Jerry Sandusky sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison

After emotional statements from the victims, Sandusky took the stand, wearing a bright red jumpsuit with “Centre County” written in black letters on the back. He was noticeably thinner than when he entered jail three months ago, at one point stopping to hike up his sagging pants.

Sandusky again insisted he is innocent and said he is the victim of a conspiracy driven by the lies of troubled young men. Sandusky detailed life in the county jail, where he lives in a small cell and fills his time with meditation, reading, writing and exercising.

Video

Jerry Sandusky has been sentenced to at least 30 years in prison in the child sexual abuse scandal that brought shame to Penn State and led to coach Joe Paterno's downfall. Sandusky claims his innocence and says he will appeal the sentencing.

Jerry Sandusky: “I know I did not do these alleged disgusting acts”

Cindy Boren

Jerry Sandusky maintains "I did not do these alleged disgusting acts" in audio recording released on the eve of his sentencing.

Tweeting rules for Sandusky sentencing

Jenna Johnson

A digital clock will dictate when media can spread the news of the ex-Penn State coach’s sentence on Tuesday.

“Others can take away my life. They can make me out as a monster. They can treat me as a monster. But they can’t take away my heart,” Sandusky said. “In my heart, I know I did not do these alleged disgusting acts.”

Sandusky’s words angered prosecutors, civil attorneys and victim advocates who attended the hearing. McGettigan said after the hearing that Sandusky seemed “completely untethered from reality.”

When the sentence was announced, Sandusky stared down briefly. After court recessed, he spoke with his attorney, smiling broadly and laughing. The former coach was then led away by officers.

Joe Amendola, Sandusky’s lead attorney, said he plans to file an appeal. After the hearing, Amendola counted off his complaints: The defense was forced to go to court before it could properly prepare; no one would listen to Sandusky’s side of the story; the victims were not trustworthy.

The ramifications of Sandusky’s actions are far-reaching. Days after Sandusky’s arrest in November 2011, Paterno and Penn State President Graham Spanier lost their jobs, along with their sterling reputations. This summer, the university removed an iconic statue of Paterno that stood outside the football stadium.

Investigators hired by Penn State concluded that some of the university’s most powerful leaders failed to protect children from abuse. The NCAA punished Penn State for Sandusky’s crimes, fining the school $60 million, vacating previous football wins and barring the team from postseason play.

Two former Penn State officials, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, have been charged with perjury and failure to report child abuse. Their trial is scheduled for January.

Still, Tuesday’s hearing, just a few days after Penn State’s homecoming win over Northwestern, brought some closure.

“We all have a sense of relief that Jerry Sandusky is going to die in prison, that he’s not going to be able to do this again,” said Matt Casey, a Philadelphia attorney whose firm represents several victims, including one of Sandusky’s adopted sons.