Amid grand jury testimony, Paterno sweetened contract

Penn State football coach Joe Paterno began talks that resulted in a sweetened retirement contract in the same month he testified before a grand jury in the Jerry Sandusky sex-abuse case, and all members of the board of trustees weren't informed of the new package before the scandal engulfed the university, according to a report.

Paterno and the university reached agreement on the amended contract that totaled $5.5 million in August, months before charges were filed against Sandusky, but they began negotiating in January, The New York Times reported.

The contract included a $3 million career bonus if Paterno retired at the end of the 2011 season, as well as well as forgiveness of $250,000 in outstanding indebtedness and an additional $100,000 in loans.

The package also included access to a stadium box for his family for 25 years as well as parking privileges and access to on-campus hydrotherapy equipment for his wife.

The newspaper cited university records in saying Paterno first broached the idea of revisiting his contact in January, the same month he made a brief appearance before the grand jury.

Associated Press

(China Daily 07/16/2012 page23)