Civil suit filed against Jerry Sandusky

Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky is accused of sexually abusing a young boy more than 100 times from 1992-96 and then threatening to hurt his family if he told anyone, according to a civil lawsuit filed in a Philadelphia court Wednesday.

Penn State and The Second Mile foundation for at-risk children, which Sandusky founded in 1977, also were named as defendants. The lawsuit alleges negligence on their behalf and seeks a minimum of $400,000 in damages.

The plaintiff, who is not identified in the 27-page suit, is not among the eight victims described in the grand jury report released last month, his lawyer, Jeff Anderson, said.

Now 29, the plaintiff alleges that the sexual abuse began after he met Sandusky through the Second Mile in 1992, when he was 10. Sandusky, according to the lawsuit, "recruited, groomed and coerced Plaintiff, showering him with gifts, travel and privileges."

The lawsuit said the sexual abuse took place at various locations, including the Penn State locker room, Sandusky's home and on Penn State trips to bowl games.

In a statement released Wednesday by his lawyer, the plaintiff said, "I am hurting and have been for a long time because of what happened, but feel now even more tormented that I have learned of so many other kids were abused after me.''

Sandusky's attorney, Joseph Amendola, did not return a message Wednesday seeking comment.

Sandusky was arrested Nov. 5 in the wake of the grand jury report and charged with 40 counts of sexual abuse of minors over a 15-year span.

The scandal led to the firings of president Graham Spanier and longtime coach Joe Paterno. Athletic director Tim Curley was placed on administrative leave and vice president Gary Schultz, who was in charge of the university police department, stepped down. Curley and Schultz face perjury charges related to their testimony before the grand jury.

The plaintiff in this lawsuit has filed a complaint with authorities to assist in the investigation, his lawyer said.

Sandusky, who retired from Penn State in 1999, has denied the charges, admitting only to showering with boys and "horseplay." He is out on bail, with a preliminary court hearing scheduled for Dec. 13.

This civil suit is the first since charges were filed against him. Besides new accusations against Sandusky, it states Penn State and The Second Mile "had reason to know, or should have had reason to know, that Defendant Sandusky posed a risk and would harm minors."