'Crazy' Sandusky Lawyer Remarks May Help Appeal

Jerry Sandusky's loose-lipped lawyer may have unwittingly given his client extra ammunition for an appeal, the New York Post reports. Convicted on 45 counts of child sexual abuse, Sandusky is facing up to 442 years in prison—but fellow defense attorneys say remarks by lawyer Joe Amendola were unconscionable. “That’s just crazy,” said veteran defense lawyer Douglas Burns. “A lawyer has got to keep his cards close to his vest and not make comments like that.”

The offending remarks: Amendola said he would "die of a heart attack" if Sandusky were acquitted on all counts, and later said he didn't "have any problem with the jury's verdict." What's more, Sandusky's defense clearly had little effect; one juror said the jury was "all on the same page." An "ineffective counsel" appeal is no ringer, however, with about a 60% chance of success, Burns said. (More Jerry Sandusky stories.)