What did Joe Paterno know,and when did he know it? New allegations have come to light that Penn State University's legendary football coach was told about sex abuse allegations against his former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, in 1976.
Sandusky was part of Paterno's coaching staff from 1969 to 1999.
The claims were made public when a Philadelphia court order was released Thursday.
The order said that Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association Insurance said that "in 1976, a child allegedly reported to PSU's Head Coach Joseph Paterno that he (the child) was sexually molested by Sandusky," NBC News reported.
There were two other claims that in 1987 and in 1988 other assistant coaches saw Sandusky and children in "inappropriate" or "sexual" conduct.
Another allegation, also in 1988, was taken to Penn State's athletic director.
The court order is part of a case currently being decided in which Penn State University hopes to get back the more than $60 million it has paid to settle almost 30 civil claims surrounding the Sandusky abuse case.
The court said that the university cannot claim insurance coverage for settlements on cases that stem from 1992 to 1999 because of "provisions in policies written in those years excluding claims of sexual abuse," The Patriot-News in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania reported.
Sandusky was convicted in 2012 for the sexual abuse of 10 boys between 1994 and 2008 and was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison. He is petitioning for a new trial.
Paterno died in January 2012.
His family said in reference to the new claims they want "a full public review of the facts," NBC News reported.
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