Penn State Removes Statue of Joe Paterno Outside Stadium

A statue of famed Penn State football coach Joe Paterno has been removed following the report that he knew Jerry Sandusky was being investigated for child sex abuse.

The NCAA levied a $60-million fine against Penn State, removed all of its recent football wins (1998-2011), and banned the college from the annual bowl games for four years following the scandal of the Jerry Sandusky trial, which revealed the sexual abuse of young boys and a cover-up.  

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Penn State removed a statue of former coach Joe Paterno prior to Monday's NCAA announcement. An internal investigation at Penn State found Paterno and other top university officials "concealed" what they knew of the allegations of abuse conducted by Jerry Sandusky.

The school's new president Rod Erickson ordered the removal of the 7-foot statue, calling it an "obstacle to healing."

Paterno's family reportedly visited the statue on Friday before its removal and issued a statement saying the action will not "help heal" the community. Paterno, who was fired in the wake of the scandal that erupted last fall died in January of cancer.