PA PA - Ray Gricar, 59, Bellefonte, 15 April 2005 - #9

[Hardymum]

It would be ridiculous to need a computer search for RG to find his way from State College to Lewisburg. Not only had he apparently gone there before and it was a favorite place to shop, but there are only two direct routes, each through a different long valley, (orgoing up to the Interstate and over, which is a longer route).

Either route would take less than an hour, Rt. 45 going through several small towns, some of which were speed traps, and up over a small mountain, the other through a long and wide valley with many Amish farms.

I should probably read up on this case as I hadn't heard about the computer searches.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Question, which computer searched route to Lewisburg, PA? His home computer or his work laptop?

If it was his home computer, which it probably was, as they were unable to get much off of the water-logged one, who had access to that computer and also smoked, and was not from the area???

His office computer. It was password protected.

They said Ray wouldn't have needed directions to drive to Lewisburg. Maybe the woman he met at the antique mall needed them and he e-mailed them to her (watching the "Disappeared" episode and they mentioned this search, but don't say if they tracked any e-mail messages). Were the directions from his home to Lewisburg or from another location to Lewisburg? It was shown very quickly, so I'm not sure.

Thanks

They have the e-mails from his office computer. Those are on his hard drive, and there would be a record with the ISP.

I think it was Bellefonte to Lewisburg.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

It would be ridiculous to need a computer search for RG to find his way from State College to Lewisburg. Not only had he apparently gone there before and it was a favorite place to shop, but there are only two direct routes, each through a different long valley, (orgoing up to the Interstate and over, which is a longer route).

Either route would take less than an hour, Rt. 45 going through several small towns, some of which were speed traps, and up over a small mountain, the other through a long and wide valley with many Amish farms.

I should probably read up on this case as I hadn't heard about the computer searches.

Which ones. The route to Lewisburg or how to destroy his laptop. The latter were on his home computer.

 

[Hardymum]

The route to Lewisburg. I remember reading about "how to destroy a laptop".

Even if it was from Bellefonte and not State College, I sincerely doubt he'd have needed to research the route, unless he was looking for some back roads...maybe the person who says she saw him that afternoon actually did, and he didn't leave till later after doing something else.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

The route to Lewisburg. I remember reading about "how to destroy a laptop".

Even if it was from Bellefonte and not State College, I sincerely doubt he'd have needed to research the route, unless he was looking for some back roads...maybe the person who says she saw him that afternoon actually did, and he didn't leave till later after doing something else.

These are directions:

Turn left to go to Centre Hall. Turn left at Centre Hall.

That 3:00 PM sighting had him in a different car and LE doesn't think it was him.

 

[BigCat]

Here's some more information I found about RFG and the prosecution or lack of prosecution of Penn State athletes.

Paterno dealing with more instability in Penn State program
Duluth News-Tribune (MN) - Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Author: ASSOCIATED PRESS: AP
There’s the sex talk and the booze talk and the gambling talk and the agents talk. And somehow, for some players, they don’t seem to do any good.

Leading into his biggest game so far this year — a prime-time television game at Nebraska on Saturday night — Penn State coach Joe Paterno had to answer questions Tuesday about more off-the-field incidents, this time involving a record-setting punter and a backup defensive lineman.

“Sometimes they drive me nuts,” Paterno said of his players. “Sometimes I think they’re great.”

Scott Paxson , who recorded Penn State’s only sack in last week’s 27-14 loss to Boston College, faces a preliminary hearing today on charges of criminal mischief and receiving stolen property. Police said they caught him riding a stolen bicycle.

And just hours after Jeremy Kapinos broke a freshman record by averaging 48.7 yards on six punts against Boston College — Penn State’s previous freshman record was 43.2 yards — he was charged with disorderly conduct and cited for underage drinking after university police responded to reports of a fight.

Both players remain on Penn State’s depth chart; Paterno wouldn’t say whether either would be held out of Saturday’s game for disciplinary reasons, although he said Paxson might not play for health reasons.

“I’m trying to be fair, that’s all I’ve got to do. You want me to say something now that I don’t know if I can say anything about,” Paterno said. “I’ve heard one side of the story. I’ve got to hear the other side of the story.”

Already it’s been a turbulent year:

* Just before practices began, Centre County (Pa.) District Attorney Ray Gricar announced he would not file charges against members of the football team in a fight that sent two Penn State wrestlers to the hospital. Gricar said neither the football players nor the wrestlers fully cooperated with the investigation.

* Nickel back Anwar Phillips was acquitted on sexual assault charges Aug. 26 and began practicing with the team just four days before Penn State’s opening game. Paterno was widely criticized for allowing Phillips to play in the Capital One Bowl last year after Phillips had been temporarily expelled.

* E.Z. Smith, one of just two veterans returning on the offensive line, was cited twice in one week this summer for underage drinking outside his on-campus apartment.

Apparently Scott Paxson was accused of rape in 2004 and RFG chose not to press charges. Madeira went ahead with case against Paxson in 2005. Paxson accepted a plea agreement following the sexual assault charges, pleading guilty to disorderly conduct, a citation that carried a $300 fine (oh by way, Paxon was represented by everyone's favorite attorney, Joe Amendola).

So RFG did not press charges against Sandusky, Paxson, and the athletes involved in the altercation between the football team and the wrestling team.

He did file charges against Anwar Phillips.

So far the decision to prosecute the Phillips case appears to be the anomaly and the decision not to prosecute Sandusky the norm.

Obviously I'm basing that statement on very limited info, the info I can find on the web. But, hey, this is the Websleuths forum.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Here's some more information I found about RFG and the prosecution or lack of prosecution of Penn State athletes.



Apparently Scott Paxson was accused of rape in 2004 and RFG chose not to press charges. Madeira went ahead with case against Paxson in 2005. Paxson accepted a plea agreement following the sexual assault charges, pleading guilty to disorderly conduct, a citation that carried a $300 fine (oh by way, Paxon was represented by everyone's favorite attorney, Joe Amendola).

The ADA basically had the greater charges dismissed because they were weak, much like that other case you cited. Under MTM, they had a few cases like that, where the case fell apart in court.

Here is a brief article, but the woman testified that she didn't say no: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bigten/2006-04-13-penn-state-paxson_x.htm

The main charge was tossed by the judge, and the prosecution's case was in shambles.

Amendola won some cases against RFG.

Obviously I'm basing that statement on very limited info, the info I can find on the web. But, hey, this is the Websleuths forum.

I do not have access to his whole record. The image that has been presented was that RFG didn't go easy on Penn State. The Phillips case would be an example. I wouldn't use the Paxon case as a counter example.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

CNN revealing some of the e-mails, it looks like they did not tell the police, but, to date, they do not refer to RFG.

(I'm breathing again.)

 

[quixote]

Part of a post from "nitlion60," on a Penn State football forum earlier today

Posted: Today 10:56 AM
Re: E-mails on CNN
As more and more information comes out, a clearer picture will develop. Whether we the alum, the public, the fan base are ever presented the truest and clearest picture is something I don't know.

A few things I do know.
1. The 1998 investigation, Penn State officals were continously nagging Gricar to not press charges.

I attempted to call out the poster in the same thread and via a PM, asking them to explain how exactly they "knew" this information, but thus far, no reply. The inherent problem with forums is that anybody can toss anything out there and then remain quiet upon questioning. I don't anticipate any meaningful information or knowledge coming from that post.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Part of a post from "nitlion60," on a Penn State football forum earlier today

Posted: Today 10:56 AM
Re: E-mails on CNN
As more and more information comes out, a clearer picture will develop. Whether we the alum, the public, the fan base are ever presented the truest and clearest picture is something I don't know.

A few things I do know.
1. The 1998 investigation, Penn State officals were continously nagging Gricar to not press charges.

I attempted to call out the poster in the same thread and via a PM, asking them to explain how exactly they "knew" this information, but thus far, no reply. The inherent problem with forums is that anybody can toss anything out there and then remain quiet upon questioning. I don't anticipate any meaningful information or knowledge coming from that post.

If there is actual evidence, that would be very troubling.

The idea that RFG caved into pressure from Penn State is not the worst explanation, but it is far from the best. I hope a more innocent explanation is forthcoming; a colossal collapse of judgment, just an honest mistake (which can happen), is more innocent.

 

[cj327]

So, when the board of trustees demanded the resignation of Spanier in November, they had the information in the emails that we are now learning about on CNN?

I had sort of assumed that they knew a lot that the public didn't, to make a move like that.

 

[BigCat]

CNN revealing some of the e-mails, it looks like they did not tell the police, but, to date, they do not refer to RFG.

(I'm breathing again.)

Tom Harmon testified that if he were notified of the incident, he would have reported it immediately to the AG.

In the email, from what I can gather, Schultz recommended that they report the incident to Child Welfare and the Second Mile and then sit down with Sandusky and talk to him directly.

It would appear they were avoiding RFG, based on those snippets.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Tom Harmon testified that if he were notified of the incident, he would have reported it immediately to the AG.

In the email, from what I can gather, Schultz recommended that they report the incident to Child Welfare and the Second Mile and then sit down with Sandusky and talk to him directly.

It would appear they were avoiding RFG, based on those snippets.

Well, RFG wasn't brought up.

Actually, I think that once the report was turned over to LE, LE would inform the DA's Office. Contacting DPW might have triggered that as well.

 

[quixote]

I suspect there is zero evidence. When someone makes a comment like that, then fails to respond to follow-up inquiries, well, it says a lot about the poster and their credibility.

If there is actual evidence, that would be very troubling.

The idea that RFG caved into pressure from Penn State is not the worst explanation, but it is far from the best. I hope a more innocent explanation is forthcoming; a colossal collapse of judgment, just an honest mistake (which can happen), is more innocent.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

I suspect there is zero evidence. When someone makes a comment like that, then fails to respond to follow-up inquiries, well, it says a lot about the poster and their credibility.

There may be, but we've seen developments like this before that turn out to be partly accurate.

 

[BigCat]

I suspect there is zero evidence. When someone makes a comment like that, then fails to respond to follow-up inquiries, well, it says a lot about the poster and their credibility.

There is a poster on a PSU message board I frequent who claims to be Anthony Lubrano, a member of the PSU Board of Trustees. He made the following post three days ago:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I have some hypothetical questions for all of you. What if, on a very high level, Joe was aware in 98 of the JS investigation? Furthermore, what if JVP initiated JS's separation months before the 98 investigation began, thus confirming that his decision had nothing to do with the investigation? What if Spanier, Schultz and Curley conferred with legal counsel in 2001 as well as with JVP before deciding on a plan of action? I'd like to know your knee-jerk reactions to these hypothetical situations.6/27 10:36 PM | IP: Logged

His post does appear to anticipate the information we learned last night with the release of the email snippets. Still, I find it hard to believe PSU BOT members are posting on internet message boards, but not much would surprise me at this point. I certainly wouldn't be shocked to learn someone at Penn State was "nagging" RFG not to press charges.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

There is a poster on a PSU message board I frequent who claims to be Anthony Lubrano, a member of the PSU Board of Trustees.
His post does appear to anticipate the information we learned last night with the release of the email snippets. Still, I find it hard to believe PSU BOT members are posting on internet message boards, but not much would surprise me at this point. I certainly wouldn't be shocked to learn someone at Penn State was "nagging" RFG not to press charges.

I would not find it difficult to believe that a member-elect of the BOT was posting on a message board.

I also would not be surprised if the people involved in the 1998 incident felt that nothing should be done, but that Sandusky should get some "help."

 

[quixote]

FWIW, the poster in question is in fact Lubrano. I know a decent amount about the man, and his ego is huge, and he's something of a loose cannon. His money bought his way into the life of Joe Paterno, and he seems to now be on a mission to "save" Paterno's reputation. Perhaps he can accomplish something good, even if his reasons are flawed.

 

[and nothing but]

....IF it is proven that Curley and/or Schultz and/or Spanier and/or Paterno and/or others purposely kept law enforcement and/or Ray Gricar in the dark and out of the loop about what Mike McQueary witnessed in the showers in 2001, will the percentages change dramatically about whether Ray Gricar's "disappearance" was foul play or walkaway??

 

[J. J. in Phila]

....IF it is proven that Curley and/or Schultz and/or Spanier and/or Paterno and/or others purposely kept law enforcement and/or Ray Gricar in the dark and out of the loop about what Mike McQueary witnessed in the showers in 2001, will the percentages change dramatically about whether Ray Gricar's "disappearance" was foul play or walkaway??

No, it wouldn't.

If RFG was part of a coverup, and that is a big if, it might lower the odds on suicide a bit and possibly increase walkaway slightly.