Pa. Judge to Hear Penn State Legal Defense Issue

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — A Pennsylvania judge is poised to hear from lawyers for three former Penn State administrators awaiting trial on charges they covered up child sex abuse allegations against former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.

Dauphin County Judge Todd Hoover has scheduled a pretrial hearing over four days, but it's not likely to last that long.

The main issue concerns the actions of Cynthia Baldwin, who was the university's top lawyer when she accompanied the defendants to grand jury appearances in 2011. Baldwin later testified against the three men, raising complaints she violated attorney-client privilege.

The defendants are former Penn State president Graham Spanier, former vice president Gary Schultz and former athletic director Tim Curley.

They're charged with perjury, obstruction and other offenses, and deny the allegations. A trial date hasn't been set.