SEATTLE (WA)
Ending Clergy Abuse
April 7, 2020
Setback, they say, cannot deter path forward.
Survivors around the world today are reacting with dismay and confusion over the Australian High Court’s reversal of the conviction of Cardinal George Pell for child sexual assault. Although the court said it was not ruling on the guilt or innocence of Pell it effectively did just that, annulling a guilty verdict by a jury, which was upheld by a majority appeals court decision. It seems as if the high court made the extraordinary decision to re-try the case on their own, although Pell was given the absolute fullest latitude of the law and was represented by a competent and very expensive defense team. No new or suppressed evidence was brought to the court; prosecutorial misconduct was not alleged; the defense did not charge an atmosphere of bias.
The jury heard the prosecutor’s case as well as the defense. The victim was thoroughly cross-examined, witnesses for the defense were heard, thorough arguments were made for both sides. How the court could know that the jury did not properly consider all the evidence in their deliberations is utterly mystifying and could send a chilling message to child abuse victims not to come forward because they will never receive justice even with a guilty verdict.
Survivors and justice officials in Australia and elsewhere must work together to assure that this will not be the result of this decision. Survivors have made enormous and historic strides over the past decades breaking down barriers to justice not only for clergy abuse victims but for sexual abuse victims everywhere. After this verdict, this effort is needed more than ever, because the safety of so many children depends upon it.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.