Give Them Back Their Souls

The jury is sequestered as they deliberate the fate of Jerry Sandusky, the former Notre Dame coach who is accused of raping young boys. I wrote about him here. Because they are cut off from the world, they don't know that Matthew Sandusky yesterday publicly accused his father of molesting him as well. Last fall, Matthew Sandusky's ex-wife obtained a restraining order keeping their children away from their grandfather.

While the evidence against Sandusky seems overwhelming, what it comes down to at least from my point of view, is whether or not the jury believes the testimony of the alleged victims. As I write this, the jury is still out. In closing arguments, prosecuting attorney Joseph McGettigan asked those twelve people to do right by the victims by finding Sandusky guilty and "give them back their souls."

I don't know if Sandusky committed the crimes. I have never suffered sexual abuse. I have never been raped.  So I can only imagine how those who have might feel. It seems to me that McGettigan used the perfect words. Give them back their souls.

Susan

Innocence

Jury selection began yesterday in the trial of Jerry Sandusky, the Pennsylvania man accused of raping young boys. I wrote about him and his former boss, the late Joe Paterno, here. While there are some serious flaws in our criminal justice system, one of the great things about it is the right to a jury of our peers. I was born and grew up in Pennsylvania, a place where football is practically a religion, a place where Penn State football and the man known as Joe Pa are both larger than life. That makes what's going on there a little more interesting to me, I suppose. The venue is Centre county, right there in Nittany Lion territory. I am counting on the Pennsylvanians who end up sitting on that jury to be fair minded.

I think one of the good things that has come out of this is that people are realizing that boys can be raped. While that has seemed like a given to me, I have found that not everyone thinks that way. There has been this prevalent feeling among many, I think, that when we hear about little boys being molested, it is something called "fondling." Fondling in and of itself would be a horrible violation, but it is rape. Anal rape.  And being forced to perform oral sex.

Whether or not Sandusky is found guilty of these crimes remains to be seen. Another wonderful thing about our system is the presumption of innocence. He is going to have his day in court, perhaps as early as Monday if jury selection goes as planned. There will be no videotaping, which is probably a good thing for me, because I would be tempted to spend way too much of my time watching it and I think the negative energy would not be good for me.

Boys just have a special place in my heart, I suppose because of my two sons. In America we sometimes treat them differently than little girls, like they are less fragile and not so easily shattered. But they aren't. Their innocence is something to be fiercely guarded.

I wouldn't be at all surprised if Sandusky himself had his innocence violated when he was a small boy. Abuse does not happen in a vacuum. So this is a good thing, right? This trial in Pennsylvania where the world receives a little more light on this sad subject. I am telling myself that. I am telling myself that something good is coming out of all that. It must.

Susan