Bellefonte, Pennsylvania (CNN) -- With the same decision announced on count after count -- guilty, guilty, guilty -- Jerry Sandusky's emphatic denials he had sexually abused boys for years became obsolete, closing a chapter in a saga that has gripped Penn State and the nation. After a three-week trial featuring emotional and often graphic testimony from eight of the former Penn State assistant football coach's victims, a 12-person jury late Friday night convicted him on 45 of 48 counts. There were convictions related to all 10 victims alleged by prosecutors, with the three not-guilty verdicts applying to three individuals. The verdict prompted people in central Pennsylvania to breathe a sigh of relief, believing a man many called a "monster" would pay the price for his crimes and their impact on his victims, as well as the Penn State community.
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NEW: "Hopefully, part of the healing process began" with the verdict, a Penn State fan says
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The ex-coach is guilty on 45 of 48 counts for sexually abusing boys over 15 years
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A juror says the witnesses were all very credible, jury was "on the same page"
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Sandusky has been placed on suicide watch, his attorney says
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Penn State
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And the fallout from the scandal is also far from over for @placeholder itself.