Senior Vice President for Finance and Business Gary Schultz’s assistant testified that she delivered her boss confidential documents about Jerry Sandusky after becoming aware that the former football coach was charged with sexually abusing young boys. At this point in November 2011, she also knew about the investigation surrounding Schultz but “just wanted to help him out.”

To receive Kimberly Belcher’s cooperation, the prosecution granted her immunity for removing documents and tampering with evidence. Belcher replaced Joan Coble in 2007 as Schultz’s top administrative assistant. Dauphin County Judge Todd Hoover approved the move.

She had worked in the vice president’s office for four years by the time charges were filed against Sandusky.

A president’s council meeting was called by President Graham Spanier on Saturday, November 5, 2011 – Belcher said she typically would not attend the meeting but Schultz requested her presence.  At that time, Belcher was not aware of Schultz’s confidential file on Sandusky or even who Sandusky was.

Although Spanier assured those in attendance that business would proceed as normal, Schultz did not return to work on Monday, November 7.

“Earlier in that week, Gary let me know he would not be returning back to work,” Belcher said. “We had to coordinate a time to get personal items out of the office.”

At this point, Belcher testified she was aware of the allegations against Sandusky. Although given no confirmation from her boss, Belcher said she realized that if Schultz had a file on Sandusky, it would be under lock and key in his bookcase.

“I wanted to be helpful,” Belcher said. “I thought (Schultz) should have those notes to look it.”

Upon looking at the Sandusky file in Schultz’s drawer, she saw handwritten and typed notes about the former assistant football coach’s inappropriate conduct with young boys.

Belcher made a copy and delivered both sets of the documents to Schultz’s home. Her intention was to only give him a photocopy of the documents, but she accidentally gave him the original. In turn, she said she panicked for not making “the right choices.”

“Once I realized I had the photocopy, I kept them. I was concerned at that point — the fact that the originals were gone,” Belcher said, adding that she did not tell anyone about delivering Schultz the documents until she met with the Freeh group in January 2012.

Belcher testified she was subpoenaed in April 2012 by the attorney general’s office.  The morning of her meeting, Schultz’s attorney Tom Farrell notified her he had turned over the original copies of the documents she provided his client to the attorney general’s office.

After Belcher’s testimony, the last witness of the day – Information Technology Services employee for Penn State John Corro – was called to the stand.

He testified his services were first requested in April 2011 and then again in November 2011. Corro was asked by Penn State’s general counsel Cynthia Baldwin to collect data in the form of emails from Schultz, Spanier, athletic director Tim Curley, assistant football coach Mike McQueary, and head football coach Joe Paterno.

He was told in turn to turn over emails found to the Freeh group, the attorney general’s office, and other investigators.

Nothing really noteworthy was said during his testimony, although it was interesting to hear that Schultz’s inbox had the largest amount of stored data and Spanier’s inbox was almost empty despite receiving hundreds of emails per day.

Court was adjourned at 4:28 p.m. and will resume tomorrow in Dauphin County at 9:00 a.m.