The Jerry Sandusky trial opens today as both prosecution and defense deliver their first arguments in a sex abuse case that has gripped the nation.
Sandusky, a former Penn State assistant football coach, faces 52 counts of sexual assault cases that spanned over a 15-year period. Most of his victims are believed to have been between 8 and 17-years-old when the incidents happened.
Official documents reveal that Sandusky met his victims through his own charity, Second Mile. The nature of his victim-seeking has led many — such as Time – to categorize his methodology as a “classic” crime pattern, which involves targeting children, building their trust, and then molesting them.
As many as 8 of Sandusky’s former victims are expected to testify. Other witnesses could also include legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno’s son and wife.
While numerous accounts of Sandusky’s wrongdoings have come to light, the outcome of the trial remains uncertain. The defense is expected to point out the lack of physical evidence, which could ultimately hurt the prosecution whose case is largely based on verbal accounts of Sandusky’s actions.
As Widener law professor Wes Oliver told CBS News, “There really is no physical evidence…It’s entirely a question of he said, he said. But there are a whole lot of ‘he’s’. There are a whole lot of people to claim this story or claim similar stories.”