By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) — As promised, Pennsylvania’s new attorney general has announced the appointment of a special deputy to investigate the way the Jerry Sandusky probe was handled by her predecessors (see related story).

Attorney general Kathleen Kane, a Democrat, has appointed former federal prosecutor  Geoff Moulton to conduct the investigation.

Pennsylvania governor Tom Corbett, a Republican, was Pennsylvania’s attorney general when the Penn State child sex abuse coverup was first coming to light and was later criticized for taking too long to bring charges against Sandusky and others (see related story).

Dr. Bruce Antkiowiak, also a former federal prosecutor and now a law professor at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa., says that while it’s common for a new attorney general to review prior cases, it’s a rarity to have an outside investigator do it.

As to the value of that, Antkowiak says that remains to be seen.

“I think you’re really going to have to wait until this probe is over to assess whether or not the results of it are justifiable given what would be the expense,” Antkiowak tells KYW Newsradio.

Moulton, the man who will conduct the probe of the Sandusky case, is currently an associate professor at Widener University law school.  He spent eight years as a federal prosecutor, including four as first assistant US attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.