When Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was freed on bond Nov. 5 by Judge Leslie Dutchcot, few knew she had ties to his children’s charity, the Second Mile. Dutchcot angered many by setting an unusually low and unsecured bond amount of $100,000 for Sandusky after he was arrested on charges that he sexually molested eight boys. The 40 counts are all related to sexual abuse and abuse of minors. The alleged molestations occurred while Sandusky was a leader of Second City. The prosecutors had asked for a $500,000 bond. According to the Beaver County Times, Judge Dutchcot did not recuse herself or disclose that she was at one time involved with Second City. As the bond was unsecured, Sandusky was freed immediately following the hearing. Unless he fails to appear at future hearings, he will not be required to pay the bond amount.
Listed as “of counsel” to the State College law firm of Goodall and Yurchak, Dutchot can advise the firm but is not a member of the firm. Before her profile was taken down Nov. 14 it listed her as a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh and the Duquesne University law school. A former assistant district attorney in Monroe County, Dutchcot’s profile also listed her volunteer endeavors with Second Mile, the American Heart Association, and Centre County PAWS. The 2009 Second Mile annual report also lists Dutchcot and her husband, Art Entz, as donors in the $500 and $999 range.
