BELLEFONTE - Convicted child sexual abuser Jerry Sandusky was allowed to call his wife, Dottie, Monday night from the Centre County Correctional Facility- the first such contact he had with family or friends since being convicted of the crimes Friday.
Dee Elbell, acting prison warden, told the media at Tuesday's commissioners' meeting both she and a doctor allowed Sandusky to make the phone call Monday night after an evaluation.
"The doctor was OK with it, I was OK with it," she said.
Elbell did not disclose the details of that call, saying it was confidential. She did not know how long the phone call was.
Other than that phone call, Sandusky is on suicide watch, in solitary confinement in a 5-by-7-foot cell, Elbell said. The only contact he had with the outside world before that phone call was with his attorneys.
"He has no interaction with any of the inmates. The cell has no windows," Elbell said. "He really hasn't requested anything. He is being cooperative... living in his cell."
Elbell said he's not allowed visits from family or friends, except for his attorneys, until he has a psychological evaluation.
Sandusky was convicted Friday night on 45 of 48 counts of child sexual abuse, and was taken to the jail to await sentencing.
Sandusky will remain in the county lock-up until sentencing, to be scheduled within 90 days. He will likely be sentenced to state prison and will first be taken to the State Correctional Institution at Camp Hill for classification before possibly going to another state prison site.
Judge John Cleland Monday ordered county probation officers to evaluate whether Sandusky is a sexual predator, a finding that could factor into his prison placement. Sex offenders are required to undergo treatment while in prison, so Sandusky, if deemed a predator, would likely be sent to a facility with such a program.
Attorney Karl Rominger visited Sandusky on Monday and said his client maintains his innocence and is eager to be taken off suicide watch.
