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Sandusky attorney violates gag order to quote ‘Dumb and Dumber’

Sandusky lawyer Joseph Amendola enters the Centre County Courthouse. (DAVID SWANSON / Staff Photographer)

By Jeremy Roebuck, INQUIRER STAFF WRITER

Posted: June 23, 2012

BELLEFONTE, Pa. - Jerry Sandusky's attorney said Friday he would "probably die of a heart attack" if his client is acquitted in his ongoing child sex abuse trial.

In an impromptu courtroom conversation with reporters, Joseph Amendola compared the former Penn State assistant football coach's chances to a scene from the 1994 movie Dumb and Dumber. In the film, an unlucky guy asks and uninterested girl out on a date.

"One in a million?" Amendola said, quoting the scene to describe his conversations with Sandusky. "So you're telling me you have a chance."

Amendola's comments came as jurors entered their 16th hour of deliberations on 48 counts of sexual abuse. Sandusky has denied charges he molested 10 boys over a 15 year period.

Though lawyers have been barred by a judicial gag order from discussing the case publicly, Amendola began answering questions about how the Sandusky family was reacting to the stress of the trial and quickly moved on to discussing his own predictions on the verdict.

"You're never happy with the job you've done," he said. "But I did the best I could considering the circumstances. This was a daunting case."

A courtroom bailiff broke up the conversation after about 15-minutes, saying Judge John M. Cleland wanted to see Amendola in his chambers.

Amendola said that the Sanduskys have spent the past two days spending time with one another and preparing for the possibility that the former coach could soon be sent to prison. He refused to answer questions about any ongoing investigations into his client.

He also declined to comment on allegations Thursday from Sandusky's youngest son Matt, 33, who said through his attorney that he had been sexually abused by his father.

When asked whether he had formed a bond with his client and would stay in touch no matter the verdict, Amendola responded: "Jerry and I have become very close."

Then, for good measure, he added: "Please don't misconstrue what I'm saying."

Contact Jeremy Roebuck at 267-564-5218 or jroebuck@phillynews.com, or follow on Twitter @jeremyrroebuck.