HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) – Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett is praising the decision at Penn State to hire former FBI director Louis Freeh to head up the university’s own investigation of the Jerry Sandusky scandal (see related story).

Governor Corbett says he believes Freeh will make sure Penn State’s probe of the scandal won’t conflict with the attorney general’s investigation.

“I think one of the reasons that somebody like Mr. Freeh was appointed is because he understands the role of the grand jury investigation, the role of the prosecutors, and will work well with the attorney general’s office and attorney general Linda Kelly so that that does not happen,” the governor told reporters today.

Appearing at the Pennsylvania Press Club in Harrisburg, the governor was peppered with more questions about why, as attorney general, he didn’t charge Jerry Sandusky sooner (see previous story).  One reason, he says, is that if he’d lost an initial case and brought more charges against Sandusky later, it would have been perceived as “vindictive.”

Reported by Harrisburg bureau chief Tony Romeo, KYW Newsradio 1060