in_the_media

Perjury charges in Penn State case may be difficult to prove

Media Outlet: 

Associated Press

Two of Penn State's most powerful officials were charged with perjury and failure to report child abuse in early November, on the same day Jerry Sandusky was accused of sexual abuse of eight children. To support the perjury charges, prosecutors must show probable cause the two men lied and that the lies were intentional and material to the case. "Even though you've had some fairly celebrated folks convicted of perjury, it's a very tough charge to prove," said Edward Ohlbaum, a professor at Temple's Beasley School of Law. "You have to have a clear question, an unequivocal answer and (prove) the defendant knew what he was saying was false."