STATE COLLEGE, Pa (Reuters) ? The Second Mile charity has agreed to freeze its assets to settle a lawsuit filed by a man identified only as Victim 4 in a sexual abuse indictment against a former Penn State football coach, the man's lawyers said on Friday.
The Second Mile charity to help troubled children was founded by assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, who is charged with molesting eight men when they were juveniles in a scandal that rocked the multimillion dollar world of college athletics.
The man identified as Victim 4 in the indictment filed the lawsuit last month in state court in Philadelphia to preserve Second Mile's assets. His lawyers, Ben Andreozzi and Jeffrey Fritz, said the charity has settled that suit.
They also said in a statement that the man planned to eventually file another lawsuit seeking damages "from the organizations and individuals responsible for the sexual assaults upon our clients."
Those clients include other accusers who have contacted the lawyers since the grand jury indicted Sandusky, a spokeswoman for the law firm said, declining further comment.
The Second Mile charity, through which Sandusky allegedly met his victims, has said it was considering three options for its future, one of which was closing. It recently told potential donors to give to another charity.
In settling the lawsuit, the Second Mile agreed to obtain court approval prior to the transfer of assets or closure, and to provide notice to the man. It also agreed to allow the man "to be heard by the court regarding the interest of victims and the distribution of assets."
In a statement issued after the settlement, Second Mile said: "The agreement reiterates the Second Mile's existing legal obligations; it does not include a finding of liability."
At the same time, Penn State's Board of Trustees formally dismissed legendary football coach Joe Paterno and President Graham Spanier, finalizing actions announced last month after Sandusky's indictment on 40 criminal counts.
The brief meeting of trustees made official the November 9 firings of Spanier and Paterno in the scandal. Paterno was head coach of the Nittany Lions, a college football powerhouse, for 46 years.
"I think today we wanted to make sure we crossed our 't's and dotted our 'i's," university spokesman Bill Mahon said.
Sandusky, a former defensive coordinator, was accused of sexually assaulting young boys over a 15-year period. If convicted, he faces life in prison. He has maintained his innocence.
A ninth accuser came forward this week to file a lawsuit against Sandusky, Penn State and The Second Mile.
The executive committee voted unanimously on the resolutions severing Paterno and Spanier from their positions, Mahon said. It also voted unanimously on a resolution to replace Spanier with Rodney Erickson.
Although technically fired, Spanier still holds a tenured position with the university. Mahon said he remains eligible to go on a one-year sabbatical and return to teach at Penn State following a hiatus.
Mahon could not say for certain if the same provision worked for Paterno.
(Additional reporting by Dave Warner; Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst, Jerry Norton, Barbara Goldberg and Greg McCune)
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