Family statement: Joe Paterno wouldn't have protected Sandusky

Joe Paterno is a central figure in the Freeh Report that condemns how Penn State handled the Jerry Sandusky situation.

AP

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Joe Paterno's family says the late coach never would have protected his former assistant Jerry Sandusky to avoid bad publicity.

>Read full statement

A statement from the family Thursday also says Paterno "never interfered with any investigation."

An internal investigation by former FBI director Louis Freeh says Paterno and other high-ranking Penn State officials concealed sex abuse reports regarding Sandusky to avoid criticism of the university and football program.

Freeh's report found Paterno had a conversation with athletic director Tim Curley in 2001 just before university officials decided against informing law enforcement of a sex abuse allegation.

Freeh said he did not know the content of that 2001 conversation but that it was "the only known, intervening factor" between an agreement that the incident should be reported and the change of course.

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