Unintended Consequences: Freeh Report Becomes the Oracle.

Posted By Cliff Tuttle | July 23, 2012

No. 891

When the Penn State Board commissioned the Freeh Report, it could not have know the havoc it would unleash.  The Report contains strong accusations, but they are nevertheless only accusations.  Many witnesses either refused to talk to Freeh or were not asked.  Now some of those are crying out that the Freeh Report is incomplete, half-baked or wrong.

What the Board did not expect is that the sweeping conclusions of the Freeh Report would be accepted as adjudications (which they are not) rather than accusations.

So they hired an ex-director of the FBI and then, surprise, they get a one-sided brief for the prosecution.  Where was the defense in the process?  Where was the Devil’s Advocate? Nowhere.

Yet the NCAA, among others, used it in lieu of its own investigation and Penn State will have to live with the consequences. They skipped the trial and went straight to the execution.

What difference does it make?  Every difference.  Its called due process.

In the meantime, new leadership at Penn State is going to have to straighten out problems that they didn’t create.  They will and we should stand behind these leaders.

Why us?  This is our State University.

Yes, all of us — we are Penn State.

CLT

Welcome

CLIFF TUTTLE has been a Pennsylvania lawyer for over 45 years and (inter alia) is a real estate litigator and legal writer. The posts in this blog are intended to provide general information about legal topics of interest to lawyers and consumers with a Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania focus. However, this information does not constitute legal advice and there is no lawyer-client relationship created when you read this blog. You are encouraged to leave comments but be aware that posted comments can be read by others. If you wish to contact me in privacy, please use the Contact Form located immediately below this message. I will reply promptly and in strict confidence.

Subscribe to our feed