Joe Paterno Used E-Mail in Attempt to Control a Penn State Football Investigation in 2007

Paterno had his assistant send the following e-mail after players were involved in an off-campus fight in 2007.

"“I want to make sure everyone understands that the discipline of the players involved will be handled by me as soon as I am comfortable that I know all the facts,” said the April 7, 2007, e-mail, which was signed “Joe.” “This is my understanding as well,” wrote Mr. Spanier in response."

Then Vice President of Student Affairs Vicky Triponey wrote a separate e-mail to Graham Spanier in response to the correspondence.

"“Thanks for sharing. I assume he is talking about discipline relative to TEAM rules (note: he does not say that). Obviously discipline relative to the law is up to the police and the courts, and discipline relative to violations of the student code of conduct is the responsibility of Judicial Affairs. “This has not always been clear with Coach Paterno so we might want to clarify that and encourage him to work with us to find the truth and handle this collaboratively with the police and the university,” she went on. “The challenge here is that the letter suggests that football should handle this and now Coach Paterno is also saying THEY will handle this and makes it look like the normal channels will be ignored for football players."

This interaction was in 2007, six years after the Sandusky child rape incident in 2001.  It shows a man both actively engaged with university affairs and not accustomed to relinquishing personal control over issues related to the football program. It clearly contradicts the story he was a doddering old man who meekly handed things off to his “superiors.” Paterno stiff-armed these same “superiors” when they tried to de facto fire him in 2004.

It might be for the best the family cooled talk of renaming the stadium.

Previously: Penn State Emails Show Obvious Cover-Up Attempt of Sandusky Shower Rape in 2001
Previously: NCAA Should Stay Out of the Penn State/Sandusky Mess
Previously: Jerry Sandusky Will Still Receive His $59,000 Per Year Pension in Prison
Previously: Sandusky Attorney Joe Amendola Was a Barrel of Laughs Right After the Verdict