Penn State's independent probe into the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal found "the total disregard for the safety andwelfare of Sandusky's child victims by the most senior leaders at Penn State.
The report specifically criticizes the late head football coach Joe Paterno for not taking action when alerted to allegations of misconduct by Sandusky at university facilities.
"At the very least, Mr. Paterno could have alerted the entire football staff, in order to prevent Sandusky from bringing another child into the Lasch Building," the report charges.
Update at 9:08 a.m. ET: "The most powerful men at Penn State failed to take any steps for 14 years to protect the children who Sandusky victimized,'' the investigation concluded.
It cited former Penn State University President Graham Spanier, former vice president Gary Schultz, former head football coach Joe Paterno and Athletic Director Tim Curley, now on leave, as never demonstrating "through actions or words, any concern for the safety and well-being of Sandusky's victims until after Sandusky's arrest."
The probe was conducted by former FBI director Louis Freeh.
A key excerpt from the report, according to Freeh:
The evidence shows that these four men also knew about a 1998 criminal investigation of Sandusky relating to suspected sexual misconduct with a young boy in a Penn State football locker room shower. Again, they showed no concern about that victim. The evidence shows that Mr. Paterno was made aware of the 1998 investigation of Sandusky, followed it closely, but failed to take any action, even though Sandusky had been a key member of his coaching staff for almost 30 years, and had an office just steps away from Mr. Paterno's. At the very least, Mr. Paterno could have alerted the entire football staff, in order to prevent Sandusky from bringing another child into the Lasch Building. Messrs. Spanier, Schultz, Paterno and Curley also failed to alert the Board of Trustees about the 1998 investigation or take any further action against Mr. Sandusky. None of them even spoke to Sandusky about his conduct. In short, nothing was done and Sandusky was allowed to continue with impunity.
Original post: Sandusky, 68, was recently convicted on 45 criminal counts of sexual abuse involving young boys.
The Freeh Report will focus on the university's handlng of early allegations of misconduct by Sandusky.
Penn State athletics director Tim Curley and former vice president Gary Shultz face perjury charges for allegedly lying to a grand jury about their knowledge and reaction to the allegations against the former Penn State assistant football coach.
The report is also expected to offer the most detail yet on how the late Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno handled the allegations against Sandusky.
Paterno, who was diagnosed with cancer shortly after being fired by Penn State, died Jan. 22.
His son, Jay Paterno, who remains an assistant coach at Penn State, tells NBC's Today show that he spoke to the investigators in early December but that he doesn't believe his father was contacted.
"He really didn't get a chance to talk to them before he died," Jay Paterno tells NBC's Matt Lauer this morning.
As for what could come out in the Freeh Report in a few hours, Paterno says he and his family aren't worried.
"We have never at any time been afraid to see what people have to say. This investigation is one opinion ... one piece of the puzzle. ... We've never been afraid of the truth," Paterno says
