PHILADELPHIA -
Lawyers for the victim who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Jerry Sandusky in a university shower plans to sue Penn State, his lawyers said Thursday.
The law firm also released two voicemails purportedly left by Sandusky for their client last year as authorities moved toward an indictment against the former Nittany Lions defensive coordinator on child sex abuse charges.
"As these messages indicate, Sandusky was attempting to exert control over our client even as his arrest for child sexual abuse became imminent," states a news release from the law firm of Ross Feller Casey, LLP.
Lawyers for the man identified as "Victim 2" in Sandusky's grand jury indictment say the their client "suffered extensive sexual abuse over many years both before and after the 2001 incident."
The alleged incident in the Lasch building shower was witnessed by Michael McQueary, a former team quarterback, then a graduate assistant and later an assistant coach.
McQueary has testified that he reported the incident to other officials.
But an independent investigation by a former FBI director says former head football coach Joe Paterno and three administration officials looked the other way.
Two of those officials, Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, were also indicted in the case and are awaiting trial.
"Penn State has now admitted and there is no longer any question that its top officials could have and should have prevented these acts," the alleged victim's legal team said in a news release Thursday. "Jerry Sandusky's abuse of Victim 2 and other children is a direct result of a conspiracy to conceal Sandusky's conduct and the decisions by top Penn State officials that facilitated and enabled his access to victims. We intend to file a civil lawsuit against Penn State University and others and to hold them accountable for the egregious and reckless conduct that facilitated the horrific abuse our client suffered."
They went on to say that their client "has to live the rest of his life not only dealing with the effects of Sandusky's childhood sexual abuse, but also with the knowledge that many powerful adults, including those at the highest levels of Penn State, put their own interests and the interests of a child predator above their legal obligations to protect him."
The legal team claims to have conducted an extensive investigation and gathered "overwhelming evidence" regarding the details of the abuse their client suffered.
Sandusky was found guilty last month of 45 out of 48 counts that he faced at his child sex abuse trial.
He was convicted of several lesser charges related to the shower incident, although he was cleared of the most serious count in that specific incident.
Lawyers for "Victim 2" contend, however, that the alleged assault did happen, and they say the voicemails posted to their website are among numerous messages left by Sandusky in September 2011, as the likelihood of his indictment became apparent.
Here's a transcript they provided of the first message:
"…Jere. Um. I am probably not going to be able to get a hold of anybody. Um. Uh. Probably ought to just go forward. Uh. I would be very firm and express my feelings, uh, up front. Um. But, uh, you know, there is nothing really to hide so. Um. If you want, give me a call. You can call me on my other cell phone or on this one, either one so. Alright, take care. Love you. Uh. Hope you get this message. Thanks."
And here is a transcript of the second message:
"…Just calling to see you know whether you had any interest in going to the Penn State game this Saturday. Uh. If you could get back to me and let me know, uh, I would appreciate it and when you get this message, uh, give me a call and I hope to talk to you later. Thanks. I love you."
One of two voicemails released by lawyers for "Victim 2" and allegedly left by Jerry Sandusky. (Courtesy: Ross Feller Casey, LLP)
