Paterno Defends Penn State Football in New Letter
 
Joe Paterno, in a letter written nearly a month before his January death, defends the integrity of the Penn State football program he guided for decades.
 
In the newly public letter, the Hall of Fame coach also admonishes critics who equated the child sex abuse charges against ex-assistant Jerry Sandusky to a football scandal.
 
Paterno says the fallout had nothing to do with the on- and off-field achievements of players. A spokesman for Paterno's family confirmed the letter's authenticity,
He says it was a draft intended as an opinion letter seen by several ex-players. It was emailed Wednesday — not by the family, but by an unknown former player to other former players.
 
The letter was posted on the website FightonState.com, which covers the team.
 
Paterno Family: Late Coach Didn't Cover Up at PSU
 
Joe Paterno's family says the late Penn State football coach didn't cover up for convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky, and didn't act to prevent a proper investigation of the retired defensive coordinator.
 
Paterno's family also called Sandusky a "master deceiver" in the statement released ahead of today’s findings by former FBI director Louis Freeh, whose been looking into the Sandusky scandal. Freeh was hired to investigate by the Penn State trustees, who ousted Paterno days after Sandusky was arrested in November.
 
Paterno's family said the Freeh team declined its offer to respond to recent news leaks after the family asked to review the findings. They said Paterno never got a chance to present his case before he died of lung cancer in January.
 
No Trial Date for PSU Officials Curley, Schultz
 
A judge didn't set a trial date after meeting with lawyers for two Penn State officials charged with perjury and failing to report suspected child sexual abuse.
 
A defense lawyer for athletic director Timothy Curley said Dauphin County Judge Todd Hoover discussed scheduling issues during a 50-minute meeting Wednesday. Lawyer Caroline Roberto says the judge plans to issue an order regarding future hearings.
 
Curley, who's on leave, and now-retired vice president Gary Schultz, are awaiting trial on charges they lied to a grand jury investigating former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, and didn't report a complaint about Sandusky to authorities.
 
Sandusky is in county prison, awaiting sentencing, after being convicted of 45 abuse-related charges last month.