Nearly two weeks after announcing a complete investigation into the policies and actions -- or inaction as the case may be -- in place at Penn State in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child-sex abuse scandal, details into just who will be a part of that probe began to emerge Monday.
The school’s board of trustees announced this morning that former FBI director Louis Freeh will be a part of the special investigative committee that will attempt to answer several questions that have arisen in the past two-plus weeks, including the university’s response to allegations at least some officials had become aware of as far back as 1998 involving Sandusky and the sexual abuse of minors. Freeh said during today’s press conference that the scope of the investigation will reach back even further, with the committee looking into activities that go as far back as the mid-seventies.
Sandusky, the former Nittany Lions defensive coordinator, was indicted by a grand jury earlier this month on 40 counts related to the sexual abuse and rape of eight boys. Joe Paterno and Graham Spanier have already lost their long-time jobs as head coach and president, respectively, while athletic director Tim Curley is on paid administrative leave after being arrested on charges connected to the Sandusky case.
On Nov. 8, the trustees announced that the special committee had been “commissioned to determine what failures occurred, who is responsible and what measures are necessary to insure that this never happens at our University again and that those responsible are held fully accountable.”
The 61-year-old Freeh served as the director of the FBI from 1993 through 2001. In May of this year, he was hired as an independent investigator into the bribery scandal that rocked international soccer body FIFA.
In addition to Freeh, former astronaut and Penn State graduate Guion Bluford was named to the panel.