More than ten years after his conviction for sexual assault and grooming, disgraced Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky has lodged a new bid for a fresh trial, the Daily Mail can reveal.
Bombshell court filings show that Sandusky is now claiming that the prosecutors who put him behind bars are paid gatekeepers over a $20 million trust for one of his accusers.
Sandusky, 81, was found guilty in 2012 of 45 counts of sexual abuse of ten boys he met at his Second Mile charity which allegedly took place over a period of 15 years between 1994 to 2009.
The convicted child molester has not spoken publicly about his charges or appeals since 2013, when he appeared in a documentary about university legend Joe Paterno.
He previously protested his innocence in an interview behind bars with the Daily Mail in 2024, saying he was in ‘disbelief’ at what happened to him.
But in new documents filed at the Centre County Clerk of Courts in Pennsylvania, he claims that prosecutors Frank Fina and Joe McGettigan have put themselves in charge of a trust used to pay a civil settlement of $12million in 2015.
In total, Penn State paid out $63.1million to victims of Sandusky, with other expenses, settlements and fines associated with the cases are estimated to be around $220million.
The documents also state that Lauren Cliggitt, the victim’s therapist, is also a member of the trust with the power to move assets.
In a filing submitted on Friday, Sandusky’s lawyers argued that the prosecution ‘coached’ at least one victim to make ‘false allegations’
Sandusky began his coaching career at Penn State in 1966 as a graduate assistant
In a filing submitted on Friday, Sandusky’s lawyers argued that the prosecution ‘coached’ at least one victim to make ‘false allegations’, before adding that ‘prosecutors had a financial incentive to induce the allegations’.
‘Other documents never before produced to the Courts reveal that other accusers did in fact undergo therapy intended to aid them reconstruct memories of alleged abuse,’ documents state.
‘That civil attorneys recruited accusers and then altered their stories to take advantage of the possibility of greater financial gain for themselves, and the accusers is crystal clear.’
No withdrawal over $100,000 can occur without their written approval, with court filings showing all three had the power to remove and replace the bank trustee ‘for any reason whatsoever.’
If the victim ever sought to terminate the trust and claim independence, at least two Committee members had to sign off.
For this authority, each member was entitled to hourly compensation based on the professional fees they charge as lawyers and therapist, plus $5,000 per year, drawn directly from the victim’s funds.
Sandusky claims that the new evidence directly undermines the results and reasoning of prior decisions’ and are arguing that he should receive a new trial.
‘That prosecutors acted improperly by withholding evidence from the defense and coercing allegations is clear, but the scope and level of such malfeasance raises deeply concerning questions related to Sandusky’s trial,’ they added.
Sandusky was handed a sentence of 30 to 60 years in prison in October 2012, and was resentenced in 2019
His legal team also argue that prosecutors coached the mother of one of his victims to mislead the jury. .
In a new sworn affidavit the mother of Victim 9, identified as Marie in documents, says her son repeatedly told her Sandusky never molested him, but after several lengthy meetings with McGettigan, his story changed.
Lead prosecutor McGettigan told her to testify that she wished Sandusky had bought her son underwear, in order to plant the impression that missing underwear meant rape.
She added that the missing garments had been a problem ‘since he was three or four, well before he met Mr. Sandusky.’
Marie also claimed that prosecutors told her son ‘You will never have to work a day in your life,’ and directed her to civil attorney Dennis McAndrews even before sentencing.
Within a year, McGettigan quit the PA Attorney General’s office and joined McAndrews’ firm – just in time to cash in on the civil suit against Penn State.
The filing alleges McGettigan, while still a Deputy AG, introduced two victims to civil attorney McAndrews to set up civil claims against Penn State.
Marie also claims that her son only stayed at Sandusky’s home ten to fifteen occasions – challenging prosecutors claims he was there nearly every weekend for three years.
Sandusky (pictured leaving court in handcuffs in 2012) previously told the Daily Mail that he believes his accusers were ‘incentivized’ by money
Sandusky speaking to wife Dottie on the phone in prison in a photo shared exclusively with the Daily Mail
Disgraced Penn State football coach Jerry Sandusky, pictured in prison with wife Dottie
In her sworn affidavit she states her son’s testimony that Sandusky ‘held (him) captive in the basement every weekend for three year’ is not true.
She also notes that her son’s claim that Sandusky had a soundproof basement is false.
A second one of Sandusky’s victims has also come forward to claim that he was ‘was misled repeatedly during the process, particularly by prosecutor Joe McGettigan.’
He described psychological manipulation, leading questions, and assurances that trauma fragments memory, allowing him to testify to events he did not clearly recall.
‘I was told my role was critical to stopping a predator,’ he now claims, and added that he later received a $5.5 million settlement, of which his attorneys took 40 per cent.
In multi-hour prep sessions, McGettigan and Fina allegedly urged him to ‘revisit and reframe’ until his account aligned with the desired narrative – claiming he was repeatedly told trauma fragments memory so that he could affirm uncertain details.
Sandusky filed his 170-page petition for post-conviction relief in the Centre County Court of Common Pleas, with his legal team arguing his conviction was ‘infected at every level’ – from coached testimony to charges filed outside the statute of limitations.
The petition also raises new details about Michael Gillum, the therapist for Aaron Fisher, the prosecution’s first accuser.
Sandusky retired in 1999 but remained involved with Penn State and its football team through his Second Mile children’s charity
Sandusky had been the defensive coordinator for the university since 1977
University legend Joe Paterno (right) died in the middle of the investigation and scandal surrounding Sandusky
Gillum treated Fisher but also sat with Attorney General Linda Kelly during the trial, trained investigators on interviewing child witnesses, and even aided Fisher’s grand jury testimony.
Sandusky says that Aaron Fisher, who wrote a book with therapist Mike Gillum, was the key witness for the prosecution after he changed his story following the therapy.
Fisher received a $7.5million payout from Penn State. Sandusky said the millions of dollars won’t bring his accusers happiness.
Defense lawyers are now arguing that this dual role, as therapist, prosecution aide, and author, was never disclosed to the jury.
The petition argues that the trust, loan, and affidavits constitute after-discovered evidence that the defense could not have obtained earlier with due diligence, and if proven, would likely produce a different result on key counts.
It also notes that Sandusky had atrophied testicles and very low testosterone – a story first reported by the Daily Mail.
The defense argues no accuser described genitalia consistent with that condition or sought STD information — facts the defense frames as undermining allegations involving genital contact.
The Commonwealth has not yet filed its response to the new claims by Sandusky.
Sandusky’s attorneys are also continuing to fight his court ordered restitution, which was originally close to $98,000, and was then lowered a decade after his trial to about $44,000.
Sandusky was handed a sentence of 30 to 60 years in prison in October 2012, and was resentenced in 2019, again to 30 to 60 years in prison.
The resentencing was prompted by a change in the law, with his original sentence based on mandatory sentencing guidelines that were later overturned.
This article was originally published by a www.dailymail.co.uk . Read the Original article here. .