Paterno cancels press conference

Penn State football coach Joe Paterno canceled his weekly press conference on Tuesday to avoid meeting the media as the sex scandal surrounding former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky continued to swirl around him.

The university released this statement:

"Due to the ongoing legal circumstances centered around the recent allegations and charges, we have determined that today's press conference [by Paterno] cannot be held and will not be rescheduled."

Prosecutors said on Monday that Paterno was not a target of the ongoing inquiry, but they stopped short of offering similar assurance for other university officials.

Already, senior vice president Gary Schultz and athletic director Tim Curley stand accused of failing to alert police to complaints that former defensive coordinator Sandusky had sexually abused boys.

Both maintain their innocence.

Sandusky faces more than 40 counts covering 15 years. He has maintained his innocence and is free on $100,000 bail.

The grand jury said he assaulted boys sexually through his charity for at-risk youth, he Second Mile. Much of the abuse occurred at Penn State athletic facilities or during university-related events.