Passion, pain reignited over new Penn State abuse claims

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The pain and passion over the Penn State sexual abuse scandal were reignited with new allegations that Joe Paterno was told Jerry Sandusky sexually abused a child as early as 1976 and that two assistant coaches witnessed the abuse of other children.

The insurers alleged that a boy told the longtime Penn State football coach in 1976 that he had been molested by Sandusky, who was an assistant coach.

In his ruling, Glazer found that Penn State had to assume the costs of settlements stemming from claims over most of the 1990s because its insurance policies did not cover abuse or molestation.

When Sandusky abused children at his home or at events held by the children's charity he started, "he was still a PSU assistant coach and professor, and clothed in the glory associated with those titles, particularly in the eyes of impressionable children," Glazer wrote.

The coach's son Scott Paterno called the 1976 claim bunk, tweeting Friday that it would be great if everyone waited to see the substance of the allegation before they assume it's true.

Because it's not.