Jojo Doria

Bellefonte, PA

Apart from going to great lengths in order to discredit Jerry Sandusky's alleged victims, his counsel is also seeking to prove that the disgraced former Penn State University assistant football coach suffers from a personality disorder.

Sandusky's lawyer, Joe Amendola, claims in court motions that his client has histrionic personality.

His attorney is trying to get an expert to testify in court that Sandusky suffers from the disorder that causes him to constantly want attention.

Though fairly uncommon, it expected to get attention following the motions.

Some estimates indicate that the disorder is said to affect no more than 2 percent or 3 percent of the population, according to Scott Bunce, associate professor of psychiatry and a clinician at the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute.

Bunce said it is reportedly more common in women since women afflicted with the odd behavior tend to seek help from therapists more often than men do.

According to Sandy Gordon, a licensed clinical social worker and owner of Capital Area Counseling Service in Wormleysburg, people with personality disorders are difficult to treat even if they seek help.

"We do not know exactly what causes histrionic personality disorder," Bunce said via the PennLive.com. "Most mental health professionals believe it's some combination of inherited factors and learned behavior. We don't really have the tools or the research to know the exact cause of it."

On Tuesday, Day 2 of the Sandusky trial, Mike McQuery took the witness stand and testified regarding the alleged shower incident.

The ex-PSU coach, whose testimony has long been viewed as integral from the prosecution's point of view, testified that he had seen Sandusky sexually assaulting a boy in a Penn State locker-room shower in 2001.

McQueary's testimony followed that of the compelling testimony from alleged Victim 1, who was first on the stand Tuesday.

McQueary thoroughly described what he saw and the actions he took on that day, including calling his father, John McQueary, for advice.

McQueary's initial reaction to call his father rather than stop the alleged assault and notify the police has been a recipient of numerous scrutiny.

McQueary is the only alleged witness to Sandusky committing a sexual act against a minor.

During cross-examination, McQueary's credibility was tested by the defense, but he stood firm and indicated that regardless of exact age, Sandusky was having sex with a minor.

On Day 3, Wednesday, the elder McQuery corroborated his son's testimony.

John McQuery, a CEO at Centre Medical Surgical Associates, indicated that he relayed the said story to former university official Gary Schultz during a business meeting in 2001.

McQueary said he told his son to tell his immediate supervisor about what he had seen.

Sandusky, 68, is standing trial on accusations of molesting young boys. He is charged with 52 counts of sexual offenses against 10 children over a 15-year span.

 

CBS News legal analyst Jack Ford talks to Charlie Rose and Erica Hill about the latest in the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse trial

 

 

Expert to Testify on Sandusky's Personality Disorder