Former PSU Assistant Sandusky Cancels Recantation Hearing

Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky has canceled a hearing that was set to take place in Pennsylvania state court, where his attorneys claimed they would prove his innocence. The hearing was intended to feature a recantation from one of Sandusky's sexual assault victims. Sandusky, 82, is currently serving a 30- to 60-year sentence for child sexual assault but has consistently maintained his innocence.

The hearing, initially scheduled for September 8, is now being moved to federal court in an effort to seek a new trial. Sandusky's defense team argues that the original testimony was influenced by investigative pressure and psychological manipulation. According to an affidavit, an accuser known as Victim 10, who testified against Sandusky, claimed he was coached by prosecutors to make false allegations. Sandusky's attorneys allege that the prosecutors, Joe McGettigan and Frank Fina, influenced the testimonies of the victims.

Sandusky, speaking from state prison in Somerset County, expressed his frustration over the situation, stating, "This is the worst experience of my life. I am an innocent man." He emphasized his desire to clear his name and believes financial motives were behind the allegations against him.

The Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office has labeled the recantation as "highly suspect." Despite the cancellation of the state court hearing, Sandusky's legal team continues to push for a new trial, citing ineffective counsel and prosecutorial misconduct as key arguments.

ABC7NY reported that Sandusky's defense team is determined to challenge his 2012 conviction in federal court. The case has garnered significant attention due to the high-profile nature of Sandusky's role at Penn State and the impact of the scandal on the university.