Sandusky Appears In Court To Appeal Child Sex-Abuse Conviction

BELLEFONTE (KDKA) - Jerry Sandusky is back in the courthouse where he was convicted of molesting ten boys during a 13-year period.

The hearing, which was supposed to center on the convicted sex offender and former Penn State assistant football coach, shifted focus to Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane.

She has been ordered to explain to a judge allegations she's made that could result in a dismissal of the case against Sandusky.

Sandusky arrived at the Centre County Courthouse Thursday morning from his state prison cell in Greene County to hear arguments that he didn't get a fair trial.

Among the defense claims are grand jury leaks that were used to help the prosecution.

But Judge John Cleland saw a statement Attorney General Kathleen Kane made on Wednesday regarding her own battle with Judge Barry Feudale who oversaw the Sandusky grand jury.

Judge Cleland did something few saw coming.

In a statement regarding ongoing battles with Feudale over leaks, Kane implied Fuedale isn't beneath leaks himself.

She writes: "Judge Feudale's overriding concern was how to leak sealed Supreme Court documents without getting caught."

She goes on to write: "The seriousness of this reckless breach of sealed Supreme Court documents, orchestrated by the presiding judge of a state investigative grand jury, with attorneys and the very reporters who have covered some of the Sandusky, Computergate, and Bonusgate cases, cannot be overstated."

At the end of today's hearing, Judge Cleland ordered Kane to substantiate her claims, ordering her to "disclose information to support her conclusion that Judge Feudale and/or prosecutors... orchestrated disclosure of grand jury materials in this case."

The defense was elated.

"I think he's saying put up or shut up," said Sandusky defense attorney Al Lindsay. "In other words, you're saying these things are there, I want to hear it. I want to hear exactly what you're referring to and if they are what you say they are. We're hopeful there will be a dismissal of this case."

Supporters of Sandusky, who wore "Justice for Jerry" buttons to the hearing, saw conspiracy.

Talk show host John Ziegler spoke for them.

"This case is unique," Ziegler said. "This case has a situation where there's millions of dollars incentivizing lies."

But victims' advocates believe the sexual abuse was real.

"It's a separate issue," says Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape spokesperson Kristen Houser. "Whether or not the crimes were committed has nothing to do with whether or not they were investigated properly. Even if there's findings here that the allegations by the defense are true, it in no way means that these crimes didn't happen."

Meanwhile, Kane has until Wednesday to answer the judge, and if he's not satisfied that she complied with his request, she'll face a special hearing in Harrisburg.

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