=== Sandusky judge says no to 2-month delay ===
 
 Bellefonte,  PA  (Sports Network) -  A request  by Jerry Sandusky's defense to
 delay  the start of his child-sex abuse trial by two months has been denied by
 the judge overseeing the case.
 
 Sandusky's defense sought to delay jury selection in the trial -- scheduled to
 begin on May 14 -- until mid-July.
 
 But Judge John M. Cleland denied the request despite it going unopposed by the
 commonwealth.
 
 He  wrote that "postponement of a trial should be the last resort, and granted
 only  after all  other attempts to remedy  the impediments to the conduct of a
 prompt trial have been exhausted."
 
 The  trial date was  set in January and the court has worked backwards from it
 to  establish  other scheduling deadlines. The  defense sought a delay to have
 more time to locate and interview witnesses, issue subpoenas, hire experts and
 accommodate witnesses who won't be available to testify in May.
 
 But Cleland said there is no assurance that delaying the trial will only raise
 other issues that would require further postponements.
 
 "Delay has a way of begetting delay," he wrote.
 
 Sandusky,  the former  Penn State  defensive coordinator,  is charged  with 52
 counts  of felony  and misdemeanor  sexual offenses  against children.  He has
 denied the charges.
 
 Cleland  granted  a request  by the defense  for more time  to file an omnibus
 pretrial motion that was due Thursday. The defense will have until March 22.
 
 
 02/29 17:56:16 ET