His critics say that Joe Paterno should have reported the accusation he heard about him to the police. Then, we are told, something would have been done.
Right?
No one seems to have taken much note of the fact that the police knew a whole lot more than we have any indication Paterno knew a lot earlier than Paterno did. In the 1998 police investigation of Jerry Sandusky, the police appeared to know plenty about Sandusky's behavior, including the fact that he liked to shower with naked little boys.
It apparently wasn't enough to prosecute, but it certainly seemed to be enough to keep an eye on him, which they apparently never did.
If Paterno is morally culpable for not going beyond his legal obligation to report what he knew up the chain of command at Penn State, and Penn State officials were legally culpable for not going to police with the charge, then what kind of culpability to the police themselves bear in this case.
It's an interesting question a lot of people don't seem to want to address.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
3 comments:
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Martin,
ReplyDeleteIf the police covered for Sandusky in 1998, it definitely should be addressed.
If the police knew, had prosecutable evidence and didn't prosecute, they are also culpable and there should be consequences. I don't know why that would be controversial and I don't know who 'doesn't want to address' that issue.
ReplyDeleteBut how exactly does that make Paterno any less culpable?
This whole sad scandal just shows the venality that runs through our culture -- to football dollars in this case.
ReplyDelete