Screen Shot 2011-11-14 at 11.27.10 PMIcccceeee

Bob Costas interviewed Jerry Sandusky and his lawyer on Rock Center tonight on NBC. 

Couple items of note: Sandusky denied any sexual contact, but did admit to showering with the boys. His lawyer says that they think they located the boy Mike McQueary allegedly saw being raped in the shower by Sandusky. His lawyer says that the boy may say it never happened.

Sandusky denied being sexually attracted to young boys… after a long pause.

The transcript and video is after the jump (please excuse any typos, went through this quickly).

Bob Costas: Mr. Sandusky, there’s a 40-count indictment, the grand report contains specific detail. There are multiple accusers, multiples witnesses to various aspects of the abuse. A reasonable person says where there’s this much smoke, there must be plenty of fire. What do you say?

Jerry Sandusky: I say that I’m innocent of those charges.

Costas: Innocent? Completely innocent and falsely accused in every aspect?

Sandusky: Well, I could say that I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids. I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them. And I have touched their leg without intent of sexual contact. But, so if you look at it that way, there are things that… would be accurate.

Costas: Are you denying that you had an inappropriate sexual contact with any of these underage boys?

Sandusky: Yes I am.

Costas: Never touched their genitals, never engaged in oral sex?

Sandusky: Right.

Costas: What about Mike McQueary, the grad assistant, who, in 2002, walked into the shower, where he says in specific detail that you were forcibly raping a boy who appeared to be 10 or 11 years old. That his hands were up against the shower wall and he heard rhythmic, slap, slap, slapping sounds. And he described that as a rape.

Sandusky: I would say that that’s false.

Costas: What would be his motive to lie?

Sandusky: You’d have to ask him that.

Cotas: What did happen in the shower the night that Mike McQueary happened upon you and the young boy?

Sandusky: OK, we were showering and horsing around. And he actually turned all the showers on and was actually sliding across the floor and, um, as I recall we were possibly like snapping a towel or horseplay.

Costas: In 1998, a mother confronts you about taking a shower with her son and inappropriately touching him. Two detectives eavesdropped on her conversations with you, and you admit that maybe your private parts touched her son. What happened there?

Sandusky: Well, I can’t exactly recall what was said there. Ah, in terms of, um, what I did say was that, if he felt that way, then I was wrong.

Costas: During one of those conversations, you said, “I understand, I was wrong. I wish I could get forgiveness.” Speaking now from the mother, “I know I won’t get it from you. I wish I were dead.” A guy falsely accused, or a guy whose actions have been misinterpreted doesn’t respond that way, does he?

Sandusky: I don’t know. I didn’t say to my recollection that “I wish I were dead.” I was hopeful that we could reconcile things.

Costas: Shortly after that, in 2000, a janitor said that he saw you performing oral sex on a young boy in the showers in the Penn State locker facility. Did that happen?

Sandusky: No.

Costas: How could somebody think they saw something as extreme and shocking as that, when it hadn’t occurred, and what would possibly be their motivation to fabricate it?

Sandusky: You’d have to ask them.

Costas: It seems, that if all of these accusations are false, you are the unluckiest and most persecuted man that any of us ever heard about.

Sandusky: I don’t know what you want me to say. I don’t think that these have been the best days of my life.

 

 

Costas: You said a few days ago that “much more is going to come out in our defense.” In broad terms, what?

Lawyer: We expect we’re going to have a number of kids. Now how many of those so-called eight kids, we’re not sure. But we anticipate we’re going to have at least several of those kids come forward and say “this never happened. This is me. This is the allegation. It never occurred.” In fact, one of the toughest allegations, the McQueary violations. What McQueary said he saw, we have information that that child said that never happened. Now grown up, now the person is in his twenties. 

Costas: Until now, we were told that that alleged victim could not be identified. 

Lawyer: By the commonwealth.

Costas: You have identified him?

Lawyer: We think we have.

Costas: So you found him, the commonwealth has not.

Lawyer: Yeah. Interesting, isn’t it?

Costas: Would you allow your own children to be alone with your client?

Lawyer: Absolutely. I believe in Jerry’s innocence. Quite honestly, Bob, that’s why I’m involved in the case. If I..

Costas: You believe in his innocence? Not just that you can mitigate his guilt, you believe in his innocence.

Lawyer: I believe in his innocence.

 

 

Costas: To your knowledge, did Joe Paterno have any information regarding objectionable activities on your part, prior to that report in 2002?

Sandusky: I can’t totally answer that question. My answer would be “no.”

Costas: Did Joe Paterno at any time ever speak to you directly about your behavior?

Sandusky: No.

Costas: Never?

Sandusky: No.

Costas: He never asked you about what you might have done? He never asked you if you needed help? If you needed counseling? 

Sandusky: No. No.

Costas: Never expressed disapproval of any kind?

Sandusky: No.

Costas: How do you feel about what has happened to Penn State and to Joe Paterno? And to the Penn State football program, and your part in it? 

Sandusky: How would you think that I would feel about a university that I attended, about people that I’ve worked with, about people that I care so much about? How do you think I would feel about it? I feel horrible.

Costas: You feel horrible. Do you feel culpable?

Sandusky: I’m not sure I know what you mean?

Costas: Do you feel guilty?

Sandusky: Guilty?

Costas: Do you feel as if it’s your fault?

Sandusky: No, I don't think it’s my fault. I obviously played a part in this. 

Costas: How would you define the part you played? What are you willing to concede that you’ve done that was wrong and you wish you had not done it?

Sandusky: Well… I shouldn’t have showered with those kids. 

Costas: That’s it?

Sandusky: Yeah, well, that’s what hits me the most.

Costas: Are you a pedophile?

Sandusky: No.

Costas: Are you sexually attracted to young boys?

Sandusky: Am I sexually attracted to underage boys? 

Costas: Yes.

Sandusky: ….. Sexually attracted. You know, no. I enjoy young people. I love to be around them. I love to be around them… um. I… I, but no, I’m not sexually attracted to young boys.

Costas: Obviously you’re entitled to a presumption of innocence and you’ll receive a vigorous defense. On the other hand, there is a tremendous amount of information out there, and fair-minded common sense people have concluded that you are guilty of monstrous acts and they are particularly unforgiving with the type of crimes that have been alleged here. And so, millions of Americans who didn’t know Jerry Sandusky’s name until a week ago, now regard you, not only as a criminal, and I say this in I think a considered way, but as some sort of monster. How do you respond to them?

Sandusky: I don’t know what I can say or what I could say that would make anybody feel any different now. I would just say that if somehow people could hang on until my attorney has a chance to fight for my innocence. That’s about all I could ask right now. And you know, obviously, it’s a huge challenge.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy