Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, left, arrives at the Centre County Courthouse for opening statements in his trial on 52 counts of child sexual abuse involving 10 boys over a period of 15 years in Bellefonte, Pa., Monday, June 11, 2012.
BELLEFONTE, Pa. - The prosecution in the Jerry Sandusky trial is trying to paint the former Pennsylvania State University assistant football coach as a sexual predator who used his charitible organization as a "perfect setup" to hide the abuse of young boys over the course of 15 years.
Sandusky, 68, is charged with 52 counts of an assortment of crimes from deviant sexual intercourse to the corruption of minors after incidents involving 10 boys over a 15-year span.
Pennsylvania Senior Deputy Attorney Joseph McGettigan opened the commonwealth's case by showing pictures of eight of Sandusky's alleged victims. McGettigan described how Sandusky used his charity, The Second Mile, as the "perfect setup" for Sandusky to continue behaving as a "predatory pedophile." He also said prosecutors will show how Sandusky prodded boys with gifts and access to football games in order to abuse them.
Since being charged in November 2011, Sandusky has maintained his innocence.
In his opening remarks, defense lawyer Joe Amendola referenced an abuse case in 1998 where Sandusky was cleared of all wrongdoing. Amendola also plans to examine the timeline of events surrounding a 2001 incident in which former Penn State assistant Mike McQueary allegedly encountered Sandusky in a practice hall shower abusing a young boy.
"This is a daunting task...trying to figure out how to make sure you know [Sandusky] is innocent," Amendola told the jurors.
One of the victims that was shown in the prosecution's slide show, Victim 4, is expected to testify Monday afternoon.
Greg Otto is a News Editor at U.S. News & World Report. You can follow him on Twitter (@gregotto) or contact him at gotto@usnews.com.
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