Bellefonte, Pa. (AP) - Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky has been convicted of 45 counts at his child sex abuse trial.
Jurors announced the verdict Friday night after weighing 48 charges accusing him of abusing 10 boys over a 15-year period.
The panel had listened to seven days of testimony, including from eight young men who said they were his victims. Jurors also heard about two other alleged victims through other witnesses.
Sandusky didn't take the stand. Joe Amendola, an attorney for Sandusky, says his client wanted to testify, but they decided against it when they learned Sandusky's adopted son could be called as a rebuttal witness. Matt Sandusky says his father abused him.
"We were attempting to climb Mount Everest from the bottom of the mountain. Well, obviously we didn't make it," Amendola said.
The defense case had consisted largely of character witnesses who defended Sandusky's reputation, a psychologist who said Sandusky had a personality disorder and the ex-coach's wife, who said her husband didn't do anything inappropriate.
"I've been asked already is [the guilty verdict] a surprise, and no, actually, it was the expected outcome because of the overwhelming amount of evidence against Jerry Sandusky," Amendola said.
His lawyers also suggested the accusers had a financial motive to make up stories and that investigators coached witnesses.
Prosecutors said they were pleased with Friday's verdict. Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly thanked the ten accusers for coming forward.
"They've shown great strength and courage during this investigation," she said. "Candidly and sometimes chillingly, [they've] told their stories not only to the jury and a packed courtroom audience here in Bellefonte, Pa., but also to the entire world."
Sandusky faces a minimum of 60 years in prison when he is sentenced.
