The accusations from eight known boys and two unidentified victims led to the trial and conviction of former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky this summer, but Penn State officials confirmed that as many as 25 men have filed claims against the university at a special meeting Friday evening.
All of the Board of Trustee members who were present at the meeting voted unanimously to allow a subcommittee, led by a nationally recognized law firm, to negotiate and approve settlements with men who claim that Penn State is liable for sexual abuse connected to the former defensive coordinator.
Sandusky was sentenced to serve 30-60 years in a state prison and was recently transferred to S.C.I. Camp Hill for diagnostic testing.
The board approved Feinberg Rozen LLP, a firm who assisted with multimillion dollar settlements with victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the twin towers, the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and the Virginia Tech shooting massacre, to help facilitate possible settlements with any of the 25 accusers.
“That number may increase. It may decrease, depending on whether or not it turns out that these are victims of Mr. Sandusky,” said Michael Rozen. “We don’t know. We expect to gather more information as we go.”
“This is not a process where Penn State has instructed us, here’s an aggregate amount of money, go allocate it. That’s not what we have been instructed to do,” said Kenneth Feinberg. “There is no fund.”
As of the end of July, university officials said public relations and legal costs connected to the Sandusky child sex abuse scandal had exceeded $19 million.
Penn State President Rodney Erickson told 6News that it’s unclear how much the settlements could amount to, but he is hopeful that extensive civil liability policies will cover most or all of the claims.
“Mr. Sandusky’s victims can get some justice and some compensation as part of their process of healing and moving forward as well, both for the victims and the university,” said Erickson.
Board of Trustees Chairman Karen Peetz said the university won’t publicly disclose individual settlements but that the total costs will likely be made public next year.
“Penn State, from the beginning, wanted to make this easy and make it so that victims do not have even more trials and tribulations and turmoil,” said Peetz. “This is a defined process. If you’re a victim, you can engage in it.”
