Report: Ex-Penn State President to Face Perjury Charges
Graham Spanier, the president of Penn State University during the Jerry Sandusky scandal, will reportedly be charged with perjury and obstruction of justice, possibly as soon as today. Paula Reed Ward of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that State Attorney General Linda Kelly is planning to announced the charges against Spanier, who has vigorously denied any wrongdoing.
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Spanier was president of the school from 1995 to 2011, when he resigned amid charges the he and other Penn State officials knew about abuse allegations involving former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky and did nothing about it. Two other officials—athletic director Tim Curley and vice president Gary Schultz—have already been charged with perjury for testimony they gave to the grand jury investigating Sandusky. Spanier claims he was unaware that any of the accusations against Sandusky involved child abuse. Sandusky was found guilty of rape and assault and sentenced to 30-to-60 years in prison earlier this month.
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According to an investigation conducted by former FBI director Louis Freeh, Spanier was told by Curley and Schultz that Sandusky had been seen engaging in "horseplay" with a young boy in a Penn State locker room. Emails exchanged between them suggest that they chose not to report Sandusky to police after being persuaded by Paterno. Spanier has insisted he was not told what the "horseplay" was or that Sandusky may have attacked a child.
