The first sign of the verdict in the Jerry Sandusky trial emerged at 10:10pm tonight as reporters bounded down the steps of the courthouse in Bellefonte, PA. The indication of what those verdicts were — guilty on 45 of 48 counts — came as trial-watchers emerged, arms raised, cheering the result.
In the ensuing minutes, reporters and producers from CNN, Fox News and NBC found their camera positions and explained how the verdicts were read and what the reaction was from Sandusky, his family and his victims.
“It’s most likely the end of Jerry Sandusky,” said Shepard Smith who lead coverage on Fox News. “It’s as sad as anything I’ve covered,” Smith said. FNC’s David Lee Miller reported from outside the courthouse while producer Shira Bush was inside for the verdict.
Anderson Cooper anchored on CNN as Jason Carroll and Susan Candiotti reported from the courthouse and legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin phoned in.
“He’s going to die in prison, where he should die,” said Toobin. “This is an evil, evil man.”
“Many of us thought the jury would mistry. But they didn’t led down lady justice,” said Nancy Grace anchoring on HLN while on MSNBC her former Court TV colleague Catherine Crier was a guest on MSNBC’s coverage anchored by Ed Schultz.
In her remarks after the verdict, prosecutor Linda Kelly singled out the media for their “exceptional attentiveness and thoroughness, with much thoughtful commentary and insightful analysis.”