Prosecutors in Sandusky case need not turn over more specific timeline of alleged crimes, judge rules

Prosecutors working the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse case are not required to turn over specific information with regard to the timeline in which each of Sandusky’s alleged victims were molested, the judge presiding over the case stated in an order released Tuesday.

The order, filed with the Centre County Court of Common Pleas by Judge John M. Cleland, came in response to a motion for a more specific Bill of Particulars that had been filed by defense attorney Joseph Amendola.

Amendola, who is representing the former Pennsylvania State University assistant football coach charged with sexually abusing 10 young boys, had filed a motion seeking a more precise timeline of the alleged crimes perpetrated by Sandusky.

On Feb. 13, Cleland ordered prosecutors to specify the time, date and location of any alleged offenses, and the age of each victim at the time, or explain its inability to do so.

The order was framed in accordance with the state law that says the commonwealth must provide a date “fixed with reasonable certainty” when a defendant is accused of having sexually assaulted a child, according to the judge’s order.

If prosecutors don’t “fix a date with reasonable certainty,” it would “violate the notions of fundamental fairness embedded in our legal process,” the ruling states.

In this case, however, prosecutors argued that it couldn’t provide further details beyond what it has provided in its initial Bill of Particulars.

“Therefore, any order directing the Commonwealth to supply details would be a futile act since the Commonwealth has explained it cannot supply the details requested,” Cleland stated in his ruling.

Sandusky, the former defensive coordinator for the Penn State Nittany Lions, is accused of molesting the 10 young boys during a 15-year period spanning the 1990s and last decade.

He was arrested in November of last year following a grand jury investigation.

His trial is scheduled to get under way with jury selection in May.