By
Ray Blehar
Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Post Gazette reported Bruce Heim's response to the controversy over his participation in Saturday's coin toss at the Penn State - Army game.
It comes as no surprise that Heim skirted his charity's culpability in the matter by hanging his hat on the fact the charity has yet to be charged in the Sandusky matter. However, that by no means is proof the charity did nothing wrong.
The evidence tells quite a different story than Mr. Heim:
HEIM: “By not going out, I would be admitting that the Second Mile did something wrong and the Second Mile didn’t do anything wrong. The shame of this whole thing is thousands of kids are embarrassed because they were involved with the Second Mile.”
HEIM: “I was investigated by five different investigative agencies because of my association with the Second Mile. I didn’t do anything wrong. I was investigated for two years, spoke to the grand jury for over two hours. … The Second Mile didn’t do anything wrong. We didn’t think Jerry was a pedophile.”
EVIDENCE: The May 5th, 2015 Sandusky PCRA filing shows that TSM had purchased a Toyota for a former participant for reasons allegedly unknown to the individual. The individual eventually disclosed he had been one of Sandusky's victims.
Federal officials referred to evidence like this as TSM's "Cars for Kids Program."
There are a number of criminal counts that could apply to this transaction, including fraud, money laundering, embezzlement, and tax evasion. All federal matters.
EVIDENCE: In 2009, after being informed of Sandusky's abuse investigation, the charity failed to put a protection plan in place to prevent him from accessing children. The charity admitted that they stayed silent about his investigation and did not inform the public. Yesterday's blog post mentioned his contacts with children in 2009 and 2010 and two abuse incidents. This evidence would support charges of Endangering the Welfare of a Child.
EVIDENCE: In late 2008, Clinton County CYS contacted The Second Mile (TSM) to inform them that Sandusky was under investigation for child abuse. Katherine Genovese, TSM's Vice President for Development, responded that the charity "had to tell him to back off certain kids before."
HEIM: “Jerry in my presence, in the presence of coaches, in the presence of the football team on several occasions had gone in and showered with kids,” Mr. Heim said. “I said (sic) every day at the YMCA men shower with kids.”
EVIDENCE: Only one coach, Richard Anderson (a defense witness), admitted that he saw Sandusky showering with a child. The prosecution did not present any Penn State coaches as witnesses of Sandusky showering with children. (Source: Sandusky Trial)
EVIDENCE: There is no evidence to support that Sandusky showered with kids in the presence of the football team. Had that occurred, there is no doubt it would have been reported in the Freeh Report. (Source: Freeh Report)
HEIM: “Nobody in the Second Mile had any inkling that he had done anything wrong. If you don’t believe it, then why hasn’t there been one charge brought against the Second Mile? They have been investigated just as deeply and as vigorously as Penn State was.”
EVIDENCE: Despite that fact that numerous individuals told investigators about Sandusky's association with TSM and that the first four boys interviewed in 2008 and 2009 all met Sandusky through the charity, the Pennsylvania State Police and Office of Attorney General investigators failed to secure a search warrant or subpoena the charity for information until January 28, 2011. (Source: Moulton Report)
EVIDENCE: Investigators did not Subpoena participant lists from The Second Mile until March 24, 2011. (Source: Moulton Report)
Special Deputy Attorney General Geoffrey Moulton stated there "were inexplicable delays in bringing a serial child molester to justice." The failure to promptly investigate TSM was among them.
AG Kathleen Kane, in an interview with the Patriot News, stated her office was not investigating TSM. As noted above, the possible crimes involved in the case are federal matters for which there are no statutes of limitations.
