Boy when it comes to the offseason, no news outside of the recruiting front is often good news.
Remember early last month when State College police asked for help identifying a couple students involved in a simple-assault and criminal-mischief incident that happened at 6:05 p.m. on State Patty’s Day at the Cedarbrook apartment building, 320 E. Beaver Ave? Well it wasn’t too hard to tell from the surveillance photos that several of the suspects in question were players on the basketball and football teams. And if we could identify them through grainy surveillance camera photographs, it wouldn’t be long before the State College police could put 2 and 2 together.
Well an entire month later, the SC police finally concluded what some have figured out immediately after the pictures were released.
State College police Lt. Keith Robb said Wednesday they were among seven suspects charged with the summary offense following the Feb. 26 fight that left one person with minor injuries.
Police identified four of those charged as Curtis Drake and Derrick Thomas, both 20; and Tre Bowman and Taran Buie, both 19. Drake and Thomas play football, while Bowman plays basketball.
Although summary offense is incredibly minor, the players presence in this entire snafu represents yet another blunder in their judgement. This would be Derrick Thomas’ second offense having been involved in a marijuana possession incident that put him in Joe Paterno’s doghouse for much of the year. Curtis Drake and Taran Buie are also repeat offenders both having had run-ins with the law since last year. Considering Buie’s multiple run-ins with State College police, it’s not hard to determine how Buie found himself suspended from the basketball team originally for an undisclosed violation of team rules.
As mentioned before summary offense is extremely minor. They aren’t considered criminal convictions unless jail time is served. Violations like underage drinking, open container, obstruction of the highway and even giving a pig away as a lottery prize are all summary offenses in Pennsylvania. Summaries are often punishable by a fine, but in the extreme summary offenders can receive up to 90 days in jail. More often than not though, these players will be able to expunge the violation from their records by arranging to do some community service or taking a class in alcoholism, for example especially if they have had a clean record prior to this citation.
But though Curtis Drake and Derrick Thomas might face a slap on the wrist from the law, they will assuredly be deep in Joe Paterno’s patented doghouse. Buie has long considered a transfer out of Penn State following his year long suspension from the basketball team last season, but it’ll be interesting to see how Ed DeChellis handles Tre Bowman.
This next one might be considered a little more severe if the accusations turn out to be true. And please keep in mind that while the accusations have been made, there has been no verdict rendered nor has a criminal trial taken place.
Penn State’s legendary defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky is being investigated for accusations of indecent assault against a teenage boy. A grand jury has been hearing testimony for the past 18 months connected to a 15-year old’s allegations that Sandusky inappropriately touched a teenage boy multiple times over a four year period. The grand jury hearing is used by courts and prosecutors to determine whether or not there is sufficient evidence for a criminal charge. This is a disturbing accusation that follows a similar accusation made by another boy against Sandusky back in 1998.
Penn State’s head coach Joe Paterno, athletic director Tim Curley, retired university Vice President and Treasurer Gary Schultz were among those who appeared before the grand jury in January over the case.
Last fall, Sandusky announced that he was retiring from day-to-day involvement in the charity [The Second Mile] to spend more time with family and handle personal matters.
Since then, rumors of misconduct by Sandusky have lit up Internet comment threads and message boards that are normally havens for Penn State football fan chatter.
Being a key figure in The Second Mile, Sandusky is exposed to and involved with over 10,000 Pennsylvanian youths a year through summer and year round camps programs. Even as we speak following 18 months of a grand jury hearing, the Attorney General’s office has still not determined whether Sandusky has done anything inappropriate. Though I refuse to speculate over the details of the case until a trial is concluded, Mike has a nice breakdown of the possible legal ramifications for Penn State and Jerry Sandusky himself.
Sandusky has also released a statement through his lawyer concerning the matter:
While Jerry has been aware of an ongoing investigation by the Attorney General’s Office for many months dating back to 2009, he has steadfastly maintained his innocence throughout this ordeal.
In his many years of service as a football coach and in his almost daily involvement since 1977 with The Second Mile, which helps thousands of kids at risk each year, Jerry has dedicated his life to helping young people develop into solid, community-oriented, and successful young adults.
Should the allegations as set forth in today’s newspaper article eventually lead to the institution of criminal charges against Jerry, Jerry fully intends to establish his innocence and put these false allegations to rest forever.
The man is innocent until proven guilty. And given that The Second Mile was founded by Sandusky way back in 1977, 34 years with close to 10,000 youths in a given year is alot of exposure to children. Though these are tough allegations, I can only hope the man that has successfully run The Second Mile for 33 years will be exonerated from these accusations.
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