Penn State changes the channel on report

PHILADELPHIA, July 12 (UPI) -- Penn State students gathered early Thursday to watch the release of the FBI report on the Jerry Sandusky scandal, only to have the broadcast cut off.

"Is this some kind of conspiracy?" freshman Mary Kruse asked the Philadelphia Inquirer.

A handful of students had gathered at the Penn State student center to watch the release of the Freeh report on CNN. The report was the result of a seven-month probe by FBI Director Louis Freeh into former coach Sandusky's history of sex abuse at the school.

However, when 9 a.m. struck and a CNN anchor prepared to discuss the report, the channel went dead. After a few moments, a public access channel appeared, reporting on the state budget.

Students scrambled to get the front desk employee to change the channel back, but that person was in a meeting.

Former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was convicted June 22 of 45 counts of sexual abuse of young boys over a 15-year period.

The Freeh report revealed head coach Joe Paterno was aware of previous incidents of abuse, as well as higher up members of the administration.

"The most saddening finding by the Special Investigative Counsel is the total and consistent disregard by the most senior leaders at Penn State for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims," the report said. "As the Grand Jury similarly noted in its presentment, there was no 'attempt to investigate, to identify Victim 2, or to protect that child or any other from similar conduct except as related to preventing its re-occurrence on University property."