Update at 1:31 p.m. ET. Case Goes To Jury:
The Patriot-News, which is following the Sandusky case live, reports that the prosecution has delivered its closing arguments and the case has now been turned over the jury.
Our Original Post Continues:
Saying the evidence presented during the trial did not support the charges, Judge John Cleland decided to drop three counts against former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.
Two of them — involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and aggravated indecent assault — were related to Victim 4 and another charge was dismissed because the judge said it was a duplicate.
"Sandusky still faces 48 criminal counts involving 10 alleged victims," USA Today reports.
As we reported, the defense rested yesterday without calling Sandusky to the stand. This hour, jurors at the Centre County Courthouse, in Bellefonte, Pa. listened to closing arguments from the defense, which argued that the accusers and their lawyers were motivated by money.
"In his closing argument Thursday, [defense attorney] Joe Amendola said investigators determined Sandusky was a dangerous sex offender as far back as 2008, then coached his alleged victims to give accusatory statements.
"Amendola says there are no winners in this case. Even if Sandusky is acquitted, he says his client's life has already been destroyed, as have the reputations of many, including Joe Paterno."
The prosecution is set to present its arguments next and the judge is expected to turn the case over to the jurors.
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