Pikesville lawyer representing Sandusky victim slams accused molestor’s lawyer

Posted: 7:12 pm Fri, December 2, 2011
By Ben Mook
Daily Record Legal Affairs Writer

Pikesville lawyer Howard A. Janet, recently hired to represent “Victim 6” in the criminal sex abuse case against ex-Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky, blasted comments made by the accused molester’s lawyer on Friday about alleged victims in a newspaper report.

Janet, with Janet, Jenner & Suggs LLC, represents a man who claims he was bear-hugged by Sandusky while showering with him in 1998. Janet said he felt compelled to speak out Friday following an interview of Sandusky’s lawyer, Joseph Amendola, in the (Harrisburg, Pa.) Patriot-News in which Amendola said four of the eight alleged victims had friendly contact with Sandusky.

Two of the alleged victims, including victim No. 6, had dinner with the former coach after the alleged incidents of abuse.

“We saw this is as his attorney floating a trial balloon which we felt compelled to pop,” Janet said. “We don’t want to leave this idea out there about a ‘dinner defense’ and let people potentially buy into it.”

In fact, Janet said his client went to Sandusky’s home four months before he was charged with molesting children so he could assist in the investigation.

Janet said his client told police about the invitation and reported to them about the meeting afterward. He also criticized Amendola for trying to portray his actions differently.

“It is grotesque that he would suggest a victim of molestation attending a dinner Sandusky invited him to is somehow a defense to the indefensible actions of which Sandusky has been accused,” Janet said.

The 67-year-old former Penn State assistant coach is awaiting a preliminary hearing on the charges related to eight victims and 40 pending criminal counts.

Amendola has also said he hasn’t discussed pleading guilty with his client and that Sandusky still maintains he’s innocent of the charges against him.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.