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Drumbeats of "guilty" end Sandusky trial - CBS News

(CBS News) BELLEFONTE, Penn. - The sex abuse trial of Jerry Sandusky ended in a long series of guilty verdicts late Friday night. The former Penn State assistant coach, age 68, now faces the prospect of life in prison. It took about 20 hours of deliberations, but in the end, it took a jury of seven women and five men who delivered a powerful message on behalf of what the prosecution called 10 lost souls.
Sandusky's first full day behind bars as a convicted pedophile came after a dramatic, chaotic night at historic Centre Country courthouse.
Standing and staring at the jury foreman, Sandusky heard a drumbeat of "guilty" time and time again -- 45 times in all -- before his bail revoked and being escorted off to jail.
Outside a large crowd erupted when the verdict was announced. Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly made clear for 10 young boys that justice had finally been served.
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"This defendant, a serial child predator, who committed horrific acts upon his victims, causing life-long and life changing consequences for all of them, has been held accountable for his crimes," she said.
The guilty verdict included 17 counts of the most serious charges: "involuntary deviate sexual intercourse" and "unlawful contact with minors" -- each count carrying a maximum of 20 years in prison; plus 10 counts of "endangering the welfare of a child" -- seven years max.
And as Kelly made clear in an interview with CBS News, Penn State University was not without blame.
"It's hard to overlook the fact that Penn State, the campus of Penn State, the physical campus of Penn State was the area where some of these assaults took place," said Kelly.
Lead defense attorney Joe Amendola conceded it was the emotional, often tearful testimony of eight victims -- plus an eyewitness account by former assistant Penn State football coach Mike McQueary -- that sealed Sandusky's fate.
"Too much a mountain of evidence, overwhelming evidence with 10 separate cases," said Amendola.
Amendola told CBS News that Sandusky was absolutely going to testify in his own defense right up until the 11th hour -- when news broke that Matt Sandusky, the family's youngest adopted son, had informed the prosecution that he too had been abused by Sandusky as a young boy and was available to the prosecution as a final rebuttal witness.
"Even though Jerry and his family believed Matt was lying and they could prove it," said Amendola, "it took the guts out of our defense because our defense was premised on Jerry testifying."
Sandusky faces life in prison and he will be sentenced within 90 days. As far as Penn State University is concerned, most of the abuse had taken place in Sandusky's basement, but there was several incidents in the football locker room and showers.
And the criminal aspect of this case isn't over: Two top-ranking former Penn State officials who have been indicted for lying to a grand jury. Also, the school has launched its own internal investigation headed by former FBI Director Louis Freeh. His report is due next month.