Ray Blehar: Much-Maligned Freeh Report Suffers Yet Another Blow

U.S. Government Analyst Blames Freeh's Investigation for Keeping Pennsylvania's Children In Harm's Way

WASHINGTON, Jan. 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- For the last six months, the investigation and subsequent report penned by Louis Freeh has come under fire for being light on facts, heavy on supposition and lacking the legal teeth to provide any of the answers about Penn State's role in the Jerry Sandusky scandal.  A new report released today by U.S. Government analyst Ray Blehar concludes something far worse: the Freeh Report's analysis of the 1998 investigation of Jerry Sandusky completely missed the fact that Sandusky had full access to children during the investigation and, as trial records indicate, was likely abusing Victim 4 at the time of the investigation.

Blehar's report exposes that no safety plan was put in place during the 1998 investigation of Sandusky.  Law enforcement records referenced in the report confirm that Sandusky continued to interact with children throughout the investigation.  Sandusky was observed at the baseball practices of two of the children who were the subjects of the investigation, prompting the mother to again summon the police. The report also notes that no formal safety plan was put in place during the 2008 – 2011 investigation.

The report contends that the root cause of the Freeh Report's many flaws was its failure to reference Pennsylvania's Child Protective Services Law (CPSL).

"When the 1998 investigation is evaluated for compliance with the CPSL, it is quite obvious that the state (DPW) and county (CYS) agencies failed on several fronts," explained Blehar. As a result of the omission, the Freeh Report failed to recommend any type of review of the DPW's and Centre County CYS's investigative procedures, which could lead to needed improvements in child protection.

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