Joe Paterno's Death Means Testimony Can't Be Used In Perjury Cases

The passing of former Penn St. Nittany Lions football coach Joe Paterno is expected to have no impact on the cases against former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who's accused of raping multiple young boys over the period of about a decade. But according to a New York Times report, the seven-minute testimony Paterno recorded and his testimony for the Sandusky grand jury can't be used in future proceedings against former admins Tim Curley and Gary Schultz, who've been charged with perjury:

"Now that Paterno is deceased, this charge will have to stand only on the report by McQueary," said Geoff Moulton, a former federal prosecutor and an associate professor at Widener School of Law. "With respect to Victim 2 and the charges against Curley and Schultz, McQueary's testimony, which has always been critical, is even more so."

This damages the cases against Curley and Schultz, which now have to rely largely on the story of former graduate assistant Mike McQueary, whose story may have changed slightly over time. Plenty of other evidence should still be on the way against Sandusky, however, including expected testimony from multiple alleged victims.

Paterno had testified that he knew Sandusky had been accused of "inappropriate action."

For more on Paterno, visit Penn State blog Black Shoe Diaries. For more college football, stay tuned to SB Nation's college football news hub.