Asked as he arrived at court whether he would put Sandusky
on the stand, defense attorney Joe Amendola said: "Stay tuned.
Come on, it's like a soap, you have to wait and see."
"Is it 'Days of our Lives?'" a reporter asked in return,
referring to a long-running U.S. daytime television drama.
"I think it's 'General Hospital,'" Amendola answered. Then,
a moment later, after returning from parking his car, he
quipped, "Actually it could be 'All My Children.'"
A soap opera, Mr. Amendola? Really?
Do you think the victims and their families think of it as a soap opera?
Do you think the men whose careers have been shredded at Penn State think this is a soap opera?
Do you think that Joe Paterno's family thinks this is a soap opera?
Do you think that students of Penn State who now find their school sullied by scandal think of this as a soap opera?
Do you think the tax payers of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who support Penn State thinks of this as a soap opera?
Do your think that Judge Cleland thinks of his court as a soap opera?
And Mr. Amendola, do you think your client who may face life in prison thinks of this as a soap opera?
I can guarantee you that there are 12 people sitting in that court who do not think of this trial as a soap opera, and if I were you sir, I would fear them.
It's a hunch, but he knows he's lost the case. It probably to him is going through the motions. And what you wonder is how many years the guy will get. I'd say that'll be a long sentence.
ReplyDeleteI did read a commentary that Amendola knows the case is lost. They couldn't plea bargain because of the number of counts and mandatory minimum sentencing, so he had to go to trial and essentially he is using it for free advertising.
Delete"All My Children"! Pretty sick if you ask me.
I agree with your sentiments in regards to this case.
DeleteThat said......having lived thru many of these episodes in a previous life, I can attest to the notion that some of these cases are treated like soap operas...lots of drama, deal making etc etc.
In many cases...the only winners are the lawyers.
Busman
DeleteYeah, you are an old hand at this sort of thing and I'm sure could tell some stories. Justice is something of a relative term. Good thing not to have to face any more.
There you go Sextant! That is what I love about your blog...you read my mind and then you write about it!
ReplyDeleteThis morning as I was getting ready for work I briefly turned around to watch the TV and I saw Amendola tell the reporter that this was like All My Children. Not only is that in bad taste considering what Sandusky is being tried for...they are not his children, no matter how much he says he cares and loves young boys, but it is NOT a soap opera either!
Does anyone take anything seriously anymore or are all these attorneys just trying to give the media a quick little soundbite so they can see themselves on the evening news. This all makes me sick, Sandusky makes me sick.
I kinda halfway, almost gave you an award on my blog. You'll have to come by and read my post to see what I'm talking about. :-)
ReplyDeleteAlicia,
DeleteWell Sandusky does have the benefit of being innocent until proven guilty in a trial. Amendola, however, is proving to the world that he is a sleazy insensitive bastard right on national TV. His behavior will probably appeal to his clientele, he practices criminal law after all. I do believe that Joe is treating this as one big advertisement.
Well Joe, as they often say about poor comedians, don't give up your day job.
Thank you for the wonderful honorable mention over at your blog. Your kind comments make me proud to be sister!
You're welcome. The day they come up with the Smartass of the World Bloggers Award I'm such you and I both will be in the running to receive one!
DeleteI came to your blog from a comment you made about "The Bridges of Madison County." It was so succinctly what I would have expressed about the film/movie if anyone would have asked. No one has.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed scrolling through your blog. Especially like the quotes.
Kass,
DeleteThank you, for the kind comments. Isn't Jo's blog just wonderful? She has such a remarkable insight and it is always delivered in that understated almost British way.
Thanks for following my blog, and for stopping by and commenting.
So beautifully expressed, Sextant. I've been a lawyer for almost 35 years, and there's no place for glib, smart*ss commentary from counsel when the case involves alleged conduct that shattered the lives of innocents. What a tool.
ReplyDeleteLindsay,
DeleteThanks for the kind comment. One would think that anything counsel said to the press would be in the client's interests. This comment and the "i"ll have a heart attack if he gets acquitted" comments clearly show Amendola has a lack of sensitivity at best or was mining this trial for every bit of publicity that he could get. I have read that Amendola's defense in court was very good. He was in an impossible situation. But perhaps in the future he should leave the showmanship to Barnum and Bailey and learn the fine art of saying "no comment" to reporters.
Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
This whole case has been so depressing to me, from start to the latest garbage this weekend. People are more concerned STILL about the reputations of the Penn State administrators/coaches than about the appalling thought that, at this point, it's pretty well documented that a decade ago, people had very strong suspicions that the defendant was doing something wrong. The attorneys, the sportspeople, Penn State.
ReplyDeleteIt has been treated, as you point out, like a soap opera, not a serious and shattering trial involving many, many innocent victims.
Sorry. I am off the track you are on in this entry... Amendola simply participated in this as if it were a reality show. Perhaps the public can no longer tell the difference between reality and a "reality" show.
I lived near Penn State. Football, basketball, baseball, soccer--name the sport and there is a religious sect devoted to it out there. Careers, lives, the reputation of the university ... makes one stop and try to sort out what is important, but the importance of the victims, the BOYS, is still rarely the subject for discussion.
I'll shut up, now. You do make one think, my friend. BUT I want you should write another POST SOON! I love your posts.
What is bizarre about this case is that had some one stopped Sandusky years ago, all those holy reputations that they were trying to protect would still be intact, and how many young lives would have been spared Sandusky's abuse. Even Sandusky would have been better off. He would be faced 10 to 20 instead of 400.
DeleteThey treated this like it was a one time offense, like some one embezzled 1 million dollars and the ruckus it would cause is more expensive than the embezzlement. Well pedophilia is not like embezzlement, it is not a one time deal. Ironically the people who tried to protect Penn State by looking the other way, no matter how misguided, made the situation many times worse and tragically allowed more victims to be abused.
Is it not ironic how when you start to treat sports like a religion, how much like a religion sports and its practitioners become...above God.
Another irony, in retirement I have become so damned lazy that posting has become a chore. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
Spam deleted by blog owner.
ReplyDeleteThe whole thing was disgusting. What I keep thinking about is that poor boy who was in the shower... the guy who saw them and all he did was slam a locker door loudly? That boy was crying out for help (inwardly) and didn't get rescued. My heart breaks for him and all the others. Definitely not a soap opera. That dang attorney needs to learn some respect.
ReplyDeleteCarol,
DeleteDisgusting indeed. McCreary should have called 911 on the spot, and broke that up.
Always a pleasure Carol. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.