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Spanier Attorney Slams Cynthia Baldwin in Statement

Graham Spanier’s attorney Elizabeth Ainslie slammed former Penn State general counsel Cynthia Baldwin in a statement yesterday, accusing her of flip-flopping to protect herself from prosecution.

The statement also included documentation, such a letter from Chief Deputy Attorney General Frank Fina, which proves that Baldwin reached out for an off-the-record conversation with the Attorney General’s Office. A document was also released which included positive remarks from Baldwin about Spanier to federal investigators about clearances for a national security consulting job. Baldwin reportedly said that Spanier was a “man of integrity” mere months before she told a grand jury that the former president was “not a person of integrity.

Much has been made about Baldwin’s role in this case so far. Spanier was under the impression that Baldwin was representing him when he testified before the grand jury investigating the Sandusky scandal, although Baldwin now maintains that she was only representing Penn State’s interests. Baldwin later testified herself and criticized Spanier and the other administrators. Many believe she violated attorney-client confidentiality, which has caused significant grief for the prosecution and those following the case.

Here’s the full statement:

“We are responding to the recent media pieces discussing Cynthia Baldwin’s testimony in the grand jury, in which she adopts conclusions suggested to her by the prosecutor to the effect that Dr. Spanier lied to her and a previous grand jury.

“First, Ms. Baldwin’s testimony is shamefully inaccurate.

“Second, Ms. Baldwin’s testimony is one-sided; it has not been tested by cross-examination. Dr. Spanier was not notified that she intended to testify. And when she did testify, his attorney was not permitted to cross-examine her. Cross-examination is the law’s best tool for testing a witness’s memory and truthfulness. Ms. Baldwin has so far managed to avoid cross examination. But that day is coming.

“Third, Ms. Baldwin’s testimony was, we believe, created in large part by her own fear of prosecution.

“In the spring of 2012, well after she listened to Dr. Spanier’s grand jury testimony, Ms. Baldwin told federal investigators that Dr. Spanier is a “man of integrity.” She said he was “very forthcoming and open” with the Penn State Board of Trustees. She spoke highly of his “current reliability, trustworthiness [and] good judgement.”

“Some months later, on October 19, 2012, Ms. Baldwin found herself on object of suspicion by the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office. She signed a “proffer letter,” a device the prosectors and criminal defense lawyers use to permit off-the-record statements by persons who are at risk of prosecution. Thus, after advising Ms. Baldwin’s lawyer, “your client may be prosecuted for any criminal involvement,” the prosecutor promised not to use against her in any prosecution, expect in limited circumstances, any statements Ms. Baldwin made in the off-the-record interview.

“We believe this chronology — showing Cynthia Baldwin’s remarkable flip-flop — speaks for itself.”

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About the Author

Kevin Horne

Kevin Horne was the editor of Onward State from 2012-2014 and currently holds the position of Managing Editor Emeritus, which is a fake title he made up. He graduated from Penn State with degrees journalism and political science in 2014 and is currently seeking his J.D. at the Penn State Dickinson School of Law. A third generation Penn Stater from Williamsport, Pa., Kevin is also the president of the graduate student government. Email: [email protected]

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