trying to fight them off in a shower.
These are two of the students Eric and Ryan with me. Eric handed me this placard where -- they`re a blue Saturday, it`s a blue out. Here`s a shirt as well, Jane, that says. "Stop child abuse, Blue out Nebraska".
Eric, tell me about the ribbon and just again the focus to put the victims first.
ERIC, STUDENT: The blue is the color of child abuse awareness, and right now Prevent Child Abuse Pennsylvania is the organization that partnered with the local clothing and grocery store, McClenahan`s, and McClenahan`s is having a fund-raisers of sorts where they`re selling these T-shirts for $10 each and all the proceeds go directly to Prevent Child Abuse Pennsylvania.
GALANOS: Ryan, talk to me about when it got away from the victims? Because our hearts should be with those victims and what these kids went through years ago.
RYAN, STUDENT: It got away from the victims right at the beginning. It went straight to Paterno, and everyone even kind of skipped through Sandusky and everyone else. It just kind went right to Paterno. And whether or not he should be kicked out and whether or not they should fire him now or fire him at the end of the season. Everyone has completely forgot about the victims and forgot about the actual people who have been tormented (ph).
GALANOS: Jane, there you have it -- again, putting the victims first.
If you go to HLNtv.com and read that grand jury report, read victim number five. It`s a short story but it`s an 8-year-old boy who`s thrilled to attend a game. Think of that; an innocent little 8-year-old who`s being invited to a game by this revered coach, Jerry Sandusky. Imagine when he probably went home and said, "Mom, I`m going to a Penn State game and I`m going to stand on the sideline." And then keep reading the story and that`s what brings it home.
Jane, back to you.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: It`s unbelievable. But I am very heartened to see and hear those students bringing the story back, Mike, to the victims.
And I had a gut feeling, Mark Serrano, you are a survivor of child sex abuse, that that wasn`t all the students talking; that those were kids who weren`t thinking at all. But there are a lot of other kids, thankfully at Penn State who are, tonight coming forward and saying, we are thinking about the victims.
SERRANO: Yes, Jane, and my hats off to those guys and all the students on campus who do recognize that the victims really have to come first.
Look, Penn State University should embark on a major, broad campaign to reach these victims. My concern is that they`re going to be covering their own liability and avoiding liability, and they`re not going to reach these victims.
And I have to tell you, we don`t know how many victims are out there, but based on my experience, I assure you, there are countless men and even teenagers who are victims of Jerry Sandusky.
And I`ve got to tell you something else. This university is a co- conspirator. Officials in the university, some of whom have not been charged yet or have not resigned or have been fired, they are responsible. And I`ll bet you that before 2002, with the anal rape case in the shower that McQueary had witnessed, eye-witnessed, that this university had claims against Jerry Sandusky. Why? The man retired at the age of 55 from a very, very prestigious job.
I believe this university knew well before 2002 that he was a serial sex offender, and that makes this university or top officials co- conspirators. And I believe, by the way, this McQueary will not be on that sideline on Saturday.
But the kids on campus who are showing support for these victims, my hats off to them. It`s exactly what the university should be doing. Instead of protecting their own legal liability, they should be out there, finding these people, and helping them with relief, because of the suffering that they`ve encountered, based on the decisions from the university officials.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: I agree with you. And let me tell you something, mark. I think they should investigate whether or not there was a cover-up. The timing is suspicious. First allegation, `98 and then he suddenly retires in `99, even though he won assistant coach of the year? Why? And who else knew what?
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The child abuse sex scandal that has rocked Penn State University --
CROWD: We he want Joe. We want Joe.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is not about football. This is not about x`s and o`s. This is not about Nebraska. This is about young children that were violated. Their innocence was stolen. And it`s about them and the families that are forever impacted by what happened.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
VELEZ-MITCHELL: That man you`re looking at now is charged with 40 sex counts involving children. He is accused of raping boys, as young as 8. It`s absolutely extraordinary.
Thousands of Penn State students rioting when they learned that their legendary coach, Joe Paterno, had been fired.
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(RIOT AT PENN STATE)
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: That is from YouTube. Total hysteria, students flipping over a van.
Straight out to the national spokesman for All Pro Dad, Freddie Scott; thank you so much for joining us tonight, Freddie. You were a player at Penn State. You made the cover of "Sports Illustrated" -- there you are. What do you make of this behavior from the students?
FREDDIE SCOTT, PRESIDENT & FOUNDER, "UNLOCK THE CHAMPION: They`ve gotten their eye off the ball. As a former player, as someone that was a starter on Joe`s last undefeated team, this is totally something that does not represent anything that Coach Paterno instilled in me or the thousands of other NFL and college players that played under his program for years.
This is embarrassing. I`m outraged that they have lost the fact that the point of this whole thing is not football. It`s not even Joe. It`s about those kids. There`s a reason why there`s no names on the back of the jerseys. There`s a reason why there`s no logo on the helmet. It`s because it`s not about that. It`s about the team.
And those kids have no clue on the foundation that was laid before them. My heart goes out to every one of those kids and the families that have been devastated right now. And I hope to God, because, unfortunately, there`s so many dads out there that have abdicated their responsibility to those kids that have made those kids one of the 24 million in America today that are growing up without a dad in the home.
I hope a dad will pick up the phone and call their kids and find out if someone is doing something like that to their kids or a mom would talk to their son or daughter today because hopefully --
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Yes, I agree with you.
Scott: -- it will be able to help somebody else.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Freddie, a lot of people are suspicious of the timing. The fact that the first allegation in which he admitted to being naked in the shower with the boy was in 1998. He wins "Assistant Coach of the Year" in `99 and then Sandusky retires suddenly in `99. Do you think there should be an investigation into whether there was a cover up and a conspiracy?
SCOTT: Unfortunately, I don`t know what Joe knew and what the administration knows. We do know now -- hindsight is always 20/20 -- we know that Jerry Sandusky is alleged to have some major, major, major issues.
And, yes, somebody needs to look into who knew what because if there was a cover up, I, as a Christian man, the Bible is very clear saying that a person that --
VELEZ-MITCHELL: More on the other side.
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VELEZ-MITCHELL: Freddie Scott, former Penn State player, should there be an investigation into conspiracy to cover up, given the odd timing of the events?
SCOTT: I think so. The bottom line is this, this is a hard check. And at the end of the day, football is not the most important thing; our families and our children are. And anyone`s that not willing to fight for them, they don`t need to have the job at an institution that is supposed to be raising up kids.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: Do you think the timing is odd, that the first allegation is in 1998, he resigns from Penn State University football in `99, then these allegations come up in 2009 and Sandusky retires from the charity in 2010? Briefly, yes or no?
SCOTT: You can`t describe -- you can`t deny that. It looks like that there`s something up.
VELEZ-MITCHELL: We`re out of time.
"NANCY GRACE" next.
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