Spanier Avoids Jailtime?

[indynittany]

Joe was set to retire in 2011. The BOT had been informed of his intentions and, I believe, his illness. That team was 8-1 and in the hunt for a B1G championship when Joe was fired without cause. He was bringing in a very strong recruiting class. And I believe he had arranged for Urban Meyer to succeed him.

I considered Joe's last six years a huge success and the fact that PSU gave him the opportunity to recover from the down years one of its finest moments. The future was bright in 2011. The prospect of Urban Meyer building on the superlative legacy being left by JVP is heady stuff.

We lost so much through the board's cowardice and worse, but we'll never know just how much.

 

[LaJolla Lion]

Then, or after that terrific '08 season, even with the Rose Bowl loss. He said we would be back after the '04 season, and we were. The program was on the right trajectory again, and we would have seen a flood of outstanding coaching resumes applying for the job.

I don't think they would have simply handed it over to Scrap, but who knows?

People would have come running!!!

 

[Bob78]

Joe was set to retire in 2011. The BOT had been informed of his intentions and, I believe, his illness. That team was 8-1 and in the hunt for a B1G championship when Joe was fired without cause. He was bringing in a very strong recruiting class. And I believe he had arranged for Urban Meyer to succeed him.

I considered Joe's last six years a huge success and the fact that PSU gave him the opportunity to recover from the down years one of its finest moments. The future was bright in 2011. The prospect of Urban Meyer building on the superlative legacy being left by JVP is heady stuff.

We lost so much through the board's cowardice and worse, but we'll never know just how much.

Agree, other than....
I have come to believe that the Meyer rumor was simply "Urban" legend, and was not going to happen. I recall that he was one of JVP's 3 named preferred coaches, but that did not mean Meyer would have taken it if offered, and I'm not sure that things ever got to that point at any time pre-Nov. 2011 anyway.

 

[indynittany]

Agree, other than....
I have come to believe that the Meyer rumor was simply "Urban" legend, and was not going to happen. I recall that he was one of JVP's 3 named preferred coaches, but that did not mean Meyer would have taken it if offered, and I'm not sure that things ever got to that point at any time pre-Nov. 2011 anyway.

I have good reason to believe otherwise.

 

[Pinkhippo PeanutButter]

I have good reason to believe otherwise.

Pics?

 

[marshall23]

Joe was set to retire in 2011. The BOT had been informed of his intentions and, I believe, his illness. That team was 8-1 and in the hunt for a B1G championship when Joe was fired without cause. He was bringing in a very strong recruiting class. And I believe he had arranged for Urban Meyer to succeed him.

I considered Joe's last six years a huge success and the fact that PSU gave him the opportunity to recover from the down years one of its finest moments. The future was bright in 2011. The prospect of Urban Meyer building on the superlative legacy being left by JVP is heady stuff.

We lost so much through the board's cowardice and worse, but we'll never know just how much.

Nice summary, I could not agree more. I guess everything happens for a reason. Since my wife passed away 9 and a half years ago, life has been pretty difficult. Some days, its a challenge to find the inspiration to even get out of bed in the morning. On days like that, I remind myself.....at least I'm not John Surma.

 

[lj4heisman1]

"Narcissistic clown" should be added to his WIKI.

Do it

 

[francofan]

Nice summary, I could not agree more. I guess everything happens for a reason. Since my wife passed away 9 and a half years ago, life has been pretty difficult. Some days, its a challenge to find the inspiration to even get out of bed in the morning. On days like that, I remind myself.....at least I'm not John Surma.

I lost my wife 6 years ago and I can relate to your challenge to find inspiration. Things took a change for the better last year when I met a wonderful woman and we hit it off. We got married and my frame of mind is now much improved.

 

[Art]

I have good reason to believe otherwise.

People at PSU thought so, but Urbs played them. He was locked up by OSU in less than two weeks after Tressel's forced resignation.

 

[indynittany]

People at PSU thought so, but Urbs played them. He was locked up by OSU in less than two weeks after Tressel's forced resignation.

My source is pretty good on this.

 

[Pinkhippo PeanutButter]

My source is pretty good on this.

Lol. Bs.

 

[Art]

My source is pretty good on this.

So is mine. If your source is on the PSU side, ask why they never got anything in writing.

 

[Chris92]

Today seems to be the perfect day for the federal Judge to deny Shapiro's appeal. Shapiro then announces he won't seek a retrial and declares Spanier got off an a technicality(the Constitution). Tick tock.

 

[interrobang]

Did Shapiro even file an appeal or was that just a bunch of hot air?

 

[francofan]

Today seems to be the perfect day for the federal Judge to deny Shapiro's appeal. Shapiro then announces he won't seek a retrial and declares Spanier got off an a technicality(the Constitution). Tick tock.

Shapiro’s appeal is specious. The federal appellate court should deny it out of hand. I would love to see a retrial, but I don’t think Shapiro is dumb enough to go that route. My guess is that Spanier’s legal problems will be over in a little over 2 months when the 90 day deadline to retry the case using the 1996 law expires. I expect that Spanier will refill his defamation suit against Freeh soon after his legal jeopardy is over.

 

[psuro]

Shapiro’s appeal is specious. The federal appellate court should deny it out of hand. I would love to see a retrial, but I don’t think Shapiro is dumb enough to go that route. My guess is that Spanier’s legal problems will be over in a little over 2 months when the 90 day deadline to retry the case using the 1996 law expires. I expect that Spanier will refill his defamation suit against Freeh soon after his legal jeopardy is over.

And then....the fun really begins.

 

[Zenophile]

I would love to see a retrial, but I don’t think Shapiro is dumb enough to go that route.

Don't underestimate his lust for political opportunism (and the PA media's eagerness to provide it for him in this matter).

 

[bdgan]

I expect that Spanier will refill his defamation suit against Freeh soon after his legal jeopardy is over.

I hope you're right but I fear that he'll just want to be left alone to live out his life. Curley & Shultz served their time and you haven't seen either of them say anything in attempt to restore their reputation.

 

[RussianEagle]

Shapiro’s appeal is specious. The federal appellate court should deny it out of hand. I would love to see a retrial, but I don’t think Shapiro is dumb enough to go that route. My guess is that Spanier’s legal problems will be over in a little over 2 months when the 90 day deadline to retry the case using the 1996 law expires. I expect that Spanier will refill his defamation suit against Freeh soon after his legal jeopardy is over.

I wonder if Tim Curley and Gary Schultz could utilize this saga to reverse their guilty pleas. It looks like they got a case considering they pled guilty believing the jury pool was tainted and then a jury convicts Spanier despite the law not even existing at the time.

I also hope the PA Supreme Court is paying attention. They could be embarrassed by the Feds if they do not grant Sandusky a new trial.

 

[RussianEagle]

I hope you're right but I fear that he'll just want to be left alone. Curley & Shultz served their time and you haven't seen either of them say anything in attempt to restore their reputation.

Gary Schultz has done a interview with John Ziegler that will be released in the future. I am also a member of a private Facebook group that Gary is a part of. It’s very clear his views on what happened basically match Ziegler’s.

I don’t know why Gary hasn’t been more outspoken, but the view that he has “accepted his guilt” is completely false.

 

[NittPicker]

I wonder if Tim Curley and Gary Schultz could utilize this saga to reverse their guilty pleas. It looks like they got a case considering they pled guilty believing the jury pool was tainted and then a jury convicts Spanier despite the law not even existing at the time.

I'm not an attorney but to me it seems Curley and Schultz are stuck with what they have. They made pleas, were sentenced, and any appeal period has long since lapsed. My guess is the only option they have is to appeal to the governor for a pardon. I doubt that'll ever be granted unless some extremely egregious misconduct comes to light on the part of the AOG, even more so than what we already know.

 

[bdgan]

I'm not an attorney but to me it seems Curley and Schultz are stuck with what they have. They made pleas, were sentenced, and any appeal period has long since lapsed. My guess is the only option they have is to appeal to the governor for a pardon. I doubt that'll ever be granted unless some extremely egregious misconduct comes to light on the part of the AOG, even more so than what we already know.

Agree. I don't think you take a plea, serve your sentence, then appeal. The one thing C&S have going for them is that they stuck to their story that MM didn't tell them about sexual assault. If I was in their position I would try to get my story out to restore my reputation but I wouldn't attempt an appeal.

 

[bdgan]

Gary Schultz has done a interview with John Ziegler that will be released in the future. I am also a member of a private Facebook group that Gary is a part of. It’s very clear his views on what happened basically match Ziegler’s.

I don’t know why Gary hasn’t been more outspoken, but the view that he has “accepted his guilt” is completely false.

I don't think I'd leave it to Zeigler to restore my reputation.

 

[francofan]

Gary Schultz has done a interview with John Ziegler that will be released in the future. I am also a member of a private Facebook group that Gary is a part of. It’s very clear his views on what happened basically match Ziegler’s.

I don’t know why Gary hasn’t been more outspoken, but the view that he has “accepted his guilt” is completely false.

My understanding is that Gary's interview with Ziegler will not air until Gary is off of probation. Hopefully he will be more outspoken then.

 

[interrobang]

Gary Schultz has done a interview with John Ziegler that will be released in the future. I am also a member of a private Facebook group that Gary is a part of. It’s very clear his views on what happened basically match Ziegler’s.

I don’t know why Gary hasn’t been more outspoken, but the view that he has “accepted his guilt” is completely false.

We're still waiting for many things that were once promised to be released in the future.

 

[francofan]

Interesting LTE from in the CDT from Jack Selzer.

LETTER ON SPANIER’S COMPENSATION INCLUDED INCOMPLETE INFORMATION

I’m very sorry that the CDT chose to publish Steven Cohen’s letter on May 16 complaining about Graham Spanier’s compensation, since it is filled with unmerited venom and incomplete information.

Mr. Cohen claims that Spanier has unjustly received “millions of dollars in compensation” from Penn State since he resigned as president late in 2011. He is probably referring to an Associated Press story published in the CDT on May 1 that included some innuendo. What wasn’t adequately reported is that much of Spanier’s compensation following his service as president was known to have been deferred compensation and retirement benefits earned during his presidency; the remainder was the fulfillment of contractual obligations made by the Board of Trustees during Spanier’s 16 years as president. What’s wrong with that?

Mr. Cohen also ignores the fact that Spanier has now been cleared of any culpability in the Sandusky affair. All the charges leveled against him by the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Louis Freeh, and assorted journalists have been nullified by either the Pennsylvania Superior Court, by a jury, or by a Federal Court.

If Mr. Cohen is one day charged for a crime that he didn’t commit and then is subsequently cleared of all responsibility by our legal system, I certainly will not be maligning him. Instead, I will condemn those who needlessly charged him in the first place and will encourage the press and the guardians of social media to do everything possible to restore his reputation.

Jack Selzer, State College

https://www.centredaily.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article230695764.html

 

[Chris92]

My understanding is that Gary's interview with Ziegler will not air until Gary is off of probation. Hopefully he will be more outspoken then.

I can't recall, how long is his probation?

 

[francofan]

I can't recall, how long is his probation?

I am not sure. Maybe a year.

 

[BobPSU92]

Don't underestimate his lust for political opportunism (and the PA media's eagerness to provide it for him in this matter).

As stupid as shapiro is, he knows that there are (misguided) constituents who support his crusade. He is appealing to these (misguided) constituents in the hopes it will translate to his future success. It won't.

 

[Pinkhippo PeanutButter]

I'm not an attorney but to me it seems Curley and Schultz are stuck with what they have. They made pleas, were sentenced, and any appeal period has long since lapsed. My guess is the only option they have is to appeal to the governor for a pardon. I doubt that'll ever be granted unless some extremely egregious misconduct comes to light on the part of the AOG, even more so than what we already know.

Accepting a pardon includes with it the acceptance of guilt.

 

[NittPicker]

Accepting a pardon includes with it the acceptance of guilt.

As I said, I'm not an attorney. If gross misconduct by the AOG is proven there may be other remedies. Maybe the convictions could be vacated but I assume that would go through the judiciary. If nothing regarding the AOG can be proven then Curley and Schultz really have nothing to fall back on. They made their pleas and have to suffer the consequences.

 

[marshall23]

Accepting a pardon includes with it the acceptance of guilt.

Then I have a long list of prosecutors, PSP investigators and current and ex PSU BOT Members who are in need of pardons.

 

[francofan]

Here is another LTE to the CDT on the Spanier case, this one by Bill Levinson.

NO FAITH IN AG AFTER RESPONSE TO SPANIER RULING

The status of children as the most vulnerable members of our society creates opportunities for unscrupulous individuals to advance their own interests, at the expense of others, under color of protecting children. Nineteenth century cartoonist Thomas Nast’s “The American River Ganges” depicted crocodiles with bishops’ miters for heads menacing American schoolchildren. Attorney General Josh Shapiro tweeted on April 26, “Their swift actions after the Notre Dame fire show us that ‘some things in the past’ have value to them.” The context of “their” and “them” is not just the abusive priests and their enablers that Shapiro cited, but the entire Catholic Church.

Scott Harshbarger ran for Governor of Massachusetts, and fortunately lost, after winning child sexual abuse convictions against the Amiraults under highly questionable circumstances. The office of Dade County State Attorney Janet Reno (later Attorney General of the United States) won a child molestation conviction against Grant Snowden, a questionable verdict that was later overturned. Josh Shapiro is now appealing, under color of protecting children, a federal court’s dismissal of the charges against Graham Spanier. The fact that a federal judge had to step in to enforce the Constitutional prohibition against ex post facto prosecution does not inspire faith in Pennsylvania’s judicial system, and Shapiro’s response undermines that faith even further.

There is plenty of time for Pennsylvania Democrats to remove Shapiro in the 2020 primary, and the Republicans to put up a strong candidate to unseat him. Both actions need to be pursued vigorously.

Bill Levinson, Wilkes Barre

https://www.centredaily.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article230747484.html

 

[Art]

Accepting a pardon includes with it the acceptance of guilt.

Try again, pigfvck. That is a dictum held by some legal scholars, others reject it, drawn from Burdick v United States. If you read the text of the decision. there is no such holding by the court.

 

[psuro]

Accepting a pardon includes with it the acceptance of guilt.

no

 

[Obliviax]

Accepting a pardon includes with it the acceptance of guilt.

 

[LurkerLazarus]

As much as it infuriates me, if you accept a plea deal, then you have made your bed and you need to sleep in it. These guys barely put up much of a fight, so I'm not sure why they should get any consideration of a pardon or a vacated judgment. But that's just me. We heard that they were going to fight tooth and nail, and they chose not to.

 

[Obliviax]

As much as it infuriates me, if you accept a plea deal, then you have made your bed and you need to sleep in it. These guys barely put up much of a fight, so I'm not sure why they should get any consideration of a pardon or a vacated judgment. But that's just me. We heard that they were going to fight tooth and nail, and they chose not to.

Are you referring to Curley, Schultz and Spanier? You don't think they put of "much of a fight?" These guys fought a mountain of felony charges for five years against a government with unlimited resources. These guys, growing old and frail, took a plea deal on a single misdemeanor charge to FINALLY get out from under ongoing felony charges in their later years.

Perhaps I am misunderstanding your post.

 

[psuro]

As much as it infuriates me, if you accept a plea deal, then you have made your bed and you need to sleep in it. These guys barely put up much of a fight, so I'm not sure why they should get any consideration of a pardon or a vacated judgment. But that's just me. We heard that they were going to fight tooth and nail, and they chose not to.

The information that was presented in their trial may potentially be challenged, and if so, may be more akin to putting up a fight, relative to the previous trial.

 

[Bob78]

I am not sure. Maybe a year.

I thought it was 2 years total, which means probation is over this summer or early fall.
My guess is that they won't say anything publicly until then, as they have good reason to not trust the judge to grant them the freedom to speak their minds during probation (or maybe that is a condition of it?). Even after the probation is over, I'm not sure Tim will say anything publicly. My guess is that his distrust of the 'system' runs deep. No guesses on Gary, although he is the more likely of the two to speak out, imo.

Tim knows that his family and friends know what's what about him and the saga, and he has decided that that needs to be good for him. He could always change his mind at some point, of course.