Allegations against defense in Penn State case

LESTER HOLT, anchor: Tonight former Penn State coach Joe Paterno is in a Pennsylvania hospital after falling and breaking his pelvis for the second time. Paterno is not expected to need surgery. Meantime, there are new questions tonight in the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse case about what a key prosecution witness heard and saw. NBC 's Jay Gray has our report.

JAY GRAY reporting: Tonight, explosive new allegations in the Penn State child sex abuse scandal, this time from the defense.

Mr. JOE AMENDOLA: It seems that all of these now young men are following a similar pattern.

GRAY: Attorney Joe Amendola telling NBC News he's exploring when, how often, and under what circumstances accusers may have been in contact with each other prior to and after criminal charges were filed in the case.

Mr. AMENDOLA: Is it possible that all of them have reacted the same way to the abuse by staying in touch with Jerry and maintaining contacts with him? I find that kind of strange. And what it might smack of is some sort of collusion.

GRAY: Ben Andreozzi , the attorney for alleged Victim #4, responded to the idea of collusion, telling NBC News , quote, "They're trying to raise any sort of doubt and throw up a smoke screen. ... I can't speak for everyone, but I can speak for my client, Victim #4, and to suggest he is colluding is preposterous." There are also new questions tonight about another key witness in the case. Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary has said he told investigators he saw Sandusky sodomizing a young boy in a shower at the university athletic facility, then that night rushed home to tell his father and a family friend. To this point, he's refused to discuss the alleged incident in public.

Mr. MIKE McQUEARY: That'll all come out. I just don't have anything to say about that right now. And at some time there'll be something said, but not right now. I'm sorry.

GRAY: But in a report in today's Patriot News , a source with knowledge of the grand jury investigation says that family friend told the grand jury he asked McQueary three times if he saw anything sexual, and three times McQueary said no. McQueary has long been considered a vital part of the state's case and is expected to testify in a preliminary hearing on Tuesday. It's a hearing that's getting a lot of attention and not only from those of us in the media. Almost 1400 people entered a public lottery for the 100 seats available in the courtroom on Tuesday. Let's get back to Joe Paterno for just a moment now. We are told tonight the legendary coach is resting well and expected to make a full recovery after his

fall. Lester: All right, Jay , thank you.

HOLT: