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harlem, usa
same-gender-loving contemporary descendant of enslaved africans. community activist, feminist, health educator, independent filmmaker, mentor, playwright, poet & spiritual being. featured at, in & on africana.com, afrikan poetry theatre, angel herald, bejata dot com, bet tonight with tavis smiley, blacklight online, black noir, brooklyn moon cafe, gmhc's barbershop, klmo-fm, lgbt community services center, longmoor productions, nuyorican poets cafe, our corner, poz, pulse, rolling out new york, rush arts gallery, saint veronica's church, schomburg center for research in black culture, sexplorations, the citizen, the new york times, the soundz bar, the trenton times, the village voice, upn news, uzuri, venus, vibe, wbai-fm, wnyc-fm & wqht-fm. volunteered with adodi, bailey house, inc., black men's xchange-new york, colorofchange.org, drug policy alliance, east harlem tutorial program, imagenation film & music festival, presente.org, save darfur coalition, the enough project, the osborne association, the sledge group & your black world. worked on films with maurice jamal & heather murphy. writing student of phil bertelsen & ed bullins. mjt975@msn.com.

Wednesday, October 09, 2013

19 Male Sexual Abuse Survivors Settle With Penn State Amidst Jerry Sandusky Case

at least 19 young men have settled with penn state over assertions of sexual abuse by former assistant football coach jerry sandusky, according to lawyers for the claimants. many, if not all, have received checks from the university, the attorneys said over the past two days. the school set aside $60 million to pay claims, though several lawyers say the settlements prevent them from disclosing details, including the amounts their clients were paid. 

"they're getting the resources they need to navigate hurdles which have been thrown in front of them," said harrisburg lawyer ben andreozzi, part of a group of four lawyers who have resolved nine claims. they have three other cases, including two yet to be presented to penn state. "does it wipe out all their problems? no," andreozzi said. "does it give them the resources they need to get their lives back on track? yes," he said.

among those who reached settlements were some who testified at sandusky's provocative trial last year. sandusky, the prestigious school's longtime assistant football coach under their legendary head coach joe paterno, is currently serving 30 to 60 years in prison for sexually abusing ten boys over a 15-year period.   

harrisburg attorney chuck schmidt confirmed his client has settled, as did williamsport attorney clifford rieders. "he is a very responsible, thoughtful, intelligent man," rieders said tuesday of his client. "his reaction is that this was a terrible tragedy and he'd like to move on with his life and get the help he needs for a meaningful life." rieders said his client was paid september 30. schmidt said his client received a check two weeks ago.

philadelphia attorney tom kline previously announced his client had settled, as did the philadelphia firm ross feller, which represents seven clients. st. paul, minnesota lawyer jeff anderson said his two cases remain unresolved, as did a spokeswoman for baltimore attorney howard janet, who represents one claimant. two other lawyers who have clients in the sandusky civil claims did not return phone messages.

a penn state spokesman declined to comment, but the school has said it plans to eventually release the number of claimants and the total amount of money they have been paid. lawyers for the school say at least 31 men have come forward, but it's unclear who some of the men are, or whether they have lawyers.  

  

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