DENVER (CO)
Catholic News Agency
November 9, 2020
Members of the Australian media are on trial this week for charges of violating a gag order issued during the trial of Cardinal George Pell, whose 2018 conviction for sexual abuse of minors was overturned last spring.
In total, 18 media personnel as well as 12 media organizations could face punitive measures including prison sentences or fines if found guilty by the Supreme Court of the state of Victoria, according to the AP.
The County Court of Victoria imposed a sweeping injunction against media coverage of Pell’s trial in June 2018, suppressing news of the legal proceedings at the request of the prosecution. The first trial proceeded to a deadlock in the early autumn of 2018, and a five week retrial convicted Pell in December 2018.
Pell was sentenced to six years in prison, and served 13 months before his conviction was overturned and he was released in April 2020.
The controversial media gag order had applied to all states and territories of Australia as well as any media format accessible within Australia.
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