The saga continues in one of the most widely publicized cases of 2012. Jerry Sandusky, the disgraced Penn State football coach who was convicted of 45 crimes relating to the sexual abuse of children, was back in court earlier this month for a hearing regarding his pending appeal. Sandusky, who is currently serving a sentence of 30 to 60 years in state prison, appeared in court with his appellate attorney to hear testimony from his trial lawyer. Sandusky’s trial lawyer admitted that he had attempted to withdraw from representing Sandusky shortly before trial.
One of the bases for Sandusky’s appeal is his claim that his trial attorney was ill prepared and that the trial court’s refusal to grant a request for a continuance caused prejudice to Sandusky. At the hearing, Sandusky’s trial lawyer admitted that he only “glanced over” the 12,000 pages of statements, pictures, and other evidence which prosecutors provided to him prior to trial.
The fact that Sandusky is now serving what amounts to a life sentence in prison drives home an important message — in criminal prosecutions, the stakes are always high for the accused. Regardless of the nature of the crime, or the penalties one is facing, it is essential that an accused has an experienced criminal defense attorney, or team of attorneys, working hard to protect their rights at every stage of the legal proceedings. Would it be good enough for you if a lawyer told you they “glanced over” the evidence against you or someone you care about?
Every person is guaranteed the right to the effective assistance of counsel by the Pennsylvania Constitution and U.S. Constitution. Exercise your rights. You can ask our attorneys questions about your case in person, for free, and with no obligation. Every on of our attorneys are criminal defense attorneys and former Philadelphia Assistant District Attorneys from the Major Trials Unit with more than 40 years of combined experience. Michael Parkinson, Timothy Tarpey, and James Lloyd have handled thousands of criminal cases, including appeals. Talk to an experienced attorney to learn about your rights and defend them in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, and Delaware Counties. Call us at (215) 352-3432.