BELLEFONTE — Jerry Sandusky’s effort to get his child molestation convictions thrown out ran into tough questioning Monday from a judge who voiced doubt about defense lawyers are entitled to question witnesses — including some of the former Penn State assistant football coach’s victims.

Judge John Cleland pressed Sandusky attorney Al Lindsay about whether there is sufficient basis for him to allow an evidentiary hearing now, nearly four years after a jury found Sandusky guilty of 45 sex-abuse counts.

Sandusky, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, took no active role in the hearing that lasted about an hour.

On his way into the courthouse, he told reporters to “read what has been written.”

The 72-year-old ex-coach is serving 30 to 60 years in state prison. He has maintained his innocence.

Cleland told Lindsay that hearings under the state’s Post-Conviction Relief Act can’t amount to fishing expeditions. The judge noted that a recent filing described some of the witnesses as hostile to the defense, so Lindsay doesn’t know for certain how they will testify.