Paterno Family to Sue the NCAA

Over "a rush to injustice."

Not Available Lead
Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

Not Available Lead

In an attempt to reverse the sanctions against Penn State University over the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, the Paterno family is suing the NCAA. After the findings of former FBI director Louis Freeh were reported, PSU received a plethora of sanctions which included a $60 million fine, scholarship cuts, a four-year bowl ban, and abandoning all 111 wins from JoePa's record. 

Paterno family's attorney, Wick Sollers, who appeared on Bob Costas' NBC Sports Network show yesterday, spoke about the lawsuit, saying: 

"[The lawsuit is meant] to redress the NCAA's 100 percent adoption of the Freeh Report and imposition of a binding consent decree against Penn State University. The reality is that consent decree was imposed through coercion and threats behind the scenes and there was no ability for anyone to get redress," Sollers told Costas.

Simply put, the Paterno family feels that the NCAA wasn't thorough and active in their investigation of the Sandusky case and instead, immediately acted, penalizing Paterno and the three other former university officials over concealing information, solely based on Freeh's rushed report. Sollers went on to call Freeh a "co-conspirator" (even though he isn't listed as a defendant) in the lawsuit, and that "there were close communications between the NCAA and Freeh's team throughout the investigation."

The lawsuit is seeking an overturn of the sanctions and penalties, as well as money over unspecified damages and court costs.

RELATED: The 50 Most Infamous Criminals in Sports History

[via ABC News; ESPN]

Latest in Sports