Penn State Settlement On Child Abuse Case Amounts To $59.7 Million

Penn State Settlement On Child Abuse Updates. Penn State announced Monday it will pay $59.7 million to settle claims by 26 young men who said they were sexually abused by former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, capping a year of negotiations.

News of some of the settlements has been trickling out in recent months. The university said six claims are still outstanding. It has rejected some of them and is in talks to settle the others.

“We hope this is another step forward in the healing process for those hurt by Mr. Sandusky, and another step forward for Penn State,” University President Rodney Erickson said in a statement.

“We cannot undo what has been done, but we can and must do everything possible to learn from this and ensure it never happens again at Penn State.”

Sandusky, 69, is serving 30 to 60 years in prison after being convicted of 45 counts of child sexual abuse last year. He is appealing.

During the trial, jurors heard from eight of 10 victims, who described how Sandusky lavished them with gifts, trips and attention before molesting them.

The scandal led to the firing of legendary head coach Joe Paterno, who died five months later amid accusations that he did not do enough to stop the abuse.

Former university president Graham Spanier, former vice president Gary Schultz and former athletic director Tim Curley are awaiting trial on charges they took part in a coverup of complaints about Sandusky. They deny the allegations, and Spanier has sued the universitys investigator, former FBI Director Louis Freeh, for defamation.

Penn State said tuition, donations and taxpayers funds will not be used for the 26 payouts, most of which should be covered by liability insurance.