This article is more than 8 years old

This article is more than 8 years old

Former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky has arrived at a Pennsylvania courthouse for the start of his child sex-abuse trial.

Sandusky arrived at the court in Bellefonte on Monday morning along with defense attorney Joe Amendola. He smiled briefly for cameras before walking inside.

A jury of seven women and five men is scheduled to hear opening statements, ending months of pretrial wrangling in the high-profile case that led to the firing of legendary late Penn State coach Joe Paterno. Many of the jurors have strong ties to the university.

Sandusky is charged with 52 criminal counts alleging he sexually abused 10 boys over a 15-year span. He has denied the allegations.

His lawyers and state prosecutors have been under a gag order for months, so their outline of the case to jurors Monday should reveal new details about an investigation that has taken several years.

The defence were not able to get the judge to delay the trial, and on Friday Judge John Cleland rejected their request to have some or all of the counts dismissed.

Many of the alleged victims are expected to take the stand for the prosecution, and their credibility in jurors' eyes could prove to be the decisive factor in determining the verdict.