McClatchy Washington Bureau

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Matt Sandusky, the youngest adopted son of Jerry Sandusky, is saying through his attorneys that the former Penn State coach abused him.

The confirmation from State College attorneys Andrew Shubin and Justine Andronici came Thursday after Matt Sandusky, 33, was going to testify as a witness for the prosecution against his adopted father.

“Matt Sandusky, one of Jerry Sandusky’s adopted children, asked us to confirm with you the accuracy of (Thursday’s) news reports indicating that he was prepared to testify truthfully as a commonwealth witness,” Shubin and Andronici said in their statement.

“During the trial, Matt Sandusky contacted us and requested our advice and assistance in arranging a meeting with prosecutors to disclose for the first time in this case that he is a victim of Jerry Sandusky’s abuse. At Matt’s request, we immediately arranged a meeting between him and the prosecutors and investigators.

This has been an extremely painful experience for Matt and he has asked us to convey his request that the media respect his privacy. There will be no further comment at this time.”

Citing unnamed sources “close to the case,” NBC’s “Today” show reported Thursday that prosecutors warned Jerry Sandusky’s defense team that if the defendant took the stand, prosecutors would call Matt Sandusky as a rebuttal witness.

According to the sources, Matt Sandusky contacted prosecutors after the trial began with “damaging testimony” about his father’s behavior.

Jerry Sandusky did not testify, and Matt Sandusky left the courthouse accompanied by state troopers.

Matt Sandusky’s name came up during testimony from alleged victim No. 4, a 28-year-old man who testified he accompanied the two Sanduskys for a workout and then a shower afterward.

The witness testified that when Jerry Sandusky started a soap battle with him, Matt Sandusky walked away. He said Matt Sandusky looked “nervous.”

NBC said a “source close to the defense” maintained that there was not a single factor that led to Jerry Sandusky’s not testifying.

After Matt Sandusky burned down a barn in the Bellefonte area in 1995, he was placed in foster care and went to live with the Sandusky family.

Matt Sandusky’s biological brother is Ron Heichel, who is serving a life sentence for murder for shooting a Centre Hall man, Sam Boob, in 2009.

Matt Sandusky’s ex-wife, Jill Jones, asked a Centre County judge late last year to keep Jerry Sandusky away from her three children.