Jerry Sandusky files appeal alleging 'new evidence' in child sex abuse case

Megan Guza, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette on Oct 2, 2025

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Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, currently serving 30 to 60 years in prison on more than 40 child sex abuse-related charges, filed a new appeal last week alleging new evidence of prosecutorial misconduct.

The filing, formally called a petition for post-conviction collateral relief, claims that Sandusky's attorneys have new evidence that prosecutors "coached" at least two of the victims who testified against the former coach.

His attorneys claim that "other documents never before produced to the courts reveal that other accusers did in fact undergo therapy intended to aid them (to) reconstruct memories of alleged abuse."

Sandusky was convicted in 2012, and he was sentenced later that year to 30 to 60 years in prison and ordered to pay more than $90,000 in restitution. He was resentenced in 2019 to the same prison term, though restitution was lowered.

Sandusky has maintained his innocence in the scandal that rocked Penn State and its football program. Previous appeals have been shut down by the state courts.

The filing, published in part by WGAL-TV, references an alleged affidavit from one of Sandusky's victims in which he claims his testimony was "not willfully false, but induced under extreme psychological and institutional pressure." The appeal refers to the affidavit as a "recantation" on the victim's part that came to light just over three months ago.

Attorneys also reference a separate affidavit allegedly submitted after the state Superior Court affirmed Sandusky's sentence in September 2024. In it, according to the filing, the mother of one victim said she watched her son's testimony evolve over the course of "several lengthy meetings" with prosecutors in the case.

"That prosecutors acted improperly by withholding evidence from the defense and coercing allegations is clear," attorneys wrote, "but the scope and level of such malfeasance raises deeply concerning questioned related to Sandusky's trial."

The appeal requests a hearing on the alleged new evidence. The Centre County district attorney's office earlier this week asked the judge for more time to respond to Sandusky's filing.

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