Jerry Sandusky, former Penn State coach convicted of sex abuse, seeks new trial after victim recants

Sandusky, who is serving at least 30 years on child sex abuse charges, could lose the right to argue misleading testimony led to a wrongful conviction.

Disgraced former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky appeared virtually in court Tuesday and told a judge he understood his legal team’s move to seek a new trial in federal court after one of his accusers recanted.

Tainted victim testimony led to Sandusky’s wrongful conviction for child sexual abuse, according to his lawyers, who believe their client’s best chances for freedom now come from moving the case from the Pennsylvania system to a U.S. courthouse.

But in moving this case to another court, Sandusky’s legal team surrenders its right to litigate in state court claims that Victim No. 10, identified in court papers as “R.R.,” was manipulated to give misleading testimony.

Sandusky, 82, who is serving at least 30 years at State Correctional Institution Laurel Highland, was convicted after multiple people testified that he sexually abused them when they were boys. Sandusky used his name in the community and his nonprofit group, The Second Mile, to meet victims, prosecutors have said.

Judge Maureen Skerda, a state senior judge who was appointed to hear the case, asked Sandusky, who appeared by video feed from prison, whether he understood his legal team’s actions, and he confirmed that he did.