Paterno Retains D.C. Attorney Amid Sandusky Sex-Abuse Investigation

Joe Paterno, the legendary Penn state coach canned for his implication in a child sex-abuse cover up, has hired a lawyer, according to a statement his son released Friday.

Paterno's son Scott said in a statement that J. Sedwick Sollers, a managing partner at King & Spalding in Washington, D.C., was retained. Sollers is a high-profile attorney who represented former President George H.W. Bush in the Iran-Contra affair.

Earlier on Friday, Scott Paterno denied reports that his father, who had coached at Penn State for 46 years and was known as JoePa, had contacted attorneys at the firm. The long-time Nittany Lions coach is not currently facing charges over the sex abuse scandal that has rocked Penn State.

Defensive Coordinator Faces 40 Counts

Paterno's former defensive coordinator, Jerry Sandusky, was arrested Saturday and charged with 40 counts of sexual abuse with eight boys over a 15-year period. Two college administrators were charged with perjury for lying to a grand jury.

He is absolutely distraught over what happened to the children and their families, Scott Paterno said in a statement. At this stage, however, he has no choice but to be patient and defer to the legal process. He cooperated fully with the grand jury and he will continue to cooperate with the investigation as we move forward.

My father's desire is for the truth to be uncovered and he will work with his lawyers to that end, Scott Paterno added.

Sollers will be answering questions and giving statements on Paterno's behalf, according to the statement.

Paterno was fired along with Penn State President Graham Spanier, one of the longest-serving college presidents in the U.S.

Authorities have said that Paterno and Spanier didn't do all that they could when the accusations against Sandusky molesting a 10-year-old in a locker room shower came to light.