Penn State braces for civil lawsuits

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STATE COLLEGE, Pa., June 24 (UPI) -- Penn State University could be facing at least six civil suits now that former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky has been convicted of child sex crimes.

USA Today reported Sunday six of the eight known male victims have hired lawyers since Sandusky was convicted Friday of 45 of the 48 sex-related counts in Bellefonte, Pa.

Attorney Tom Kline, who represents one of the victims, told the newspaper he was already preparing a case against Sandusky and the university.

"There is no doubt that we are going to file a claim against Penn State,'' the lawyer said. "Jerry Sandusky may have been the perpetrator, but Penn State was his enabler."

Sandusky, 68, is in the Centre County jail under suicide watch, the report said.

His sentencing date hasn't been set.

Spin-off perjury trials from the scandal that rocked the university are pending for former athletic director Tim Curley and ex-university vice president Gary Schultz, the Philadelphia Inquirer said.

The university has launched its own investigation headed by former FBI Director Louis Freeh to determine if Sandusky's behavior was ignored by fellow faculty or senior administrators as far back as 2001, the Inquirer said.