Penn State pedophilia

[TripletDaddy]

I know you are referring to Penn the state but you remind me of a conversation with a coworker. He is a graduate of Penn, and they are very sensitive about being confused with Penn State, ivy that they are. So they have for years had a shirt at their bookstore that reads "Not Penn State" on the front.

Apparently they have been flying off the shelves over the last week.

At my old firm, I was working out of our NYC office once. I was visiting with a partner (a Penn grad) in his office and glanced at his diploma on the wall. I made the mistake of referencing Penn State.

I made that mistake exactly once. Never made that mistake again.

[SeattleUte]

Why are you comparing what is happening at PSU to whatever misdeeds happened at Utah? Very offensive. It doesn't justify anything Majerus did, no matter how hard you might try.

lol

[CJF]

These cases won't be tried. There will be no punitive damages judgment.

So now you can speak for the 8 known and the 15 or so rumored victims and their families? That's a pretty big leap to make. The healing process is quite unique to the individual victim.

[SeattleUte]

At my old firm, I was working out of our NYC office once. I was visiting with a partner (a Penn grad) in his office and glanced at his diploma on the wall. I made the mistake of referencing Penn State.

I made that mistake exactly once. Never made that mistake again.

Only morans mix up Penn and Penn State. Who cares about them.

This reminds me, I have a friend from Philly who used to tease me and say, usually in a group, "Now, where did you go, BYU?"

[SeattleUte]

So now you can speak for the 8 known and the 15 or so rumored victims and their families? That's a pretty big leap to make. The healing process is quite unique to the individual victim.

I don't think you understand what I'm saying.

[Flystripper]

These cases won't be tried. There will be no punitive damages judgment.

maybe or maybe not. Obviously settlement is a good prediction based on the percentages for this type of suit. However, the facts of the case (which are unknown at this point) and the anger of the victimized famils might lend itself to a trial. Especially if the victims and their families want to punish the University for its potential gross negligence based on the facts which will come out in discovery.

[CJF]

I don't think you understand what I'm saying.

Maybe not. Please explain. I would like to understand.

[CJF]

maybe or maybe not. Obviously settlement is a good prediction based on the percentages for this type of suit. However, the facts of the case (which are unknown at this point) and the anger of the victimized famils might lend itself to a trial. Especially if the victims and their families want to punish the University for its potential gross negligence based on the facts which will come out in discovery.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who didn't understand SU.

[TripletDaddy]

Only morans mix up Penn and Penn State. Who cares about them.

This reminds me, I have a friend from Philly who used to tease me and say, usually in a group, "Now, where did you go, BYU?"

The partner's comments to me were basically of the same tenor as yours.

I know they are distinct schools, I just didn't read the diploma very carefully.

[Pheidippides]

maybe or maybe not. Obviously settlement is a good prediction based on the percentages for this type of suit. However, the facts of the case (which are unknown at this point) and the anger of the victimized famils might lend itself to a trial. Especially if the victims and their families want to punish the University for its potential gross negligence based on the facts which will come out in discovery.

In cases such as this sometimes it really is all about having your day in court and being heard. That is important to some people because it heals the years of silence in a way that money cannot.

[CJF]

In cases such as this sometimes it really is all about having your day in court and being heard. That is important to some people because it heals the years of silence in a way that money cannot.

I don't think you understood SU.

[LA Ute]

OK. Bankrupt was hyperbole. But I dare bet that the settlements will be off the charts in this case.

My former law firm was involved the Catholic sexual abuse litigation. That was on a much larger scale and it took forever. (Also, most of those cases weren't pedophile cases, but straight sexual abuse.) Penn State should probably just settle quickly and put this behind them. Then again, if they are swarmed with plaintiffs' lawyers asking for the moon, they might have to deal with a couple of years' worth of negotiations, court appearances, and the like. An ugly picture to contemplate.

Edit: Flystripper's right. There may be lots of reasons the plaintiffs want to get some public exposure, and that may well be a good thing. Who cares if it hurts Penn State's reputation? PSU has a lot to answer for.

[Pheidippides]

I don't think you understood SU.

Apparently not, but at least I'm consistent.

[CJF]

Apparently not, but at least I'm consistent.

Unfortunately, so is he.

[creekster]

In cases such as this sometimes it really is all about having your day in court and being heard. That is important to some people because it heals the years of silence in a way that money cannot.

As much as I enjoy disagreeing with SU, I have to agree with him here, with this caveat: I can imagine a scenario where the trial goes forward against Sandusky as a sole remaining defendant.

As to PSU and its administrators and coaches, however, I agree it is highly unlikely (as in almost inconceivable) that the case against any of them would ever be tried. PSU would throw obscene amounts of money at this claim to make it go away and any good defense attorney would encourage them to do almost anything to avoid a trial under these circumstances. Now thinking that SU would wrest 100% of all defense and settlement payments out of the insurers is another matter, but he is correct, IMO, that it is almost certain there will be no judgment against PSU or its employees.

A second caveat is if additional facts come out that reflect a more sinister level of behavior by some of the individuals.