Monday, April 6, 2020

Pell to Go Free -- Conviction Overturned

[smh] Cardinal George Pell will be freed from jail after the High Court overturned his conviction for historic child sex offences.
The stunning High Court intervention in Australia’s most contentious case of alleged clerical abuse will reverberate from Canberra to the Vatican and among abuse survivors in Melbourne and Ballarat.
It will also trigger a searing examination of how Victoria’s criminal justice system allowed the case against Cardinal Pell to proceed so far on evidence which, according to the unanimous view of all seven High Court judges, could not support a guilty verdict.
"The jury, acting rationally on the whole of the evidence, ought to have entertained a doubt as to the applicant's guilt with respect to each of the offences for which he was convicted,'' the court said in a summary judgment published on Tuesday morning.

https://www.smh.com.au/national/pell-to-walk-free-after-high-court-overturns-conviction-20200407-p54hqe.html

AMDG

16 comments:

Ana Milan said...

The light shineth in the darkness & the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:5.

With all our Churches closed due to the coronavirus panic, this news breaks the darkness within our souls that longs for the Truth in all things. Let the Vatican take note & be very wary of continuing down the path they have taken. Their lack of support for Cardinal Pell stands out against the protection they have given to former Cardinal McCarrick who has, so far, avoided any criminal charge & is being allowed to live his life in the luxury he always has done

Matthew F Kluk said...

Ana Milan thank you! Very well put and succinctly put!

JBQ said...

@Ana Milan: Nice statement especially about standing behind McCarrick and throwing Pell to the wolves.

Peter Phillips said...
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Anonymous said...

I agree with Ana and those who commented after. Ana could not have said it better. The comment covers everything and everybody, both those who love and respect Cardinal Pell and support him, and those who reviled him, or turned their back on him in deafening silence. The one who should have supported him the most did nothing. Even today, in his comments, Cardinal Pell's name never crossed his lips. And from the Vatican, no ringing support.
Good people who always believed in Cardinal Pell will long remember those who should have stood with him in his hour of need, but instead were no where to be found.

Damian Malliapalli

Anonymous said...

Make no mistake, the radical liberals in the Vatican and elsewhere were hoping for a different conclusion. That's why there's been no outpouring of support for the Cardinal.

Damian Malliapalli

Tancred said...

It seems like most people offering their opinion don't know much about Pell's history of enabling sodomy or the credible accusations and destroyed lives of his many credible and alleged victims.

Peter Phillips said...
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Peter Phillips said...
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Newcastle said...

Tancred ... leaving comments like these might make you feel that you are defending victims, but all you are doing is following the narrative that has been created by others. And these others are the disaffected and the haters of Religion, the lawyers who make money from increasing the misery of actual victims by prolonging their public suffering. You have no special insight which others do not, you just pretend you do. Which is why your comments are ungodly and calumnious.

Tancred said...

"You have no special insight"

That's where you're wrong. In contrast to some, I've actually been following Pell since the 90s and I've also actually listened to the alleged victims.

I remember when trads were going after Pell in the 90s for good reason, and considering the testimony from his alleged victims and witnesses, I find more on the side of his guilt than his innocence.

I'm just following the facts, Newcastle.

Of course, there is a narrative being played by the usual suspects, but that doesn't mean that they are wrong about Pell's guilt.

Mick Jagger Gathers No Mosque said...

Dear Tancred. For those of us who have not followed his career and are ignorant about the matters of which you speak, could you just do a quick summary for us?

Thank you

Mick Jagger Gathers No Mosque said...

Dear Tancred. Just read a prior post where you posted links to the accusations of others. Disgusting and perverted actions that don't read as though the guy made up the events he reported

Tancred said...

Dear ABS, nobody would like for Card. Pell to be innocent of these charges more than I, but I don't buy it.

Mick Jagger Gathers No Mosque said...

Dear Tancred. Have you, or any other man you know, done what Pell has done in a shower before young men?

The accusations, no matter from how long ago, seem credible.

Tancred said...

Dear ABS, Les Tyack's testimony in addition to the emotional testimonies of some of the middle aged men, who were once boys, who were then subject to Card. Pell's attentions, was what I found really compelling.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2016/jul/28/george-pell-exposed-himself-to-young-boys-at-surf-club-says-victorian-man