College Football: Penn State Scandal
11-10-2011, 05:15 AM
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College Football: Penn State Scandal
I love my psu but i think the board was right in what they did.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/footbal...ennstate-abuse
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP)—For the first time in almost a half-century, someone other than Joe Paterno is calling the shots at Penn State.
The winningest coach in major college football history was unceremoniously dumped Wednesday night along with Penn State president Graham Spanier, fired in phone calls by a board of trustees fed up with the damage being done to the university’s reputation by a child sex-abuse scandal involving Paterno’s one-time heir apparent.
Joe Paterno has coached Penn State for 64 seasons.
(US Presswire)
“Right now, I’m not the football coach. And I’ve got to get used to that. After 61 years, I’ve got to get used to it,” the 84-year-old Paterno said, speaking outside his house. “Let me think it through.”
Related Video Students hear decision Students hear decision
JoePa's legacy
PSU fans react
More NCAAF Videos More on scancalStudents march in support of Joe Paterno Penn State's facade crumbles Wetzel podcast: Legal issues may not be over Paterno had earlier in the day announced his intention to retire at the end of the season, his 46th.
It didn’t matter.
“I’m not sure I can tell you specifically,” board vice chair John Surma replied when asked at a packed news conference why Paterno had to be fired immediately. “In our view, we thought change now was necessary.”
As word of the firings spread, thousands of students flocked to the administration building, shouting, “We want Joe back!” and “One more game!” They then headed downtown to Beaver Avenue, where about 100 police wearing helmets and carrying pepper spray were on standby. Witnesses said some rocks and bottles were thrown, a lamppost was toppled and a news van was knocked over, its windows kicked out.
State College police said they had no immediate information on the number of arrests.
The decisions to oust Paterno and Spanier were unanimous, Surma said. Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley will serve as interim coach, and the university scheduled a news conference with him for Thursday morning. Penn State hosts Nebraska on Saturday in the final home game of the season, a day usually set aside to honor seniors on the team.
Provost Rodney Erickson will be the interim school president.
Paterno had come under increasing criticism—including from within the community known as Happy Valley—for not doing more to stop the alleged abuse by former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who has been charged with molesting eight boys over 15 years. Some of the assaults took place at the Penn State football complex, including a 2002 incident witnessed by then-graduate assistant and current assistant coach Mike McQueary.
McQueary went to Paterno and reported seeing Sandusky assaulting a young boy in the Penn State showers. Paterno notified the athletic director, Tim Curley, and a vice president, Gary Schultz, who in turn notified Spanier. Curley and Schultz have been charged with failing to report the incident to authorities, and Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly earlier this week refused to rule out charges against Spanier.
Paterno is not a target of the criminal investigation, but the state police commissioner called his failure to contact police himself a lapse in “moral responsibility.”
Sandusky Paterno said in his statement earlier Wednesday that he was “absolutely devastated” by the abuse case.
“This is a tragedy,” Paterno said. “It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.”
The Penn State trustees had already said they would appoint a committee to investigate the “circumstances” that resulted in the indictment of Sandusky, and of Curley and Schultz. The committee will be appointed Friday at the board’s regular meeting, which Gov. Tom Corbett said he plans to attend, and will examine “what failures occurred and who is responsible and what measures are necessary to ensure” similar mistakes aren’t made in the future.
In Washington, the U.S. Department of Education said it has launched an investigation into whether Penn State failed to report incidents of sexual abuse on campus, as required by federal law.
“The Penn State board of trustees tonight decided it is in the best interest of the university to have a change in leadership to deal with the difficult issues that we are facing,” Surma said.
“The past several days have been absolutely terrible for the entire Penn State community. But the outrage that we feel is nothing compared to the physical and psychological suffering that allegedly took place.”
Sandusky, who announced his retirement from Penn State in June 1999, maintained his innocence through his lawyer. Curley has taken a leave of absence and Schultz has decided to step down. They also say they are innocent.
Sandusky founded The Second Mile charity in 1977, working with at-risk youths. It now raises and spends several million dollars each year for its programs. Paterno is listed on The Second Mile’s website as a member of its honorary board of directors, a group that includes business executives, golfing great Arnold Palmer and several NFL Hall of Famers and coaches, including retired Pittsburgh Steelers stars Jack Ham and Franco Harris.
Spanier The ouster of the man affectionately known as “JoePa” brings to an end one of the most storied coaching careers—not just in college football but in all of sports. Paterno has 409 victories—a record for major college football—won two national titles and guided five teams to unbeaten, untied seasons. He reached 300 wins faster than any other coach.
Penn State is 8-1 this year, with its only loss to powerhouse Alabama. The Nittany Lions are No. 12 in The Associated Press poll.
After 19th-ranked Nebraska, Penn State plays at Ohio State and at No. 16 Wisconsin, both Big Ten rivals. It has a chance to play in the Big Ten championship game Dec. 3 in Indianapolis, with a Rose Bowl bid on the line.
Paterno has raised millions of dollars for Penn State in his career, and elevated the stature of what was once a sleepy land-grant school. Asked why he was fired over the phone, Surma said, “We were unable to find a way to do that in person without causing further distraction.”
At Paterno’s house, his wife, Sue, was teary-eyed as she blew kisses to the 100 or so students who gathered on the lawn in a show of support.
“You’re all so sweet. And I guess we have to go beat Nebraska without being there,” she said. “We love you all. Go Penn State.”
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/footbal...ennstate-abuse
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP)—For the first time in almost a half-century, someone other than Joe Paterno is calling the shots at Penn State.
The winningest coach in major college football history was unceremoniously dumped Wednesday night along with Penn State president Graham Spanier, fired in phone calls by a board of trustees fed up with the damage being done to the university’s reputation by a child sex-abuse scandal involving Paterno’s one-time heir apparent.
Joe Paterno has coached Penn State for 64 seasons.
(US Presswire)
“Right now, I’m not the football coach. And I’ve got to get used to that. After 61 years, I’ve got to get used to it,” the 84-year-old Paterno said, speaking outside his house. “Let me think it through.”
Related Video Students hear decision Students hear decision
JoePa's legacy
PSU fans react
More NCAAF Videos More on scancalStudents march in support of Joe Paterno Penn State's facade crumbles Wetzel podcast: Legal issues may not be over Paterno had earlier in the day announced his intention to retire at the end of the season, his 46th.
It didn’t matter.
“I’m not sure I can tell you specifically,” board vice chair John Surma replied when asked at a packed news conference why Paterno had to be fired immediately. “In our view, we thought change now was necessary.”
As word of the firings spread, thousands of students flocked to the administration building, shouting, “We want Joe back!” and “One more game!” They then headed downtown to Beaver Avenue, where about 100 police wearing helmets and carrying pepper spray were on standby. Witnesses said some rocks and bottles were thrown, a lamppost was toppled and a news van was knocked over, its windows kicked out.
State College police said they had no immediate information on the number of arrests.
The decisions to oust Paterno and Spanier were unanimous, Surma said. Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley will serve as interim coach, and the university scheduled a news conference with him for Thursday morning. Penn State hosts Nebraska on Saturday in the final home game of the season, a day usually set aside to honor seniors on the team.
Provost Rodney Erickson will be the interim school president.
Paterno had come under increasing criticism—including from within the community known as Happy Valley—for not doing more to stop the alleged abuse by former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who has been charged with molesting eight boys over 15 years. Some of the assaults took place at the Penn State football complex, including a 2002 incident witnessed by then-graduate assistant and current assistant coach Mike McQueary.
McQueary went to Paterno and reported seeing Sandusky assaulting a young boy in the Penn State showers. Paterno notified the athletic director, Tim Curley, and a vice president, Gary Schultz, who in turn notified Spanier. Curley and Schultz have been charged with failing to report the incident to authorities, and Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly earlier this week refused to rule out charges against Spanier.
Paterno is not a target of the criminal investigation, but the state police commissioner called his failure to contact police himself a lapse in “moral responsibility.”
Sandusky Paterno said in his statement earlier Wednesday that he was “absolutely devastated” by the abuse case.
“This is a tragedy,” Paterno said. “It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.”
The Penn State trustees had already said they would appoint a committee to investigate the “circumstances” that resulted in the indictment of Sandusky, and of Curley and Schultz. The committee will be appointed Friday at the board’s regular meeting, which Gov. Tom Corbett said he plans to attend, and will examine “what failures occurred and who is responsible and what measures are necessary to ensure” similar mistakes aren’t made in the future.
In Washington, the U.S. Department of Education said it has launched an investigation into whether Penn State failed to report incidents of sexual abuse on campus, as required by federal law.
“The Penn State board of trustees tonight decided it is in the best interest of the university to have a change in leadership to deal with the difficult issues that we are facing,” Surma said.
“The past several days have been absolutely terrible for the entire Penn State community. But the outrage that we feel is nothing compared to the physical and psychological suffering that allegedly took place.”
Sandusky, who announced his retirement from Penn State in June 1999, maintained his innocence through his lawyer. Curley has taken a leave of absence and Schultz has decided to step down. They also say they are innocent.
Sandusky founded The Second Mile charity in 1977, working with at-risk youths. It now raises and spends several million dollars each year for its programs. Paterno is listed on The Second Mile’s website as a member of its honorary board of directors, a group that includes business executives, golfing great Arnold Palmer and several NFL Hall of Famers and coaches, including retired Pittsburgh Steelers stars Jack Ham and Franco Harris.
Spanier The ouster of the man affectionately known as “JoePa” brings to an end one of the most storied coaching careers—not just in college football but in all of sports. Paterno has 409 victories—a record for major college football—won two national titles and guided five teams to unbeaten, untied seasons. He reached 300 wins faster than any other coach.
Penn State is 8-1 this year, with its only loss to powerhouse Alabama. The Nittany Lions are No. 12 in The Associated Press poll.
After 19th-ranked Nebraska, Penn State plays at Ohio State and at No. 16 Wisconsin, both Big Ten rivals. It has a chance to play in the Big Ten championship game Dec. 3 in Indianapolis, with a Rose Bowl bid on the line.
Paterno has raised millions of dollars for Penn State in his career, and elevated the stature of what was once a sleepy land-grant school. Asked why he was fired over the phone, Surma said, “We were unable to find a way to do that in person without causing further distraction.”
At Paterno’s house, his wife, Sue, was teary-eyed as she blew kisses to the 100 or so students who gathered on the lawn in a show of support.
“You’re all so sweet. And I guess we have to go beat Nebraska without being there,” she said. “We love you all. Go Penn State.”
11-10-2011, 05:17 AM
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the underlying reason and facts are unbelievably bad. Wonder if there will be any NCAA fall out too?
11-10-2011, 07:00 AM
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For someone who holds everyone to such a high standard and when he says it's about the kids etc, he really made a very bad decision. Don't get me wrong, i love PSU and have spent a few years out there since it's my wifes alma mater, but i think this was the best decision.
11-10-2011, 07:00 AM
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Cliffs?
11-10-2011, 07:04 AM
#7
^ boys were molested, head coach turned a blind eye, comes back to haunt him yrs later
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11-10-2011, 07:33 AM
#9
Team Owner
If the authorities had done their job in 1998 when it was first reported, none of this would be going on right now. Paterno trusted his superiors would report the abuse to the police when he learned about it in 2002. Since they didn't, everyone wants to blame Paterno for a lapse in judgment. He didn't witness the abuse, a graduate assistant and a janitor did. Why isn't anyone saying they should be blamed for not reporting it to the authorities?
We love to trash our achievers. The more they have achieved the better the trashing and anger. Joe, an 84 year old man, followed the law and is being crucified because he didn't do "more". Is it any wonder our society is sliding down hill? We certainly have grown a culture of "Don't succeed here or we'll do our best to make you pay for it".
We love to trash our achievers. The more they have achieved the better the trashing and anger. Joe, an 84 year old man, followed the law and is being crucified because he didn't do "more". Is it any wonder our society is sliding down hill? We certainly have grown a culture of "Don't succeed here or we'll do our best to make you pay for it".
11-10-2011, 07:35 AM
#10
Team Owner
Why the hell isn't McQueary fired though? He not only didn't call police but witnessed it.
11-10-2011, 07:44 AM
#11
Three Wheelin'
Absolutely the right decision by the BOTs. Sick situation. One of the mothers even went to the local PD about her son (years ago) and they did absolutely nothing. I think the local PD needs to do a "clean house" sweep too.
Last edited by PrissyJayne; 11-10-2011 at 07:50 AM.
11-10-2011, 07:52 AM
#12
Bent = #1
I have relatives that live next to the campus, so they are connected in the community. One of them claims this was reported to the police, but nothing was done.. cover up 
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11-10-2011, 08:00 AM
#14
Карты убийцы
Question sorta related: In high school, we were required to take at least 2 semesters of physical education. We had to buy gym shorts and shirts with the high school name. We were also required to strip and shower after 1.5 hours of activity even if was 3rd period at 11am.
We had some seniors in the class with the majority as 9th graders. As you can imagine, some differences in the shower between a 14/15 year old and 18 year old.
I do remember certain coaches "watching" the shower area to keep discipline. Of course the shower area was comprised of about 10 poles in an open area with 4 shower heads coming from each pole.
I wonder if schools do this anymore?
We had some seniors in the class with the majority as 9th graders. As you can imagine, some differences in the shower between a 14/15 year old and 18 year old.
I do remember certain coaches "watching" the shower area to keep discipline. Of course the shower area was comprised of about 10 poles in an open area with 4 shower heads coming from each pole.
I wonder if schools do this anymore?
11-10-2011, 08:04 AM
#15
Senior Moderator
So A tells B. B tells C. C tells D. B and C get indicted? 
Hopefully something is missing here to explain that.
Heavy, although I almost agree with you and completely understand what you mean, I think this was the best thing to avoid a complete distraction by JP being there. With him out, it puts at least a minimal amount of closure on the situation and allows the Seniors to get the attention they deserve.
Also, if they do let him coach one more game, then they almost appear sympathetic to his plight. I don't want to sympathize with people who don't stop child molesters.
Still, there definitely isn't an easy answer to all of it.
Hopefully something is missing here to explain that. Heavy, although I almost agree with you and completely understand what you mean, I think this was the best thing to avoid a complete distraction by JP being there. With him out, it puts at least a minimal amount of closure on the situation and allows the Seniors to get the attention they deserve.
Also, if they do let him coach one more game, then they almost appear sympathetic to his plight. I don't want to sympathize with people who don't stop child molesters.
Still, there definitely isn't an easy answer to all of it.
11-10-2011, 08:11 AM
#16
Senior Moderator
I remember the first day of two-a-days my freshman year and our nicest coach saying, "Alright boys, get naked and get in the shower. Nothing to be ashamed of, everyones got one, some are just bigger than others." I was naked around coaches plenty through HS athletics, but none of them every made me feel uncomfortable in any way. No touching, no looking, no harassing. I also wasn't younger than 14 and scared to speak up.
11-10-2011, 08:15 AM
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11-10-2011, 08:33 AM
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A,B, AND C should have gone to the police or at least followed up when something legally didn't happen.
I understand the chain of command, but, when you see an outcome that makes you go
that should be a sign that things didn't go far enough.
11-10-2011, 08:48 AM
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I remember the first day of two-a-days my freshman year and our nicest coach saying, "Alright boys, get naked and get in the shower. Nothing to be ashamed of, everyones got one, some are just bigger than others." I was naked around coaches plenty through HS athletics, but none of them every made me feel uncomfortable in any way. No touching, no looking, no harassing. I also wasn't younger than 14 and scared to speak up.
11-10-2011, 09:10 AM
#20
JoePa should have stepped up and retired immediately on his own. The board did the right thing by intervening and terminating his contract now. They prevented a bad situation from becoming worse...
Last edited by juniorbean; 11-10-2011 at 09:15 AM.
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11-10-2011, 10:22 AM
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What really pissed me off was when he said that he is retiring so now the board doesn't have to spend another minute discussing his departure. It goes to show you even he had no concept of how an employer works and how disconnected he must be from the rest of the normal world.
They pulled the sandusky ice cream from the menu and i wonder if they'll do the same for Paterno. I wouldn't think so, but you never know.
They pulled the sandusky ice cream from the menu and i wonder if they'll do the same for Paterno. I wouldn't think so, but you never know.
Completely disagree. He had to be fired. In fact, he should have retired effective immediately on his own. The fact that he put in his retirement for the end of the season goes to show how little the football program (including JoePa) thinks of this scandal. All they're thinking about is themselves. He admitted he should have done more... but instead of stepping aside he selfishly tried to coach 5 more games including a possible appearance in the Big Ten title game. What message would that have sent to the victims and their families? It would have made the story even less about them and all about JoePa and Penn State. It would have basically said that, while the victims are important, JoePa and Penn State football are more important then little boys being raped and everything being covered up... at least for the next 6 weeks or so. No way that would have been allowed.
JoePa should have stepped up and retired immediately on his own. The board did the right thing by intervening and terminating his contract now. They prevented a bad situation from becoming worse...
JoePa should have stepped up and retired immediately on his own. The board did the right thing by intervening and terminating his contract now. They prevented a bad situation from becoming worse...
11-10-2011, 10:23 AM
#22
The sizzle in the Steak
A huge cover up of children being raped!?!?!?
...and you think this guy deserves to keep his job....when even he himself says he wished he would have done more?!?!
You are sick and disturbed to even think that.
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JS + XES (11-10-2011)
11-10-2011, 10:25 AM
#23
The sizzle in the Steak
I think we have only seen the tip of the iceberg here.
When this all comes out in the wash we are going to have a lot more victims, and an even bigger cover up involving many more people.
This one is going to be incredibly horrible.
When this all comes out in the wash we are going to have a lot more victims, and an even bigger cover up involving many more people.
This one is going to be incredibly horrible.
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11-10-2011, 10:42 AM
#26
Banned
First off, it's in dispute what exactly the GA told Paterno. This is from the GJ testimony and his statements this week.
Paterno may have been vague in what he told the AD. It is unknown if this was accidental or on purpose.
We know that the AD and the President lied. They can be included in allegations of a cover up. The Campus Police also failed to act on at least one complaint. These people can be inferred to be part of a cover-up, if there is one. No one else.
Hindsight is always 20/20. I'd like to believe that Paterno thought the situation was handled in whatever way it needed to be handled, and he put his trust into these people that they would see that justice be done for whatever was told to Paterno. I'm sure he wishes he had followed up on the matter, or he had realized the situation was what he was being made aware of. You can't read into his statement anymore than that at this time.
People are wanting to to lob mortars onto the PSU athletic department, and it's going to injure a lot of truly innocent people by doing so. Why does Paterno get fired and McQuery get to coach this week? People are focusing their venom on Paterno because that's who they know. Saying take his name off the library.
Too focused on instant gratification to be patient enough to let the process play out. It's been less than a week that this was made public.
You've got the attorney for the victims saying that he shouldn't have been fired. Shit, you've got the prosecutor who disappeared in 2005 that was attached to the 1998 and 2002 cases. A whole lot of story is still to come before we start burning the village down, k?
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11-10-2011, 10:58 AM
#27
The sizzle in the Steak
^^ Like I said before...we are seeing the tip of the iceberg.
Sorry, but Joe has always held himself up to the highest of standards, and then we are supposed to believe that the bare minimum of "reporting it" when
one of his guys is alleged of raping little boys is enough?!?!? We are talking about child rape! Since when is the bare minimum good enough when one
hears of a child being raped....not to mention many children being raped....."in your own backyard" so to speak.
When you hold yourself up to the highest of standards, you have no excuse. This isn't about the legal right thing to do, it's about the moral right thing
to do....this is what Joe preaches about and sets his entire program on....and he failed at it miserably.
He was rightly fired.
Sorry, but Joe has always held himself up to the highest of standards, and then we are supposed to believe that the bare minimum of "reporting it" when
one of his guys is alleged of raping little boys is enough?!?!? We are talking about child rape! Since when is the bare minimum good enough when one
hears of a child being raped....not to mention many children being raped....."in your own backyard" so to speak.
When you hold yourself up to the highest of standards, you have no excuse. This isn't about the legal right thing to do, it's about the moral right thing
to do....this is what Joe preaches about and sets his entire program on....and he failed at it miserably.
He was rightly fired.
Last edited by Moog-Type-S; 11-10-2011 at 11:02 AM.
11-10-2011, 10:59 AM
#28
Bent = #1
Cochese why don't you think Paterno was involved? You thought Cam knew about his father "shopping" him.. so you don't think Paterno knew about his DC porking little boys?
11-10-2011, 11:01 AM
#29
an asshole from florida
I think all this should come back on Mcquery more than Paterno. Mcquery saw this happen, yet hes still employed. Bullshit
Theres a lot more to this story than it seems. The situation happened in 2002. There were people notified and nothing happened at all? There was even an investigation taking place. How did all this go on for this long? Theres more to this story and Paterno is being made out to look a lot worse than he is. I still dont think hes a bad person at all. I think he made a big mistake but I feel that there was a lot of "pressuring" him to keep his mouth shut.
Somethings really wrong with this story because law enforcement knew what happened as well.
Theres a lot more to this story than it seems. The situation happened in 2002. There were people notified and nothing happened at all? There was even an investigation taking place. How did all this go on for this long? Theres more to this story and Paterno is being made out to look a lot worse than he is. I still dont think hes a bad person at all. I think he made a big mistake but I feel that there was a lot of "pressuring" him to keep his mouth shut.
Somethings really wrong with this story because law enforcement knew what happened as well.
11-10-2011, 11:10 AM
#30
Banned
Based on his track record, I'm willing to give him some benefit of doubt until the facts are more clear. There's a lot of stuff not known or not clear, and some stuff that's just outright shameful on some levels of the university.
Second Mile knew about this for years, and did nothing. No one seems to be asking them any tough questions right now.
11-10-2011, 11:35 AM
#32
Moderator
11-10-2011, 11:49 AM
#33
Senior Moderator
:shakehead What would make you think otherwise?
I'm not sure where I got off track. I was only trying to confirm to Professor that the showering of minors around adults in public schools is still in full force and has no reason to be stopped.
Oh and Professor, our 4 spouts were all located around a central pole as well. Other schools line them up on the walls. Girls always get stalls with two curtains these days.
I'm not sure where I got off track. I was only trying to confirm to Professor that the showering of minors around adults in public schools is still in full force and has no reason to be stopped.
Oh and Professor, our 4 spouts were all located around a central pole as well. Other schools line them up on the walls. Girls always get stalls with two curtains these days.
11-10-2011, 11:59 AM
#35
Pro
This story continues to become even more bizarre each day.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/sp...ildrenandyouth
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/09/sp...ildrenandyouth
Questions on Sandusky Are Wrapped in a 2005 Mystery
One of the questions surrounding the sex-abuse case against Jerry Sandusky is why a former district attorney chose not to prosecute the then-Penn State assistant coach in 1998 after reports surfaced that he had inappropriate interactions with a boy.
In 2005, divers searched the Susquehanna River in Lewisburg, Pa., for Ray Gricar, who was a Centre County prosecutor.
The answer is unknowable because of an unsolved mystery: What happened to Ray Gricar, the Centre County, Pa., district attorney?
Gricar went missing in April 2005. The murky circumstances surrounding his disappearance — an abandoned car, a laptop recovered months later in a river without a hard drive, his body was never found — have spawned Web sites, television programs and conspiracy theories. More than six years later, the police still receive tips and reports of sightings. The police in central Pennsylvania continue to investigate even though Gricar’s daughter, Lara, successfully petitioned in July to have her father declared legally dead so the family could find some closure and begin dividing his estate.
Yet as the Sandusky investigation moves forward, questions will be asked anew about why Gricar did not pursue charges against him 13 years ago. A small but strident minority believes Gricar did not want to tackle a case that involved a hometown icon. Others who knew and worked with Gricar say he was a meticulous, independent and tough-minded prosecutor who was unbowed by Penn State, its football program and political pressure in general.
“No one got a bye with Ray,” said Anthony De Boef, who worked as an assistant district attorney under Gricar for five years. “He didn’t care who you were; he had a job to do.”
De Boef said Gricar did not share any information with him about the case in 1998, which involved Sandusky allegedly showering with an 11-year-old boy. Gricar, he said, reviewed the police reports in private including, presumably, notes or recordings of two conversations that the police heard between Sandusky and the boy’s mother. But Gricar had a reputation for thoroughness, and if he thought he had enough to charge Sandusky, he would have, De Boef and other lawyers said.
Still, the circumstances surrounding Gricar’s disappearance prompt many questions.
On April 15, 2005, Gricar, then 59, took the day off. At about 11:30 a.m., he called his girlfriend, Patricia Fornicola, to say he was taking a drive on Route 192. About 12 hours later, she reported him missing.
The next day, Gricar’s Mini Cooper was found in a parking lot in Lewisburg, about 50 miles from his home in Bellefonte. Gricar’s cellphone was in the car, but not his laptop, wallet or keys, which were never recovered. Months later, the laptop was found in the Susquehanna River without its hard drive, which was discovered later. It was too damaged to yield any information. On the fourth anniversary of his disappearance, investigators revealed that a search of his home computer yielded a history of Internet searches for phrases like “how to wreck a hard drive,” according to a report at the time in The Centre Daily Times.
When Gricar disappeared helicopters, dive teams and patrol cars were deployed, and the F.B.I. was brought in. Reports of Gricar turning up in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Maryland and other states proved to be dead ends.
So what happened? Friends and colleagues say Gricar was not the type to walk away. His bank accounts were not touched after he disappeared, he had no other sources of income and he had no major debts, said Robert Buehner Jr., a friend and the district attorney in Montour County. Though divorced twice, he seemed happy with his girlfriend and close with his daughter. Gricar had already announced that he was retiring at the end of his term.
“He was absolutely looking forward to his future,” Buehner said.
If Gricar committed suicide, Buehner added, he would have wanted the body to be found. Foul play is the next possible conclusion. By the nature of their jobs prosecuting criminals, district attorneys end up having many enemies. But no credible suspects have emerged.
“I don’t think you’ll find too many district attorneys who disappear,” said Ken Mains, a detective who works on cold cases in Lycoming County. “D. B. Cooper, Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Hoffa, until a body is found, there are going to be conspiracy theories.”
One of the questions surrounding the sex-abuse case against Jerry Sandusky is why a former district attorney chose not to prosecute the then-Penn State assistant coach in 1998 after reports surfaced that he had inappropriate interactions with a boy.
In 2005, divers searched the Susquehanna River in Lewisburg, Pa., for Ray Gricar, who was a Centre County prosecutor.
The answer is unknowable because of an unsolved mystery: What happened to Ray Gricar, the Centre County, Pa., district attorney?
Gricar went missing in April 2005. The murky circumstances surrounding his disappearance — an abandoned car, a laptop recovered months later in a river without a hard drive, his body was never found — have spawned Web sites, television programs and conspiracy theories. More than six years later, the police still receive tips and reports of sightings. The police in central Pennsylvania continue to investigate even though Gricar’s daughter, Lara, successfully petitioned in July to have her father declared legally dead so the family could find some closure and begin dividing his estate.
Yet as the Sandusky investigation moves forward, questions will be asked anew about why Gricar did not pursue charges against him 13 years ago. A small but strident minority believes Gricar did not want to tackle a case that involved a hometown icon. Others who knew and worked with Gricar say he was a meticulous, independent and tough-minded prosecutor who was unbowed by Penn State, its football program and political pressure in general.
“No one got a bye with Ray,” said Anthony De Boef, who worked as an assistant district attorney under Gricar for five years. “He didn’t care who you were; he had a job to do.”
De Boef said Gricar did not share any information with him about the case in 1998, which involved Sandusky allegedly showering with an 11-year-old boy. Gricar, he said, reviewed the police reports in private including, presumably, notes or recordings of two conversations that the police heard between Sandusky and the boy’s mother. But Gricar had a reputation for thoroughness, and if he thought he had enough to charge Sandusky, he would have, De Boef and other lawyers said.
Still, the circumstances surrounding Gricar’s disappearance prompt many questions.
On April 15, 2005, Gricar, then 59, took the day off. At about 11:30 a.m., he called his girlfriend, Patricia Fornicola, to say he was taking a drive on Route 192. About 12 hours later, she reported him missing.
The next day, Gricar’s Mini Cooper was found in a parking lot in Lewisburg, about 50 miles from his home in Bellefonte. Gricar’s cellphone was in the car, but not his laptop, wallet or keys, which were never recovered. Months later, the laptop was found in the Susquehanna River without its hard drive, which was discovered later. It was too damaged to yield any information. On the fourth anniversary of his disappearance, investigators revealed that a search of his home computer yielded a history of Internet searches for phrases like “how to wreck a hard drive,” according to a report at the time in The Centre Daily Times.
When Gricar disappeared helicopters, dive teams and patrol cars were deployed, and the F.B.I. was brought in. Reports of Gricar turning up in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Maryland and other states proved to be dead ends.
So what happened? Friends and colleagues say Gricar was not the type to walk away. His bank accounts were not touched after he disappeared, he had no other sources of income and he had no major debts, said Robert Buehner Jr., a friend and the district attorney in Montour County. Though divorced twice, he seemed happy with his girlfriend and close with his daughter. Gricar had already announced that he was retiring at the end of his term.
“He was absolutely looking forward to his future,” Buehner said.
If Gricar committed suicide, Buehner added, he would have wanted the body to be found. Foul play is the next possible conclusion. By the nature of their jobs prosecuting criminals, district attorneys end up having many enemies. But no credible suspects have emerged.
“I don’t think you’ll find too many district attorneys who disappear,” said Ken Mains, a detective who works on cold cases in Lycoming County. “D. B. Cooper, Amelia Earhart, Jimmy Hoffa, until a body is found, there are going to be conspiracy theories.”
11-10-2011, 12:06 PM
#36
I drive a Subata.
iTrader: (1)
11-10-2011, 12:09 PM
#37
I drive a Subata.
iTrader: (1)
this is crazy
11-10-2011, 12:19 PM
#39
I'm Down Right Fierce!
^ heard about that DA story on espn radio this morning. Creepy, but just a conspiracy theory at this point.
Also listened to alot of angry Penn State callers/emailers saying the firing of JoePa was uncalled for, and from what I gathered, what alot of people don't seem to realize is the gravity of the crime that JoePa allowed to be perpetrated.
I mean, if you saw a friend and co-worker sodomizing a child, would you just stop at telling your supervisors?
I wouldn't - I'd call the cops and try to restrain myself from beating the sick bastard.
Also listened to alot of angry Penn State callers/emailers saying the firing of JoePa was uncalled for, and from what I gathered, what alot of people don't seem to realize is the gravity of the crime that JoePa allowed to be perpetrated.
I mean, if you saw a friend and co-worker sodomizing a child, would you just stop at telling your supervisors?
I wouldn't - I'd call the cops and try to restrain myself from beating the sick bastard.
Last edited by BraveDemon; 11-10-2011 at 12:22 PM.
11-10-2011, 12:27 PM
#40
Banned
^ heard about that DA story on espn radio this morning. Creepy, but just a conspiracy theory at this point.
Also listened to alot of angry Penn State callers/emailers saying the firing of JoePa was uncalled for, and from what I gathered, what alot of people don't seem to realize is the gravity of the crime that JoePa allowed to be perpetrated.
I mean, if you saw a friend and co-worker sodomizing a child, would you just stop at telling your supervisors?
I wouldn't - I'd call the cops and try to restrain myself from beating the sick bastard.
Also listened to alot of angry Penn State callers/emailers saying the firing of JoePa was uncalled for, and from what I gathered, what alot of people don't seem to realize is the gravity of the crime that JoePa allowed to be perpetrated.
I mean, if you saw a friend and co-worker sodomizing a child, would you just stop at telling your supervisors?
I wouldn't - I'd call the cops and try to restrain myself from beating the sick bastard.