Media outlets are determined to unseal the settlement agreements between former Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky and his victims of sexual abuse.
Philly.com reports a lawyer for a number of Philadelphia media outlets told a Philadelphia judge the Penn State’s settlement files should be released as the public deserves to know about the agreement reached with Sandusky and his accusers. The settlements became public knowledge after a dispute between the university and its insurance provider over who should cover the $93 million cost.
The media group’s lawyer Craig. J. Staudenmaier said the settlements need to be made public for transparency among the courts and future agreements.
“This is information that needs to be made public,” he argued, noting that Penn State is a publicly funded university and that the documents could shed light on when and what university officials knew about Sandusky’s abuse. Unsealing the records will also give the public “more confidence that the system is working properly,” Staudenmaier said.
Penn State’s lawyers claim unsealing the records would be embarrassing for victims. Judge Gary S. Glazer said at the hearing on Tuesday if the records were eventually released that information identifying victims would be redacted.
Releasing the settlement files isn’t an easy decision. Transparency is certainly important, so journalists can accurately report what Sandusky did, and what happened which led to the settlements. But, that shouldn’t come at the expense of the victims of a crime. Redacting names doesn’t necessarily protect them entirely. It’s a tough case to gauge what exactly is the most appropriate decision.
