In one of the least surprising developments of 2012, alleged pedophile Jerry Sandusky will indeed stand trial on more than four dozen charges related to the sexual abuse of boys -- probably.
In a ruling made Thursday afternoon, judge John Cleland struck down a Sandusky defense motion requesting all charges against the former Penn State defensive coordinator be dropped. That said, Cleland, the Associated Press wrote, “will allow defense lawyers... to ask again to have the case dismissed as more evidence is turned over by prosecutors.”
Cleland also ruled against a defense motion that was seeking to have a search of Sandusky’s State College residence ruled illegal. Sandusky’s defense team did “win” on three separate motions, however, as relayed by the AP:
Cleland has yet to rule on a defense motion that seeks to have the jury sequestered during the trial. Prosecutors are unopposed to having the jury sequestered.
Barring unexpected discovery, Sandusky is scheduled to go to trial June 5. In february, the same judge denied a defense motion to have the trial pushed back to July, which was requested in order to allow Sandusky’s lawyers “to contact and interview witnesses, subpoena records and hire experts.”
Sandusky is facing 52 counts relating to the sexual abuse of 10 underage victims over a period of 15 years, with some of those sexual assaults alleged to have occurred on the Penn State campus and in the football program’s building.
