Key dates in the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse case

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — A chronological look at the case against former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, based on a grand jury report in Pennsylvania state court. Some key dates in Penn State football history are included. Sandusky has been charged with 40 criminal counts, accusing him of serial sex abuse of minors.

1969 — Jerry Sandusky starts his coaching career at Penn State University as a defensive line coach.

1977 — Jerry Sandusky founds The Second Mile. It begins as a group foster home dedicated to helping troubled boys and grows into a charity dedicated to helping children with absent or dysfunctional families.

January 1983 — Associated Press voters select Penn State as college football's national champion for the 1982 season.

January 1987 — Associated Press voters select Penn State as college football's national champion for the 1986 season.

1994 — Boy known as Victim 7 in the report meets Sandusky through The Second Mile program at about the age of 10.

1994-95 — Boy known as Victim 6 meets Sandusky at a Second Mile picnic at Spring Creek Park when he is 7 or 8 years old.

1995-96 — Boy known as Victim 5 meets Sandusky through The Second Mile when he is 7 or 8, in second or third grade.

1996-97 — Boy known as Victim 4, at the age of 12 or 13, meets Sandusky while he is in his second year participating in The Second Mile program.

1996-98 — Victim 5 is taken to the locker room and showers at Penn State by Sandusky when he is 8 to 10 years old.

Jan. 1, 1998 — Victim 4 is listed, along with Sandusky's wife, as a member of Sandusky's family party for the 1998 Outback Bowl.

1998 — Victim 6 is taken into the  and showers when he is 11 years old. When Victim 6 is dropped off at home, his hair is wet from showering with Sandusky. His mother reports the incident to the university police, who investigate.

Detective Ronald Schreffler testifies that he and State College Police Department Detective Ralph Ralston, with the consent of the mother of Victim 6, eavesdrop on two conversations the mother of Victim 6 has with Sandusky. Sandusky says he has showered with other boys and Victim 6's mother tries to make Sandusky promise never to shower with a boy again but he will not. At the end of the second conversation, after Sandusky is told he cannot see Victim 6 anymore, Schreffler testifies Sandusky says, "I understand. I was wrong. I wish I could get forgiveness. I know I won't get it from you. I wish I were dead."

Jerry Lauro, an investigator with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, testifies he and Schreffler interviewed Sandusky, and that Sandusky admits showering naked with Victim 6, admits to hugging Victim 6 while in the shower and admits that it was wrong.

The case is closed after then-Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricar decides there will be no criminal charge.

June 1999 — Sandusky retires from Penn State but still holds emeritus status.

Dec. 28, 1999 — Victim 4 is listed, along with Sandusky's wife, as a member of Sandusky's family party for the 1999 Alamo Bowl.

Summer 2000 — Boy known as Victim 3 meets Sandusky through The Second Mile when he is between seventh and eighth grade.

Fall 2000 — A janitor named James Calhoun observes Sandusky in the showers of the Lasch Football Building with a young boy, known as Victim 8, pinned up against the wall, performing oral sex on the boy. He tells other janitorial staff immediately. Fellow Office of Physical Plant employee Ronald Petrosky cleans the showers at Lasch and sees Sandusky and the boy, who he describes as being between the ages of 11 and 13.

Calhoun tells other physical plant employees what he saw, including Jay Witherite, his immediate supervisor. Witherite tells him to whom he should report the incident. Calhoun was a temporary employee and never makes a report. Victim 8's identity is unknown.

March 1, 2002 — A Penn State graduate assistant enters the locker room at the Lasch Football Building. In the showers, he sees a naked boy, known as Victim 2, whose age he estimates to be 10 years old, being subjected to anal intercourse by a naked Sandusky. The graduate assistant tells his father immediately.

March 2, 2002 — In the morning, the graduate assistant calls coach Joe Paterno and goes to Paterno's home, where he reports what he has seen.

March 3, 2002 — Paterno calls Tim Curley, Penn State Athletic Director to his home the next day and reports a version of what the grad assistant had said.

March 2002 — Later in the month the graduate assistant is called to a meeting with Curley and Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz. The grad assistant reports what he has seen and Curley and Schultz say they will look into it.

March 27, 2002 (approximate) — The graduate assistant hears from Curley. He is told that Sandusky's locker room keys are taken away and that the incident has been reported to The Second Mile. The graduate assistant is never questioned by university police and no other entity conducts an investigation until the graduate assistant testifies in Grand Jury in December 2010.

2005-2006 — Boy known as Victim 1 says he meets Sandusky through The Second Mile at age 11 or 12.

Spring 2007 — During the 2007 track season, Sandusky begins spending time with Victim 1 weekly, having him stay overnight at his residence in College Township, Pa.

Spring 2008 — Termination of contact with Victim 1 occurs when he is a freshman in a Clinton County high school. After the boy's mother calls the school to report sexual assault, Sandusky is barred from the school district attended by Victim 1 from that day forward and the matter is reported to authorities as mandated by law.

Early 2009 — An investigation by the Pennsylvania Attorney General begins when a Clinton County, Pa. teen boy tells authorities that Sandusky has inappropriately touched him several times over a four-year period.

September 2010 — Sandusky retires from day-to-day involvement witht he Second Mile, saying he wants to spend more time with family and handle personal matters.

Nov. 5, 2011 — Sandusky is arrested and released on $100,000 bail after being arraigned on 40 criminal counts.

Nov. 7, 2011 — Pennsylvania Attorney General Linda Kelly says Paterno is not a target of the investigation into how the school handled the accusations. But she refuses to say the same for university President Graham Spanier. Curley and Schultz, who have stepped down from their positions, surrender on charges that they failed to alert police to complaints against Sandusky.

Nov. 8, 2011, 11:30 a.m. — Penn State football press conference canceled by university president.

Nov. 8, 2011, 2:30 p.m. — Jerry Sandusky's hearing on child sex charges moved to December.

Nov. 8, 2011, 6 p.m. — Students rally at Joe Paterno's house, JoePa greets crowd.

Nov. 8, 2011, 10 p.m. — Police in riot gear deal with Penn State students.

Nov. 9, 2011, 10 a.m. — Joe Paterno announces decision to retire at season's end.

Nov. 9, 2011, 12:30 p.m. — Penn State president Graham Spanier will reportedly resign or be fired.

Nov. 9, 2011, 10:00 p.m. — Penn State president Graham Spanier ousted.

Nov. 9, 2011, 10:30 p.m. — Joe Paterno fired.

Nov. 10, 2011, 11:00 p.m. —

Penn State students riot.

Nov. 11, 2011 — Candlelight vigil held for victims.

Nov. 12, 2011 —

Penn State plays Nebraska in first game of post-Joe Paterno era

Nov. 14, 2011 — The Second Mile charity CEO Jack Raykovitz resigns.

Dec. 7, 2011 - Two new victims come forward.

Dec. 13, 2011 - Jerry Sandusky waives preliminary hearing.

Dec. 16 2011 - Tim Curley, Gary Schultz preliminary hearing - Judge rules they will move forward to trial.

Jan. 6, 2012 —New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien agrees to become new Penn State football coach.

Jan. 13, 2012 — Erickson hold the last of three meetings in as many days with alumni as he tries to calm anger about how the university has dealt with the scandal.

Jan. 14, 2012 — Paterno tells The Washington Post in his first interview since his ouster that he's "shocked and saddened" by the scandal and "didn't know which way to go" after McQueary went to him in 2002. Paterno says McQueary "didn't want to get specific" about details and Paterno says he was hesitant to make follow-up calls because he didn't want to be seen as trying to exert influence either for or against Sandusky.

Jan. 19, 2012 — Penn State trustees try to counter the alumni uproar in interviews, tell AP they decided to oust Paterno in part because he didn't do more to alert authorities in 2002. Trustees also say Paterno made statements after the scandal broke that they felt challenged trustees' authority.

Jan. 21, 2012 — Paterno's doctors say his conditions is "serious" after he experienced complications from lung cancer in recent days.

Jan. 22, 2012 — Joe Paterno dies at age 85.

Jan. 25 -Second Mile charity sued by former board member who wants donations back.

Feb. 8 -Attorney reports that Jerry Sanduksy has been cleared of two allegations.

Feb. 10 - Sandusky attend hearing in Bellefont, Pa. to discuss bail and jury issues.

Feb. 13 - Centre County judge John M. Cleland ruled that Sandusky can leave his home and see most of his grandchildren - under certain conditions.

Feb. 13, 14 - Tim Curley, Gary Schultz file for Sandusky-related perjury charges to be dismissed.

Feb. 23, 2012 -Federal authorities conducting seperate investigation involving Jerry Sandusky, Penn State, The Second Mile.

Feb. 29, 2012 - Jerry Sandusky request for 2-month trial deley nixed by judge.

March 1, 2012 - Eight of 10 alleged Jerry Sandusky victims say they were abused at Penn State.

March 12, 2012 - Jerry Sandusky hearing held in Centre County.

March 13, 2012 - Judge in Jerry Sandusky case refuses to order prosecutors to give more details about sex abuse charges.

March 20, 2012 - Judge rules that Jerry Sandusky can get juvenile records, read phsychology reports of alleged victims.

March 22, 2012 - Jerry Sandusky's lawyer asks judge to dismiss sex abuse charges.

-U.S. Postal Inspector's probe of The Second Mile is 7th investigation to start since Jerry Sandusky was charged.

April 5, 2012 - Jerry Sandusky appears at hearing to dismiss charges. Hearing ends quickly and Joe Amendola withdraws motion.

April 9, 2012 - Judge John Cleland issues a gag order, silencing attorneys, investigators and witnesses involved in the case.

April 12, 2012 - Charges against Jerry Sandusky stand, judge rules in child sex-abuse case.

May 29, 2012 - Sandusky attends closed-door meeting with judge in case ahead of scheduled pre-trial meeting.

May 30, 2012 - Pre-trial meeting in Centre County courthouse with Sandusky, judge, prosecutors and defense ahead of trial's June 5 start date.

The Associated Press and PennLive.com contributed to this timeline.

WPXI