Sandusky Defense Suggests Police Tampered With Accusers

Jurors in the Jerry Sandusky trial heard a recording Tuesday of a state investigator telling a possible victim that other boys had come forward to accuse the former Penn State coach of oral sex and rape.

In an attempt to recover from what the Washington Post called a "halting" start to the defense’s case Monday, Sandusky attorney Joe Amendola used the tape to question the now-retired investigator, suggesting he planted damning details into the minds of eight accusers who testified last week. "You have been repeating word for word pretty much what a lot of people have already told us," the investigator told the accuser on the tape, according to the Post. "We need you to tell us that this happened." The trooper said his questions were standard practice for reluctant victims of sexual abuse.

Amendola also called the private attorney hired by the accuser in question, dubbed "Victim No. 4" in the prosecution complaint, and continued to push a theory that the accusers were motivated by a potential civil suit down the line. The accuser's attorney denied there had been discussion of such a case but said a guilty verdict could change that. 

In another recent revelation that may affect the case, prosecutors requested full audio of an interview Sandusky gave to NBC News last year. In previously unaired portions published on msnbc.com, Sandusky gave a murky answer to a question about the alleged abuse:

Bob Costas: So it's entirely possible that you could've helped young boy A in some way that was not objectionable while horribly taking advantage of young boy B, C, D and E. Isn't that possible?

Sandusky: You might think that. I don't know. In terms of -- my relationship with so many, many young people. I would -- I would guess that there are many young people who would come forward. Many more young people who would come forward and say that my methods and -- and what I had done for them made a very positive impact on their life. And I didn't go around seeking out every young person for sexual needs that I've helped. There are many that I didn't have -- I hardly had any contact with who I have helped in many, many ways.

Though Amendola told the jury last week that it would hear from Sandusky in the 51-count case against him, he told reporters Tuesday to "stay tuned" to see if Sandusky would take the stand, CNN reports.