Jerry Sandusky's attorney says young men are accusers, not victims

Defense attorney Joe Amendola, in his opening, calls the investigation flimsy and says some of the young men have financial interests in the case.

The attorney for former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky tells jurors that the young men who will testify in his high-prolife child sex abuse trial are accusers, not victims.

Defense attorney Joe Amendola also told jurors in his opening statement today that the three-year investigation into his client indicates how flimsy the prosecution’s case is against Sandusky. He also says some of the young men have a financial interest in his case.

Amendola told jurors they may find it odd that Sandusky acknowledged showering with young boys but said there was nothing criminal about his client’s actions.

“In Jerry’s culture, growing up in his generation, where he grew up, he’s going to tell you it was routine for individuals to get showers together,” Amendola said. “I suspect for those of you who might have been in athletics, it’s routine.”

Amendola said the defense will argue that Mike McQueary, the football team assistant who reported seeing Sandusky naked in a shower in 2001, was mistaken about what he saw.

“We don’t think Michael McQueary lied,” Amendola told jurors. “Are you surprised? We don’t think that he lied. What we think is that he saw something and made assumptions.”

Sandusky faces 52 criminal counts that he sexually abused 10 boys over 15 years, allegations he has denied. His arrest and the fallout led to departures of longtime football coach Joe Paterno and the university president.

Earlier, prosecutors told the panel of seven woman and five men Sandusky was a “predatory pedophile” who groomed boys from broken homes for sexual contact.

Read earlier reporting from today: