BELLEFONTE, Pa. (AP) — A defamation lawsuit filed by Penn State's former president against former FBI director Louis Freeh (LOO'-ee free) has been thrown out.
Graham Spanier (SPAN'-yur) sued Freeh over a 2012 report he issued on Penn State's handling of the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal.
Freeh's lawyers said the lawsuit should be dismissed, citing Spanier's March child endangerment conviction.
Senior Judge Robert Eby issued his ruling Wednesday. He says lawyers for both sides agree the conviction bars Spanier from pursuing his civil claims.
Freeh concluded in his report Spanier, two other administrators and late football coach Joe Paterno hushed up the allegations against Sandusky for fear of bad publicity.