Penn State scandal: Judge had ties to Jerry Sandusky charity

[Amerigo Vespucci]

Source: Los Angeles Times

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett said Sunday that he expected more victims to surface in the child sex abuse scandal that has rocked Penn State, and he spoke of the need for a new state law requiring that abuse allegations be made to government authorities.

Meanwhile, a news outlet reported that the judge who granted unsecured bail for alleged molester Jerry Sandusky is a volunteer for Sandusky's charity.

Deadspin said: Although "prosecutors requested $500,000 bail and that Sandusky be required to wear a leg monitor," Judge Leslie Dutchcot ordered Sandusky freed on $100,000 unsecured bail. She ordered that he "pay nothing unless he failed to show up for a court hearing."

Newsman Keith Olbermann, among others, tweeted his outrage at the report: "Beyond belief: Judge who set unsecured bail for #PennState figure Sandusky is a volunteer for Sandusky's charity."

Read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/nationnow/2011/11/penn-state-judge-second-mile-1.html

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Surely she should have recused herself

I can't see how she can justify not doing so. Or at least making it public and asking another judge whether they thought she was suitable to take the case.

[russspeakeasy]

11. "justify"?? that's for commoners.. not the elite.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

19. money talks, pervert walks. If he's big in

Penn State football, at least.

[lbrtbell]

22. That should be a bumper sticker - n/t

[emilyg]

52. Amen.

[Democracydiva]

58. When it comes to

protecting the criminal elites, "Don't look backward. Let's look forward." Unless, of course, you give a damn about truth and justice..

Penn State is the tip of the iceberg and the MSM are complicit in the cover-up. Please consider the following:

Listen to this excellent interview with two authors about pedophilia and sex trafficking in high places:

A story of power brokers, child abuse and betrayal.. Cover-ups by federal law enforcement, blackmail, death, etc.
http://www.radiodujour.com/mp3/20100628-peter-b-collins-nick-bryant.mp3 ...or go to
http://franklinscandal.com/

Also see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSc3An5YYMQ (movie trailer)
"Rachel Weiz plays a poor Nebraska cop who takes a U.N. job in postwar Bosnia to investigate the sex trafficking of young women, including two Ukrainians, and unearths evidence of multinational peacekeeper complicity in the crimes (and U.S. government support of the whole ugly racket)."

Where is the outrage over the starving young Iraqi girls and women who have turned to prostitution as refugees in Syria and Jordan? You want to see pornography the of war?...Google, Images: Injured Iraqi children..or Palestinian children courtesy of the U.S. taxpayer.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

69. There was a recent, hugely important bust

of super rich pedophiles in the US. The porn was what caused the bust, but the underlying crap is the real problem.

They imported kids from Haiti, kidnapped kids from "white" countries, and would even share them with friends.

[notadmblnd]

71. Remember that Baptist church that got caught kidnapping kids from Haiti?

"According to Bellerive, some of the children were not orphans and were asking about their parents. Haitian officials contacted the American ambassador "to let them know that there was American citizens involved in kidnapping."

http://abcnews.go.com/WN/HaitiEarthquake/haiti-earthquake-ten-americans-charged-child-trafficking-haiti/story?id=9712436#.TsGBKhfEtXs

[ChairmanAgnostic]

78. I did forget. Funny how these stories die out, while

blonde besotted bimbo stories never die. Or worse, john beret ramsey tales continue to bubble up into the media limelight.

[boomerbust]

2. Interesting

Joepa retained the same criminal attorney that defended GHW Bush in the Iran Contra scandal.:evilgrin:

[bigworld]

3. Unsecured bail means that Sandusky had to put up NO money for bail

and doesn't owe it unless he fails to show up for his 9 Nov meeting. Basically released on his own recognizance.

[waddirum]

9. November 9 was five days age

???

[alcibiades_mystery]

32. December 9

:-)

[valerief]

4. She definitely sounds like SCOTUS material. A female Scalia. nt

[ensho]

5. kick

nt

[DallasNE]

41. Wouldn't Surprise Me If

This is a Judge appointed by a Democrat because when is the last time a Republican was known to volunteer for an organization devoted to troubled children unless it was church based.

[randome]

42. The last time?

Well, that would be Sandusky, wouldn't it?

[valerief]

44. Ben Nelson is Dem. Remember when Joe Lieberman was a Dem.

And Max Baucus. Blue Dog Dems hate the 99% cuz they always vote against them.

[alp227]

60. This judge was elected

[defendandprotect]

63. What does the public really know about any Judge, personally -- ? Sandusky "heart of gold" --!!

That was Sandusky's rep in his community -- !!

And police were reciting it to one or more of the mothers who were complaining

about Sandusky's behavior with their children -- like taking showers with them!

[DallasNE]

65. Judges Are Appointed

Then they face the voters on whether to be retained. They face no opponent in the election, just a yes or no vote on being retained. At least that is how it works where I live.

[alp227]

83. That's in Nebraska, and I know that this Penn. judge was elected

but I don't know which governor appointed her. Apparently Penn. judges are not appointed by governor at all.

[mwb970]

6. More corruption in the Sports Church.

No surprise there!

[Aerows]

7. Just when you thought this case couldn't get any worse

Now we have a corrupt judge in the mix. Good grief.

[ragemage]

8. So let me make sure I understand...

So this judge sets UNSECURED bail for this guy. Basically he walks in and walks out of the courthouse. He is now free to go home until the trial? Why oh why is he not held in the jail UNTIL the trial? WTF is up with that? How can this judge just let him walk without any bail or conditions? If I was the judge I would have to recuse myself just so I would not kill the bastard for what he did.

[Amerigo Vespucci]

12. That pretty much sums it up, and yes...

...given the circumstances, she should have recused herself.

Bus these are the times we live in. People in positions of power and authority shoot from the hip and think they'll never get caught. You'd think they'd be familiar with a little thing called "THE INTERNET." Apparently they are not.

:patriot:

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. Just abuse accusations?

Why don't you require ALL allegations be made to government authorities?

AND THEN, make it obligatory for the government authorities to respond. There is a glaring hole here. What makes you all so sure that the authorities won't mum up too for "important people" or institutions?

[Demit]

13. What gets me is, the judge had to know this would get scrutinized. How could she be so obvious?

Relatively low bail AND no leg monitor? For an accused pedophile who has been under investigation before AND who lives near an elementary school?

I wonder if either she did this action deliberately to draw people's attention & MAKE them dig deeper, but I also wonder, because of her involvement with his charity, if she's hoping that Sandusky or somebody else will dispense with him before the trial, so that there won't be a reason to dig any further.

[russspeakeasy]

16. I think the answer is....she doesn't care.

[beac]

17. The "low bail" was effectively no bail b/c he didn't have to pay anything up front.

My pet theory? TPTB are hoping Sandusky will take advantage of this unmonitored freedom and off himself, making the problem "go away" for any others involved.

[russspeakeasy]

21. I doubt he "will off himself", but he could be off'd.

A lot of people are exposed and don't like it.

[beac]

26. That is certainly another possibility. And, without a monitor, it makes it

MUCH easier to do.

[avaistheone1]

38. Although when he was first caught (I believe in 1998) he said he wished he was dead.

So perhaps he is capable of killing himself.

[tblue37]

77. Maybe TPTB are hoping for that as an easier way to tie things up.

Ooops. I see someone else already mentioned this possibility. I often read the posts on a thread from bottom to top, so I missed the earlier post.

[defendandprotect]

64. hmmmm....

[peacetalksforall]

14. Is this step in the process called 'setting bail'?. What's the terminology?

I'm asking because I'm curious if this step in the process has a legal application of
'setting a precedent'?

If the same event played out on a local level - say a grade school level where all the parties are also well known - could a lawyer use this Sandusky bail arrangement to get the same arrangement? In PA? Or any state?

[greiner3]

15. "state law requiring that abuse allegations be made to government authorities."

A similar law has been on the books in OH for decades. My mother was a preschool teacher and told me of many horror stories from children in the inner city of Columbus. She had to report these cases and sometimes give evidence in court. It really hurt her and took much from her psyche.

[KansDem]

18. When does it stop being a "scandal" and start being a "crime?"

I've seen the word "scandal" connected with this crime in every news outlet since the story broke.

A "scandal" is what happens with a "family-values" Republican is caught in an affair. It's not illegal, but it's a scandal: the person is a liar and hypocrite.

However, I fail to see the "scandal" in this incidence. I see "crimes."

"Scandal" tends to lessen the severity of these "crimes."

[ChairmanAgnostic]

20. When Rickie Santorum is a big supporter,

the criminal gets the same treatment as GOP lawbreakers.

Don't forget, Rickie tried to reward Sanduski while he was a senator, for being a pro adoption hero.

[lbrtbell]

24. I noticed that, too

Absolutely disgusting. :mad:

[24601]

70. This has both elements. In addition to the criminal acts alleged,

there is the scandal of Paterno not doing more even though his legal requirements were satisfied when he reported it to Penn State's AD.

[Uncle Joe]

23. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, Amerigo Vespucci.

[randome]

25. So what is the charity?

The article doesn't say. Her work is volunteer so I hardly see that she has any 'skin in the game' whether Sandusky is free or not.

I agree she should have at least made public mention of the connection but maybe she isn't required to if it's a non-paying position? We need more info, I think.

[beac]

27. The Second Mile, the charity Sandusky has been running since the 70's for

"at risk" children. Little did everyone know, the children were "at risk" from Sandusky!

The charity is in the HEART of the scandal, so it's not just some random good works she did on the side that he was affiliated with. The charity is where Sandusky trolled for victims and there is some pretty strong evidence that at least some board members knew about it.

Judges should avoid ANY perception of impropriety. This judge a) was a supporter (with her volunteer time) of a party to the scandal and b) gave Sandusky a ridiculously lenient deal on bail and monitoring. People are completely right to question her motives and judgment.

http://www.thesecondmile.org/

[LiberalFighter]

47. If the board knew than likely the judge knew and didn't do anything

[defendandprotect]

66. University Police have known since '98 -- and think someone from 2nd Mile ....

made a report to University? Was that it?

No charges were brought in '98, however -- hmmm....

Still don't understand why Mike McQueary hasn't been fired!

How in the hell do you come upon a sexual assault by Sandusky upon a child and

not intervene? Or at least try to ???

[tblue37]

76. It would look like retaliation for his being a witness and causing PSU problems. nt

[defendandprotect]

80. Mike McQueary reported the incident to his Dad and to ....

and administrator at the university -- wasn't it the president?

Why? His father should have told him to go to the police. And should have

asked him why he walked away without at least throwing a show at Sandusky.

In fact, the very law being discussed is in response to McQueary not reporting

to police -- and the whole bunch of them not reporting to police.

Rather, keeping McQueary on looks like he was trying to protect the university

rather than the child.

Any new law should include the responsibility to intervene -- at least to call

the police/911 -- or to go find a cop!


That doesn't mean that some may not agree with your suggestion that it could look

like "retaliation" -- but when this ends, he should be gone. Morally, he would not

be an example for young adults.

[tblue37]

84. I know--but now he is the ONLY eyewitness to the rape in the showers, and if PSU

were to fire him now, it would look too much like retaliation for them to get away with it. Also, the DA is not going to want his eyewitness canned, because they need his cooperation.

After it's all over, though, I sure do hope they push him out. I am quite sure the reason he did it the way he did was because it got him a cushy and secure position as an assistant coach in the line of succession at PSU.

[defendandprotect]

86. Agree with your reasoning ---

and didn't know that he had been promoted! Wow!

[Demit]

28. The article does indeed say. Right in the fifth paragraph.

[randome]

31. The fifth paragraph?

It says this:

Judge Dutchcot's attorney profile with Goodall & Yurchak lists her volunteer work with the Second Mile charity.

That's all.

That being said, if the charity truly has some association with young kids (at the heart of the scandal), then, yeah, the judge should have recused herself.

On edit:
Okay, I could have Googled 'SEcond Mile' and found out for myself. Geeze, a little sleep deprived this morning.

[alcibiades_mystery]

29. Here's the problem, for those of you who don't know State College

Pretty much everyone who's anyone in State College has some connection to The Second Mile. It's not some small outfit run out of a storefront. It's quite likely the biggest private foundation in Centre County (outside of whatever PSU foundations may exist), its events are very well attended by the rich folks in town, it gets sponsorship and freebies from countless State College businesses, etc.

Trying to find an established lawyer/judge in State College who is not connected in some way (through donations, or volunteering, or other activity) to The Second Mile is probably damn nigh impossible.

The converse here is that a mere connection to The Second Mile is probably not as sinister as everyone here is making it out to be. The rib place Damon's used to donate full out dinners at Second Mile golf tournaments, but I wouldn't say that the ownership of Damon's was some kind of nefarious group associated with this "criminal organization," The Second Mile.

[muriel_volestrangler]

36. In which case that should have been made clear at the bail hearing

I don't have a transcript, of course, but I'd be surprised if the judge told everyone, and no reporter bothered writing it up (I've checked Google News, and there was no report mentioning it at the time). She should have said "we won't find a judge who doesn't have a connection to the charity at the heart of this case, so here's my involvement: ... : I'm the most neutral judge we can find".

[randome]

37. The legal question would be...

...was she required to say anything or to recuse herself? I'm guessing not since it's a volunteer position. I agree with alcibiades_mystery that it probably isn't as sinister as some make it sound.

But yeah, it would have put a lot of minds at ease if she had said SOMETHING.

[beac]

48. OR if she hadn't given Sandusky such a ridiculously sweet deal on

unsecured bail and no monitoring-- DRASTICALLY less than what the DA asked for. That's where SHE made the connection look fishy instead of just coincidental.

[CreekDog]

79. even the appearance of a conflict should be addressed/dealt with

the idea isn't just to avoid conflicts but to avoid people thinking that there were or that they compromised justice.

of course those ships have all sailed by now. :wtf:

[alcibiades_mystery]

40. I don't disagree with that

It's also not clear what level of involvement she had as a volunteer that would even spur that approach. Maybe the lawyers in her firm handed out water cups during a Second Mile 5K race, right?

The notion that being listed as a volunteer for Second Mile automatically translates into the idea that she was mixed up with and covering for a group of pedophiles is just comical, if you knew the way Second Mile functions in State College.

[beac]

50. I think it's the unsecured bond and the no monitoring for an accused pedophile living

next to a school that moved her involvement with Second Mile from merely coincidental into the suspicious category.

If she had struck a compromise b/w what the DA wanted ($500K secured and ankle monitoring) and what the defense wanted(nothing), it would be one thing. But she released Sandusky w/out his having to pay a penny and with no way of knowing where he is while he's out on bail-- surely not the norm in cases where the charges are this serious/numerous and the accused will be living near children.

SHE is responsible for the fact that people are eyeing her with distrust.

[alcibiades_mystery]

59. No doubt

The release conditions are curious indeed.

Just adding some additional context for those unfamiliar with the region.

:-)

[patrice]

30. Wondering what kind of bail-deal someone else, allegedly guilty of the same crimes, would have got.

[w4rma]

35. I think that most folks would not have receieved any bail whatsoever. (nt)

[w4rma]

33. I will be very surprised if he shows up for his trial. (nt)

[Divine Discontent]

46. we'll know there's far more to the story if that happens...

Get it now, or one of a million other designs! http://www.zazzle.com/republicans_2012_keeping_millions_out_of_work_bumper_sticker-128659602907896843?rf=238107662556833486

[russspeakeasy]

54. I doubt very much if he will "be able" to show up for his trial.

[Horse with no Name]

62. He will go off to the island with Ken Lay

He is not going to serve time in prison as a kiddie diddler.

[JNelson6563]

34. WTF?

That's messed up.

[seafan]

39. Compromised judge? Remember, folks, it's OK when the rich and powerful Defendant is your friend.

Link from GD



Judge Leslie Dutchcot (Via Deadspin)



This judge should be removed from this case and punished for non-recusal, as this is a miscarriage of justice.

[avaistheone1]

43. Agreed.

k&r

[LynneSin]

45. How many victims will we find came out while Corbett put the case on the back burner while he ran...

for governor.

[uberllama42]

49. I'm glad Corbett is concerned about whether PA law does enough to protect victims

of sexual abuse. It would have been nice if he had made this an issue during his six-year tenure as state attorney general, especially since a high-profile Philadelphia grand jury called for protections to be increased the year before he took office.

[DeSwiss]

51. The STINK of this just worsens. :-/ - K&R n/t

[avaistheone1]

53. And we may be at just the tip of the iceberg...

[didact]

55. Oh...we ARE just at the tip of the iceberg*

nfm

[defendandprotect]

67. More victims are expected to come forward -- over all these years, who knows how many?

[benld74]

56. This thing is like a spaghetti monster

[katty]

57. power acts with arrogance and presumed immunity

no accountability-as usual.

[Horse with no Name]

61. A friend just went through some legal difficulty

for a very minor offense. She was laid off and is having a hard time.

A hot check...that was $15.00.

Got pulled over for a non-moving violation, was arrested for the outstanding warrant for a check for $15.00.

Had to pay a wrecker fee.

Had to pay the check. Had to pay court costs and NOW has to pay probation fees as well as mandatory classes that she has to take.

For a $15 hot check.


Laws are only for little people.

[lovuian]

68. the corruption of the justice department from judges to police

is unbelievable

there is more to this than meets the eye

are we going to see a secret boys club here with occult leanings

[tblue37]

74. Isn't the judge a woman, though? nt

[rocktivity]

72. Damn that Keith Olbermann to hell!

Newsman Keith Olbermann, among others, tweeted his outrage at the report: "Beyond belief: Judge who set unsecured bail for #PennState figure Sandusky is a volunteer for Sandusky's charity."

Outrage? That's not even POUTrage. That's a simple statement of fact. The liberal media strikes again...

:eyes:
rocktivity

[tblue37]

73. Frankly, I am surprised that Sandusky's pals don't realize that he could be in danger walking around

free, especially when the low unsecured bail has made angry people even angrier!

[alp227]

75. In response to this story the Centre Law website got scrubbed

I can't read Dutchcot's biography on her law firm's website. I'm looking further into her background such as when she was appointed to the court by which governor.

[beac]

81. Earlier today, I spoke to a relative who happens to be a retired judge.

My relative thinks that some judges actually recuse themselves too much (to get out of having to rule on difficult/controversial cases) BUT that her volunteering was CLEARLY a case where recusal was appropriate and necessary. He was also ASTOUNDED at the unsecured bail and that Sandusky wasn't "ankled."

His opinion was that Dutchcot could be in real trouble over that bail and that the DA should be appealing it to a higher court. Wonder if he is... and, if not, why not?

[Spazito]

82. That is an excellent question....

Is the DA appealing it to a higher court and if not, why not, indeed!

Thanks for the post, it was very interesting re the retired Judge's perspective.

[avaistheone1]

85. Maybe the DA doesn't want to get disappeared like the DA did in 2005

[Freddie Stubbs]

89. District Judges are elected. This one was elected in 2007:

DISTRICT JUDGE MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT 49-2-01
VOTE FOR NOT MORE THAN 1
LESLIE DUTCHCOT (DEM) . . . . . . 5,533 58.36
ROBERT W. STEWART (REP). . . . . . 3,940 41.56
WRITE-IN. . . . . . . . . . . 8 .08
Over Votes . . . . . . . . . 0
Under Votes . . . . . . . . . 323

http://www.co.centre.pa.us/elections/results/results.asp?FolderName=2007_municipal_election&FileName=2007_municipal_accumulated_results

It's a six year term, so she will be up for reelection in 2013.

[fujiyama]

87. This motherfucker couldn't recuse himself?

[beac]

88. Herself-- but yes, she could have and should have.

(see my post a few spaces above)

[tawadi]

90. So many horrible twists and turns to this story

All for the love of money/football.

[Kingofalldems]

91. Sandusky and Paterno are BOTH Republicans