Top Johnstown Area Local News Stories
Source: MedleyStory
Officials at State College Area School District are working to reassure parents after a judge loosened Jerry Sandusky’s home confinement rules.
In court documents filed Monday morning, Senior Judge John Cleland ruled that Sandusky can have supervised visits with his grandchildren, he can leave his Grandview Road home for preapproved trips to work on his case with defense attorneys and that he can continue using his back porch.
During a pretrial hearing last week, prosecutors said Sandusky’s back porch was only 50 yards away from the playground at Lemont Elementary School and that several neighbors videotaped Sandusky on his back porch when students were outside for recess.
Deputy District Attorney Marc Costanzo said that prosecutors received calls of concern from parents and neighbors who saw Sandusky on his back deck during home confinement.
“One of the children said they knew something about the case and they were uncomfortable being in close proximity,” said Costanzo.
Defense Attorney Karl Rominger argued that Sandusky never violated the rules of his home confinement and hasn’t bothered neighbors or students.
“Obviously it’s being blown out of proportion, because none of these concerns came up until Jerry filed a motion to modify his bail,” said Rominger.
During last week’s hearing, prosecutors read written testimony from a daycare provider that said activities were disrupted when children saw Sandusky during recess and from a classroom window.
SCASD Public Information Specialist Julie Miller told 6News that the principal has not received notification of any classroom or recess disruptions during school hours because of Sandusky.
"That was actually an employee for the after-school daycare program. That is the Child Development and Family Council who sponsors that. Even though it is hosted at Lemont Elementary, that was not a direct Lemont employee," said Miller. "I'm not sure if they could see (from classroom window). Certainly, we have heard reports that Mr. Sandusky has been on his deck, but that has been part of his bail agreement. That's not restricted. As a district, we're not in a position to change anything with that."
Miller said the school has enhanced security by keeping all exterior doors locked, restricting traffic onto the property, as well as increasing recess supervision ever since the 62-year-old was arrested on dozens of charges connected to child sex abuse allegations last November.
Miller told 6News that officials have sent several emails to Lemont Elementary parents within the last two weeks and do not plan on making any changes to outdoor recess plans.
“Faculty and staff, in fact, have commented over and over again that they do feel safe and they do feel comfortable with the security measures that are in place at Lemont,” said Miller.
Published: Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:07:22 -0500
A fire destroyed a building and everything inside of it including all of the jerseys and equipment for the Bedford Bison Youth Football Program.
6 News first heard about this fire on Sunday near Cessna. It was used as storage for the Heartland Hall, but that wasn’t all it housed. Nearly $25,000 worth of youth football equipment burned with it.
All that’s left standing of this scorched building is a few walls. The stuff inside wasn’t much of a loss for the Heartland Hall, but for the Bedford Bison Youth Football Program it was everything it had.
"It was everything. I mean, we had literally everything stored in there; the kids’ equipment, [I mean] field equipment, balls, the coaches bags, jerseys, everything, literally,” President of the Youth Football League Darren Cassidy said.
A fire marshal ruled it an arson Monday morning and estimated a loss of nearly $100,000; $25,000 of that in the football program.
"I don't understand what people are thinking. I'm sure they didn't know the football equipment was there, but still to burn a building down is pointless,” assistant football coach Erick Seager said.
"It put a damper on the whole weekend, because I heard it was a total loss fire, so, we had everything there,” Cassidy said.
The program started in 2008, and for the past few years it was stored in the same building. It created a seamless operation.
"We had the nicest equipment in the league. We had the nicest jerseys and I'm basically starting from scratch, all over again,” Cassidy said.
The coaches know it’s going to take a lot to get the program back to where it was, but the support for the league is overwhelming.
"I get told how much the kids love football. I've heard that millions of times.; thank you for starting the league, thank you to the coaches; my son always wanted to play but never had the opportunity, so that's huge,” Cassidy said.
"We'll get back on track. We're not going to let it end here,” Seager said.
If you want to make a donation to help the league get back on its feet, there’s an account set up at Hometown Bank under Bedford Youth Football.
Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 23:10:11 -0500
Purchase Line North elementary school is located in Mahaffey, Clearfield County.
The junior-senior high school and south elementary school are located in Commodore, Indiana County.
For the 107 students that attend North, they may soon find themselves riding the bus to South elementary.
Last week, Purchase Line School Board voted to schedule a section 780 public hearing.
The hearing is in compliance with Pennsylvania's Public School Code.
The hearing is the beginning process of potentially closing North elementary school.
Tina Hazelet, superintendent of Purchase Line School District, told 6 News that right now it is an emotional time throughout the school district.
"It is something you maybe don't want to do, because it is a tough decision to make. When it comes down to it, you've got to work with your school board and make fiscally responsible decisions," said Hazelet.
Hazelet said that part of the reason for possibly closing the school is because of the declining enrollment.
Hazelet said that within the last five years, there has been a 32 percent decrease in the number of students enrolled at the North elementary school.
To keep the school open for its 107 students, it would cost the district $1.7 million a year.
"You've got to make some cuts. What are those cuts going to be? You can only cut so much when a bulk of your budget really is wages and benefits. So you take a look at something such as you elementary schools," she said.
The possibility of the school closing does not satisfy parents.
Jodie Kauffman has two children. She said that two are at North and the other is already at the junior-senior high school.
Kauffman said that her teenage son catches the bus just after 6 a.m.
She said he then rides the bus nearly an hour away to school to Commodore, where both the junior-high school and South elementary school are located.
Kauffman said that she does not want her younger children to be put in this situation.
"I understand that we all have to function on a budget. I also have to do that at my own home. However, at this point, I don't appreciate that there has been a dollar sign attached to the forehead of each of our children here at North elementary," said Kauffman.
Nicole Patrick also has a child at North elementary.
She agrees with Kauffman.
"I feel that at the north, the students have a very intimate relationship with their teachers and the faculty. Whenever they're put into a larger class size they could lose that connection," said Patrick.
Kauffman told 6 News that if the school does close she is considering cyber school for her children.
She noted that if parents have to drive more than 30 miles to watch a performance or anything the child is involved in, the school will see less parent turnout.
In an interview with 6 News, Hazelet said that she understands parents concerns.
She said that the district has been trying to avoid the situation for several years but now more than ever they need to make decisions.
Hazelet said 1,007 students are in the district and with the way the economy is they are not seeing more families moving to the district. Rather, they are seeing people leaving, relocating jobs and bringing their families elsewhere.
Hazelet said that she encourages everyone to attend the hearing on Feb. 27.
It will be held in the auditorium of the Purchase Line Junior Senior High School located at 16559 Route 286 Highway E,Commodore, Pa., at 7 p.m.
After the meeting, there will be a 90-day grace period.
The school board will determine whether the school will close on May 29.
Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 21:03:07 -0500
A strip mine in Somerset County has nearby residents on edge after they said they were never notified about it.
The land is in Paint Township and borders the Stonycreek River, which was recently named Pennsylvania's river of the year.
"We heard that there were rumblings that they were going to be doing something, but it was just like boom, all of a sudden it started," said Galen Miller, who lives nearby. "[There's been] tree-cutting and we got contacted by an engineering company to survey the house for issues in case there was damage from the strip mine."
Miller can see the cleared hillside from his yard and said he can hear the loud hum of machines.
"Six in the morning one morning it started, until 6 at night when it got dark," said Miller. "It was just like a very, very loud dentist drill all day long."
But his biggest concern, he said, is the damage to the natural surroundings including the Stonycreek River below.
"It doesn't make sense to me if you're going to call something the river of the year and now it's in danger of being polluted by strip mining," said Miller.
Upon crossing the river, it's very clear to see the work that's been done. So 6 News checked with the Department of Environmental Protection office in Ebensburg and discovered that a surface mine permit was actually applied for in January 2010.
But that's something Ronald Coughenour, who also lives nearby, said his neighbors should have known.
"This isn't a surprise for the people living here," said Coughenour. "We've been getting letters, they've been doing blasting, going to be doing blasting, and deep mining coal for years now."
6 News discovered the permit was advertised four different times in early 2010, but since there was no public comment filed, it's been a done deal since.
A spokesperson with the DEP said this is a good reminder for people to check the notices in local newspapers and online. He also said there are guidelines and restrictions in place that make coal companies responsible for keeping local water clean.
Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 18:47:37 -0500
HARRISBURG, Pa. --
The administration of Gov. Tom Corbett is expecting about $50 million from its new efforts to collect taxes on items sold over the Internet.
The state Department of Revenue provided the estimate Monday.
Corbett is pressuring Internet-based sellers to collect the sales tax at the time of purchase, as Pennsylvania-based companies have to do.
In addition, the state's 2011 personal income-tax return for the first time provides a line asking taxpayers to declare how much they owe in "use tax" on purchases they made online without paying the state sales tax.
Both are 6 percent. By law, sellers are supposed to collect the sales tax at the time of purchase. If they don't, buyers are expected to pay the state the same amount in use tax.
Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:42:57 -0500
HOLLIDAYSBURG, Pa. --
An Altoona man has received a virtual life sentence for abducting and molesting a 6-year-old girl.
Dennis Stehley Sr., 57, pleaded guilty Monday in Blair County Court under an agreement to receive 40 to 80 years in prison on May 7.
Stehley's defense attorney, Mark Zearfaus, said Stehley knew he likely faced a sentence that would keep him in prison until he died, but pleaded guilty because he didn't want to put the girl and her family through a jury trial.
Stehley is an estranged relative of the girl he abducted from her home in Tyrone on Aug. 6.
Police used a helicopter to search near Kettle Road Reservoir where they found Stehley's pickup, the suspect and, later, the girl who told police that Stehley had molested her.
Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 15:19:51 -0500
BLAIR COUNTY, Pa. --
Two former Section 8 families are suing the Altoona Housing Authority in federal court, according to the Altoona Mirror.
The plaintiffs are asking a judge to certify their cases as a class action, but the housing authority is fighting that attempt.
According to the Community Justice Project in Pittsburgh, the class would be composed of 33 tenants the Altoona Housing Authority has evicted over the last three years and any it may evict in the future.
The housing authority is arguing that the case does not meet the standards for a class-action suit.
Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 14:02:46 -0500
BEDFORD COUNTY, Pa. --
A 23-year-old woman was killed in a weather related-crash Sunday in Bedford County.
Susanne Smith, of Woodbury, died in the crash which happened around 5:45 p.m.
The crash happened in Woodbury Township, just south of the Bedford-Blair county line.
Police said Smith was traveling on Hickory Bottom Road and hit a patch of ice. The car slid, hit an embankment and flipped several times.
Investigators said Smith was not wearing a seat belt and was thrown from the car.
Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:56:18 -0500
BEDFORD COUNTY, Pa. --
A Bedford County woman was arrested after accusations she burglarized her mother's home.
Police said Heather Diggins and Micheal Shilling went into Diggins' mother's home on Hillside Drive on Saturday and took a television, Xbox, coins and a diamond ring totaling $2,400.
Diggins and Shilling were found at a Sheetz parking lot in Everett Boro soon after. They were taken into custody and remain in the Bedford County Jail.
Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:51:41 -0500
FAYETTE COUNTY, Pa. --
Fire crews spent Sunday night battling a tough fire at the Mystic Ski Lodge at Nemacolin Woodlands resort in Fayette County.
The building collapsed around 10:30 p.m., about two hours after the fire was reported.
Nine fire departments responded, including two from Somerset County. Fire officials said strong winds fueled the flames and firefighters had trouble with hydrants because of freezing temperatures.
The cause of the blaze remained under investigation on Monday.
Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:20:18 -0500
BELLEFONTE, Pa. --
The judge overseeing Jerry Sandusky's child sex abuse case says the former Penn State assistant coach can see most of his grandchildren while he awaits trial.
Judge John Clelan also ruled Monday morning that Sandusky can use a jury chosen from the State College area to hear his case.
Multiple rulings, which include other topics such as bail and out-of-county jury requests, are posted on the Centre County Court website at www.co.centre.pa.us/media/.
In November, Sandusky was charged with dozens of counts of child sex abuse involving eight boys. A second arrest and brief incarceration in December came after additional charges involving two additional accusers.
The judge made no rulings at Friday's 70-minute pretrial hearing held in Centre County Court in Bellefonte. After that hearing, the 68-year-old Sandusky told reporters that he maintains his innocence.
"All of a sudden these people turn on me when they've been in my home with their kids, when they've attended birthday parties, when they've been on that deck, when their kids have been playing in my yard, and when their kids have been sled riding, when they've asked to sled ride at our home. It's difficult for me to understand, to be honest," said Sandusky.
Under Monday's ruling, Sandusky can see his grandchildren under their parents' supervision. However, he won't be able to see the three of his grandchildren who live in State College because their parents are going through a divorce.
Prosecutors also sought to have Sandusky confined to his home after neighbors complained he was sitting on his back porch, watching kids at a nearby elementary school. That, too was denied. In addition, Sandusky will be allowed to leave his home to meet with his attorneys and to prepare for his upcoming trial.
Sandusky's trial is scheduled to begin May 14 and the judge decided it would be held in Bellefonte with a jury from Centre County. The Attorney General's Office sought to have jurors chosen from outside the area because, they said, media attention involving Penn State would make it difficult to have a fair trial. Cleland denied that motion and acknowledged there will be challenges, but said he wants to make an effort to seek a fair and impartial jury in Centre County.
In the meantime, former Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley has filed a motion asking that his perjury charge be dismissed. Prosecutors said after being told of an alleged assault by Sandusky, he did not alert the proper authorities. Curley's attorneys said without testimony of the late Joe Paterno, prosecutors don't have enough evidence.
Stay with WJACTV.com, WJACTV.com Mobile and 6 News for continuing coverage.
Published: Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:18:59 -0500
A fire destroys a home in Schellsburg in a matter of minutes on Saturday.6 News met the mother who let courage take over.
Motherly instincts kicked in last night when this mother of two knew she only had a matter of seconds to get her and her kids out of the house.
“I was thinking, we wouldn't make it out,” Stacey Ansell’s daughter said.
It was scary and unbelievable. Stacey Ansell was sitting at home Saturday night in her living room with her two kids, but an instinct to look out the window saved their lives.
"As soon as I looked out the bedroom window, all I could see was black smoke,” Ansell said.
She thought it was electrical and unplugged a space heater. She opened a window, but letting the fresh air in only caused more smoke to billow.
"As soon as I opened up the windows, the black smoke just rolled up through the vents and everything,” Ansell explained.
It made visibility nearly impossible, and time was running out.
"I stopped and kind of looking around thinking, ‘how am I getting my kids out?’ And then I don't know what came over me, I just busted out the screen and lowered them as far as I could lower them, and then I had to drop them,” Ansell said.
It was nearly a 15-foot drop to the ground, but with smoke filling the downstairs she knew it was the only way out.
"I could hear the windows busting out as I was jumping so it was only a matter of seconds after we got down and ran to the neighbors that it was down. So, we got out just in time,” Ansell said.
Now that the flames are gone and smoke has settled, Stacey is grateful for her maternal instincts that kicked in at the right time.
"I don't even know what made me think about that, but just something I did. Maybe, just the adrenaline, but I knew if I didn't get them out when I did, we wouldn't have made it,” Ansell said.
She said her family is already helping out and she’s been getting a lot of support from co-workers. Luckily, she and her kids are just walking away with a couple bruises and scratches.
Published: Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:15:13 -0500
The bold and the brave dove into the chilly Quemahoning Reservoir Saturday for the Polar Bear Plunge.
Even 6 News’ Severe Weather Team Chief Meteorologist Jim Burton put on his grass skirt and did a little hula dancing in the water.
These folks were freezing for a reason. The plunge is the kick-off event for the Johnstown Special Olympics.
Participants raised about $50,000 for the games.
The high money raiser was Cambria County law enforcement with about $4,000.
Organizers are inviting the community to attend the opening ceremonies on Sunday.
Published: Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:55:07 -0500
The Johnstown fire department isn't just fighting fires; it’s fighting to get back the manpower it lost with two rounds of layoffs last year.
The firefighter union is asking the city to apply for a federal grant to restore some of the positions lost.
A total of eight firefighters were laid off in 2011. The union said it may have a way to get those positions back without any money coming out of the city's budget.
A fire Saturday morning in Johnstown is why union president Randy Novosel said he is fighting more than fires; he said he fighting to get his guys their jobs back and cut down response times when fires are the most crucial to put out.
“For the truck responding to the downtown fire station would be approximately four minutes, and with the structure fire this morning, the first truck that was arriving on scene was from the west end fire station and it took approximately 10 minutes," said Novosel.
Novosel and his supporters fought in August to prevent four layoffs. They lost that battle. They tried to fight again in December for the remaining four layoffs the city was implementing.
The department lost a total of eight firefighters.
"You can rehire laid off fire fighters with 100% of the costs, both salary and benefits, all paid for, through FEMA,” Novosel said.
The federal grant was approved by Congress for more than $740-million to rehire and retain firefighters for two years. Novosel said with the most recent round of layoffs, which makes them the highest priority to receive the money.
The city isn't budging.
"There is a clause that would require the city not to make any more cutbacks or layoffs during that two year period,” Novosel said.
6 News tried to contact the city manager for a comment, but didn't get a call back.
A city council meeting is scheduled for Wednesday and the union says it plans to present its argument then.
Published: Sun, 12 Feb 2012 11:44:12 -0500
A Bedford County woman and her two kids were trapped inside a burning house and escaped un-harmed.
It happened along Peter Street in Schellsburg on Saturday afternoon.
Fire officials say the fire started in the garage and spread to the house where the woman and her two young children were in the living room.
A family member tells 6 News the woman and kids couldn't get downstairs, so the mom kicked-out a window and climbed out with her children.
"I have to credit the neighbors too for helping out. She ran down right away, started screaming,” said family member Joe Hillegass.
Fire officials said no one was seriously injured, but the woman and children were taken to the hospital as a precaution.
A fire marshal is investigating a cause.
Published: Sun, 12 Feb 2012 10:50:06 -0500
The state Attorney General's Office called it the largest psychedelic mushroom operation they have ever seen. 6 News reporter Maria Miller was there as police swarmed an apartment building in Tyrone for the bust.
What started as a few police and a mobile lab unit, quickly grew to crews dressed in protective suits and an entire Hazmat department called in. It was quite the production for what police called an elaborate drug operation.
The man police said is responsible for it all is Justin Thompson, 26. Police said he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend several times this week at his apartment along Pennsylvania Avenue in Tyrone.
"On Monday, I guess he punched or slapped her in the face and she got two black eyes," said Tyrone police chief John Romeo. "Then yesterday they got into some kind of disagreement. ... They got into a physical scuffle and he ended up tying her to a chair with duct tape, took off her shirt and stuff and left with her car."
She was eventually able to get away and contact police who then were able to track Thompson down arrest him. But when police went back to his apartment, they said they found an elaborate psychedelic mushroom growing operation. Officials from the Blair County drug task force and the Attorney General's Office narcotics team were immediately called in to dismantle the operation.
"It's a little more dangerous than a regular grow operation for marijuana because of the mold spores and things of that nature," said James Walstrom of the Attorney General's Office narcotics team. "At that point we had to call in our Hazmat lab team, take everything down, dismantle it, package all the evidence in safety suits so that nobody's ingesting any of the mold that's in the house."
It was around 2:30 Friday afternoon that crews started bringing out bag after bag and containers full of supplies and equipment used to grow the drugs. They filled an entire dump truck.
The Attorney General's office tells 6 News it's the biggest case they've ever seen.
"He took it from the spores, injecting the spores, the whole way through the process in about six different levels of the process," said Walstrom. "Wiithin that there were several different types of psychedelic mushrooms within those five levels of process, so he had quite an elaborate system going where he had items in each segment of that operation."
By the time crews wrapped up around 4 Friday afternoon, they had filled several dump trucks full of evidence, including the actual mushrooms. As for how much they confiscated, the Attorney General's Office tells us they won't know until they can bring it back to their lab for processing.
Published: Fri, 10 Feb 2012 23:37:46 -0500
Friday morning 11 people were arrested in Clearfield County in connection to a drug operation conducted by the Clearfield County Drug Task Force. Officials said that 13 arrest warrants were issued to people involved in selling controlled substances.
Clearfield County District Attorney, William A. Shaw Jr., said that the arrests are the results of a two year cooperative drug investigation.
“Over the past year we’ve received a volume of calls and emails from citizens reporting drug activity in their neighborhood,” he said.
Shaw said that the investigation was coordinated by the Clearfield County District Attorney’s Office and the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (State College Office).
Shaw said that the investigation focused on street and mid-level drug dealers.
He said that many of the suspects were selling controlled substances on streets, in parking lots, in local establishments, and in apartments and houses throughout the county.
Shaw provided the names of the 11 people that were arraigned and charged on Friday.
The following were arrested: Chad Butler, Dennis Rauch, Dexter Mclaughlin, Sam Saverino, Robert A. Dixon Jr., Catherine L. Luzier, Dustin A. Dixon, Mark Hackett, Sr., Charles Scott Mayhew, Billie Jo Shaw and Dennis Collins.
Shaw said that once the suspected dealers were identified, various law enforcement agencies combined resources to make purchases.
Shaw also added that investigators used undercover agents and officers, surveillance, electronic intercepts as well as informants to make the purchases.
Officials said that illegal drugs such as heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, prescription pills and marijuana were purchased.
Shaw told 6 News that he hopes this round-up will serve as a reminder to other drug dealers; that officials are watching.
“We’re going to work very hard to identify you, to investigate you, to capture you and to prosecute you. If nothing else people should take from this that we’re not done, we have not given up, and we’re going to continue the fight,” he said.
Bail was set between $50,000 and $200,000 for those that were arrested.
Shaw said that police are also looking to arrest Michael D. Warrick, 21, Clearfield and Autumn Tillman, 25, Curwensville.
Published: Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:07:09 -0500
Attorneys for the former Penn State defensive coordinator facing dozens of child sex abuse charges asked a judge to ease his bail restrictions so he can visit friends and grandchildren on Friday.
During the 70-minute pretrial hearing, prosecutors and defense attorneys also argued motions requesting that Jerry Sandusky should be allowed to leave his home to work with private investigators on his case and whether the jury for his anticipated trial should be composed of Centre County residents.
Authorities charged the 68-year-old with dozens of charges of child sex abuse involved eight boys in November, followed by a second arrest and brief incarceration after additional charges involved two additional accusers in December.
During the hearing, Centre County Probation Director Tom Young was sworn and addressed concerns that Sandusky was pushing the envelope with the rules of his home confinement.
Young said that Sandusky did have permission to leave his Grandview Road home to help shovel snow from his driveway and that he is allowed to spend time on his backyard porch attached to his house.
Attorney General Agent Anthony Sassano later testified that prosecutors received calls of concerns from several neighbors, as well as a day care worker inside Lemont Elementary School.
According to Sassano, Christie Williams reported that after-school K-6 students repeatedly saw Sandusky from classroom windows and outside recess and were alarmed.
State College Area School District Public Information Specialist Julie Miller told 6News that district officials have not received direct reports of concern from parents during school hours.
“Mr. Sassano provided testimony on behalf of a number of individuals, including one individual identified as a teacher/day care worker. This individual is not employed by State College Area School District, but rather by Child Development and Family Council, which runs an after-school program at Lemont Elementary,” Miller said in a written statement. “This program is in the building after regular school hours, therefore any testimony of classroom disruption is referring to that time frame. Lemont Elementary Principal Scott Deshong can attest to the quality of instruction taking place in the school during the regular school day, and has received no direct parental or faculty/staff complaints about the school day or classroom instruction.”
Sandusky was briefly sworn in and testified from the stand that he agreed with his defense team’s motion to request a jury selection of Centre County residents.
Following the hearing, Sandusky told reporters that he maintains his innocence.
“All of a sudden these people turn on me when they've been in my home with their kids, when they've attended birthday parties, when they've been on that deck, when their kids have been playing in my yard, and when their kids have been sled riding, when they've asked to sled ride at our home. It's difficult for me to understand to be honest,” said Sandusky.
Deputy Attorney General Mark Costanzo said prosecutors are requesting a venire change because of all the pretrial publicity and concerns that vetted local jurors might recognize anonymous accusers once they take the stand.
"We're trying to avoid as many as those problems as possible by asking for an out-of-county jury because we want to get the case tried as soon as possible and we want the verdict to not only be an actually valid verdict, but one perceived to be so as well,” said Costanzo. "Both the school, the football program, the coaches. We're going to have witnesses that are coaches. We're going to have victims from the Second Mile. There's just too many areas for potential for information in the hands of a jury before they even get here that may somehow slant their and sometimes they don't even mean it to happen, but it may slant their perception of the evidence."
Defense attorney Joe Amendola said it would be easier for Sandusky’s grandchildren to visit him if were incarcerated than under his current house arrest agreement.
“He’s being treated exactly the same way by the system. Unfortunately, however, he’s being treated much worse by the outside folks involved in the community,” said Amendola.
Assistant defense attorney Karl Rominger told 6News that the recent death of legendary head football coach Joe Paterno appears to be impacting the prosecutors plans.
"In Centre County, people can be fair,” said Rominger. “The government, for some reason, wants to get out of Centre County. I suspect that all comes back to how they treated Joe Paterno throughout this entire case."
Stay with 6News, WJACTV.com and WJAC Mobile for the latest on this developing story.
Published: Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:59:06 -0500
TYRONE, Pa. --
Hazmat teams surrounded a home in Tyrone in Blair County on Friday after police said they uncovered a large drug operation.
6 News' Maria Miller said the attorney general's drug task force ordered people to be evacuated form the apartment building on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Officials said someone was growing psychedelic mushrooms and that it's one of the largest drug operations they've ever uncovered.
Streets in the area were closed as of 12:30 p.m. Stay with 6 News, WJACTV.com and WJACTV.com Mobile for continuing coverage.
Published: Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:23:06 -0500
BELLEFONTE, Pa. --
Former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky says he wants his bail restrictions eased so he can see longtime family friends and his young grandchildren while he awaits trial on child sex-abuse charges.
Sandusky told reporters following a pretrial hearing Friday that his grandchildren have expressed their hope they could see him for their birthdays -- activities that would not be permitted under the terms of his release.
Sandusky said his "home has been open for 27 years to all kinds of people."
But prosecutors said Sandusky's home isn't a safe place for children. Authorities say some of the alleged abuse happened in the home's basement.
Sandusky also wants it to be easier for him to see old friends, who currently would need to be approved by probation officials.
During Friday's hearing in Bellefonte, prosecutors said that it would be difficult to find potential jurors from Center County who are "completely unscathed" by the alleged crime. Prosecutors further said that there is a chance a juror could recognize one of the alleged victims.
In response to Sandusky's request for eased bail restrictions, prosecutors argued that house arrest is a privilege.
Some people who live in Sandusky's neighborhood have expressed safety concerns. Because of his house arrest, they don't think he should be allowed outside.
One man said people saw Sandusky shoveling snow and sitting on his back porch watching children on the playground of Lemont Elementary School. State College Area School District officials said reports that a district employee filed a police complaint are not true.
Friday morning, school district spokeswoman Julie Miller said in a statement that, "The State College Area School District continues to follow all current safety and security measures district-wide. In addition, specifically at Lemont Elementary, we are maintaining an increased level of security with additional monitors during recess, and continued collaboration with state college police, along with our school-assigned police officers."
Stay with 6 News, WJACTV.com and WJACTV.com Mobile for continuing coverage.
Published: Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:05:55 -0500
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