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Tuesday, Oct 9, 2012 3:20 PM UTC

Sandusky: “Evaluate the accusers”

The former assistant coach was sentenced to 30 to 60 years and continued to deny child sex abuse charges VIDEO

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Topics: Sexual abuse, Penn State, College Football, Jerry Sandusky, Child abuse, Sentence,

Sandusky: Jerry Sandusky in June (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Jerry Sandusky was sentenced Tuesday to 30 to 60 years in prison for sexually abusing children. The former Pennsylvania State University assistant football coach showed no remorse in his first public statement while incarcerated, recorded Monday from his prison cell:

I’m responding to the worst loss of my life.

First, I looked at myself. Over and over, I asked why? Why didn’t we have a fair opportunity to prepare for trial?… They can take away my life, they can make me out as a monster, they can treat me as a monster, but they can’t take away my heart. In my heart, I know I did not do these alleged disgusting acts.

Sandusky went so far as to accuse the young boys who accused him of multiple counts of sexual abuse:

Evaluate the accusers and their families. Realize they didn’t come out of isolation. The accusers were products of many more people and experiences than me. Look at their confidants and their honesty. Think about how easy it was for them to turn on me given the information, attention and potential perks. I never labeled or put down them or their families. I tried and I cared, then asked for the same.

In his sentencing, the judge declared Sandusky a “sexually violent predator,” having heard a number of victims take to the witness stand. One 18-year-old, known only as “victim 1″ broke down on the witness stand detailing persistent sexual abuse from his former coach.

Listen to the recording of Sandusky’s statement, sent to Penn State’s college radio station, in the clip below (via AP).

Natasha Lennard is an assistant news editor at Salon, covering non-electoral politics, general news and rabble-rousing. Follow her on Twitter @natashalennard, email nlennard@salon.com. More Natasha Lennard.

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