Rule of law 'was not extended' to George Pell
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- Опубликовано: 7 апр 2020
- The High Court's unanimous judgement quashing George Pell's child sexual assault conviction shows how "shoddy" work by both the police and the Victorian Court of Appeal was, according to Jesuit priest Father Frank Brennan.
George Pell was convicted in 2018 of assaulting two boys in the 1990s, a decision that was upheld in the Victorian Court of Appeal in 2019.
On Tuesday, however, the High Court overturned the Victorian Court of Appeal's decision ensuring Cardinal Pell could walk free after being incarcerated for 404 days.
Father Brennan told Sky News whether you "like or loathe" Cardinal Pell, the rule of law must be applied consistently in Australia.
"That's what the rule of law is all about," he said.
"It's about living in a country where you can proudly say; it doesn't matter whether you are Cardinal Pell, it doesn't matter whether you are an Aboriginal person in outback Burke, whoever you are, that you get justice according to law.
"We have breached that principle very fundamentally in this case until we got to the High Court of Australia.
"So I say all praise to the highest court in the land and I think the behaviour of the senior judiciary, of the director of public prosecutions and of the deputy police commissioner of Victoria I think it's been absolutely below par."
Brilliant interview where the interviewer just allowed the interviewee to answer the questions. How refreshing.
Thank you Fr Brennan your thoughts... superb and unbiased. Blessings
It looks like Mr. J lied it was a patsy.
@@wolfthequarrelsome504 , ruclips.net/video/ZULqryNKpME/видео.html
Mark Weinberg’s judgement as written in his dissenting judgement was so clear that one wonders what the other two judges were thinking.
They were either blinded by the feeling of hatred for Pell or too stupid to weigh up actual facts and evidence. Either way they need to resign.
They were biased.
Or maybe - just maybe - they were thinking of the two little boys whose lives were ruined. Maybe they believed what they said happened to them. It's somemthing none of Pell's Christian defenders thought or cared about. The Devil must be the culprit. Of course. That should satisfy everybody.
I can now accept that I was swayed by misinformation or public opinion. This was wrong.
Heather M goodon ya but don’t listen to the media they are all rating hungry fakes
Congratulations I think your bullshit detector just leveled up 10 points.
It takes a big person to admit that.. Thank you.
When Pell was first to go to trial just about every youtube comment showed hatred for Pell. And if you tried to say anything in favor of Pell you would be called a pedophile. If that was a cross section of society then it is no surprise that a random picked jury would find him guilty. But ever so slowly Andrew Bolt and others managed to get some logic presented and now it seems the comments are over 50% in favor of Pell
Heather why didn't you work this out earlier? You need to start praying or meditating pronto. (or if you already meditate increase your daily practice!) You need to raise your vibration or you'll fall into the many lies of the mainstream media!
I am not religious but what an injustice.....Thankfully the mistake was found......
The Left after Pell's original guilty verdict: believe the court!
The Left after Pell's High Court acquittal: don't believe the court!
Exactly what i thought.
@@zacfleming4608 its just that the right had the evidence to back them up, the left merely had hearsay
@@playasurf1000 Classic right wing mindset. Views the alleged victims evidence as hearsay.
Very typical of the right. Views all victims as liars, hell y'all even deny climate change, for perhaps the illogical reason.
Brennan writes academic articles pushing the left's favorite pet --- the open borders in Australia agenda. I had to read one for Uni... it was so obvious that he is right into handing this country to the globalists.
For those whom think Pell is "guilty" automatically because he is a Catholic Clergy, let's remember its Evidence that convicts Rightly, not accusation. I know it doesn't always work as it should. Without evidence, no one "should be" convicted of anything. The alternative is, 'Everyone can be convicted', without witness's and /or evidence, just on accusation alone Just imagine if you are falsely accused of a serious crime-wouldn't you demand to see the evidence?
@harvey blackton I absolutely agree!!!!
m.betootaadvocate.com/uncategorized/andrew-bolt-why-milat-was-wrongly-convicted-after-an-appalling-leftist-smear-campaign/
@camo man "Evidence" ... ? If you feel anyone should be convicted on no evidence, then you my friend are just as vulnerable as anyone else to 'accusations without confirmation of proof'-If it were you accused of something, would you just quietly go to prison, without objection and sit in a cell, knowing you were innocent?
Next question I have is, do you have concrete evidence that Pell was "specifically appointed to bribe and cover up all their crimes"? IF you have that documentation, will you bring charges against "Them"?
Aks
No. Nobody would choose to put themselves through years of court hearings, detailing sexual abuse just for attention or even money!
Facts Uncensored based on what fact? He said........ no pal you are out of line here big time and just a stooge for fake media.
What a disgraceful job by police. They went after Pell.
"There are none so blind as those who will not see"
The accuser should now face charges and heads should roll.
@@freddyferret2313 It's a perverse system where a person can falsely accuse another with the potential to win huge sums of cash but no recourse if the accusation is false. The system essentially encourages false accusations.
@@inspectahfragile9507 It was not a false accusation. At committal it was found that there was a "Prima Facie" evidence to say that the matter be indicted. At the High Court it was found there was not sufficient evidence to prove BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT Pell was not exonerated or found innocent he was merely acquitted. The evidence that was given still stands but there is a reasonable doubt that's all. He was however found guilty by trial of his peers and that determination was upheld by the Victorian Supreme Court.
@@freddyferret2313 And the Lord said "Retribution shall be mine"
Pell is entitled large amounts of money for his unjust jailing!
@@alanahroberts9916 you despicable hater! What a disgusting comment.
@Stuart McLeod you sick hater
Pell gets enough free ‘hand’ jobs. What makes him so special. He failed to stop other Priests from hurting children.
@@joelvanb1 go after those priests or prosecute him for THOSE crimes. no need for fake stories from lairs.
The Victorian Justice system people involved in this case, including the Vic police commissioner should all be sacked and charged with fraud and corruption..
The DPP are the villains here. Extremely unprincipled unconscionable behaviour, principle, integrity and process makes us civilised and none of that occurred here
@@oldman2800 I have heard that the Aussie police were extremely corrupt not so long ago - 70s 80s 90s and even past then. This shows there is still some acceptance, even in even higher positions, for poor quality work; really not good, echoes of the past. Feel bad for victims, taxpayers, and perhaps, a wrongly accused man.
Yes!!!!
I don't know and additionally, what measures there are in place when you get absolute incompetence at best, or cynical corruption at worst from the judges Ferguson and Maxwell. I would never call for their sacking simply because the independence of the judiciary is too sacred in Australian democracy
I can't agree more
@@oldman2800 Exactly the entire point of having the DPP is not only to prosecute but to review the merits of the cases the police bring before them and make sure things are on the up and up.
Instead the DPP went out of it's way to try and strengthen a weak case by creating narratives which weren't based on evidence. The prosecution wasn't just incompetent it was malicious and used to surrounding political climate involving systemic problems with sexual abuse within the church in order to secure a conviction.
I would like to see Cardinal Pell sue the Justice Department for a miscarriage of justice which meant that he spent almost 18 MONTHS in solitary confinement, disallowed from saying Mass in his cell, and under extremely strict conditions. This decree has not only ruined a brilliant career but also made life incredibly dangerous for him in Australia from now on, even though he is INNOCENT.
Francesca Gilbert he will be pope soon
Public Prosecutions, Kerri Judd needs to step down
....she needs to be charged.
how much did this all cost
Agree, she’s a joke
@@snuggles03 What is a joke is that men can commit perverse crimes and although not found to be innocent essentially get away with their crimes by being acquitted. Kerri Judd needs to explain why the prosecution went to trial with such obvious reasonable doubt being present and was covered covered off with evidence.
all implicated in this disgraceful miscarriage of justice should step down and be charged
When people state they are not guilty after being found that way through the courts, people are very quick to state: no, you are convicted, therefore you are guilty.
Now when someone is found not guilty, you all want to claim he’s guilty as well!
You can’t have it both ways. He’s innocent, he’s ‘not guilty’.
Donald Duck
He is Guilty!!!!
@@factsuncensored8168 If you know he's guilty,you must have evidence of his guilt that's unseen by others, coz the fact they set him free shows they don't know he's guilty. So the question is,why haven't you presented your evidence of his guilt before now? And if you don't have evidence showing he's guilty,you don't know he is-in which case it's wrong to come on here saying he's guilty.
das wright I’m sure the false accuser will be
@das wright he has been figuratively burnt at the stake and your comments prove so.
@@PInk77W1
What a thing to say. It has been known many years back about Pell. Some girls too. Got be truth in it some where.
He might not be guilty in this case. At the least he knew the pedophilia. And what was going on. And just moved them on.
Victoria justice system brings home what a KANGOROO COURT IS . SHAMEFUL
Good one.
There is an assumption of INNOCENCE that does not need to be written into rulings. Law is a test of guilt only. Innocence is our natural state until proven guilty.
how much did all this cost ,,,,,,,,,,, the tax payer ........
And a verdict of 'not guilty' carries an entitlement to presumption of innocence
the sceptic with the high courts judgment of not guilty, the crown utterly failed to discharge its onus of proof, so absolutely Pell cannot be said to be anything but innocent
@Magic Cookie Church the False Relgion and you're an expert on such matters
@Magic Cookie Church the False Relgion if you really are some liberal that hates religion why are you thing to say "ban" a church. That's banning free speech and free thinking. You have become what you hate -sincerely, an atheist that thinks you're fing ridiculous
Ft Brennan, well spoken and thoughtful. Thankyou.
Shame on the 2 trial judges They will hv to account for their unjust conduct when their day comes
They should and must be held accountable now.
I think all religion is madness but justice, principle and the integrity of process makes us civilised
@@oldman2800 this is a great comment but labelling ALL religion madness is just unfair. There are some seriously logical and wonderful ones. There are enough sects in Buddhism to match any mindset or personality, take your pick. The storytelling in Hinduisim is second to none, great fun. It's the big 3 Abrahamic religions that suck. Don't let them taint spirituality for you, it's just weak to let them continue to control your mindset even in a negative fashion.
Fansy Bonez Christianity doesn’t suck. Christ’s message of peace and salvation is wonderful.
They were two of the three appeal judges.
Agreed...those pigs will suffer the 'event horizon' images X 1000...
This couldn't have been said in any better way 👏👏👏
I remember years ago I prayed for Cardinal Pell and the Church. I feel that my prayer is answered.
Why would you pray for a paedophile?
Matt Blaise just a little hunch I have from several people saying that he abused them and him living with ridsdale and turning up to court with him. He also did everything he could to fight victims. You believe what you want if it suits your worldview. I’ll believe the obvious. And how do you know that he didn’t? Oh because Catholic priests aren’t known for raping children, are they?
His Eminence, and the Church, were unlawfully persecuted in the most hateful manner by police.
He is as crooked as the Vatican he works for!
@Michelle Michelle The release of George Pell from prison and headlines proclaiming his innocence has once again put the church in the spotlight on its morality. As abuse is a crime often against children and the vulnerable, who can only come forward after many years if not decades (which is why there is no statute of limitations on child sex offences) after the abuse has been committed, should a court expect to hear evidence that requires beyond all reasonable doubt as with other crimes to get a conviction, especially as these crimes are perpetrated in secret?
As a person who was instrumental in the cover up of previous child abuse and denial of justice sought by victims in Australia, it is no doubt that he would be the master at covering up his own. The practice of paedophilia and homosexuality in the church is not new. The Catholic World Report website notes the 11th century Peter Damon’s eye witness accounts of the rampant paedophilia and homosexuality in the high places with in the church.
www.catholicworldreport.com/2019/02/21/st-peter-damians-battle-against-clerical-homosexuality-offers-useful-lessons-for-today/ .
With such a culture dating back at least 1000 years, is it any wonder that the church today has so many allegations of paedophilia and homosexuality. According to the book “In the Closet of the Vatican”, it suggests that as many as four in five priests in the Vatican are gay.
www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/12/four-in-five-vatican-priests-are-gay-book-claims
www.thetablet.co.uk/news/11356/explosive-new-book-lifts-lid-on-gay-priests-in-the-vatican
“In the Closet” claims that Pope Francis has sought to break up this pattern of behavior by repeatedly condemning priests living a “double life”. At the same time, author Frederic Martel argues that in doing so he has made the Church an unstable structure for closeted gay clergy, which in turn purportedly explains some of the opposition that Francis is facing from inside the Church.
3 things you can’t hide the sun ☀️ the moon 🌓 and the Truth Amen 🙏
I am proud to say I am one who wrote to him--twice. He has been a wonderful witness to his Savior who set the example for sufferers of injustice.
The Victorian Court of Appeal was smacked down and shat upon by the High Court's 7-0 decision against it, in effect marking it down as grossly incompetent in matters of criminal law. Where are the resignations?
There is no rule of law in Australia.
What ever your position or opinion the fact is the victorian police investigators and the office of public prosecutions skewed the procedures of prosecution. Which lead to a an almost guaranteed prosecution outcome that was to be found guilty. Witnesses for Pell were only able to give evidence in the during the appeals. The High Court bench got it right unanimously that the victorian justice system in its zeal to get a prosecution bent or broke the rules to a unjust extreme.
I’d go further and look at the relationship between the Danial Andrew’s government and the Victorian Police on this case - Andrew’s post acquittal comments are deeply concerning - we need a Royal Commission onto this !
all states do anything they can to get a conviction on sex offences. not just a victorian issue. needs a royal commission into they handling and the requirements of any sex offence case. i know of a case in qld where evidence went missing while in the hands of the police. was photos that proved the mans innocence
If Chairman Dan Andrews made Victoriastan a state under the CCP they could ensure that over 99% of cases are just rubber stamped by the courts as defendant guilty and given maximum sentences. Then he'd just have to find a way to stop the Federal High Court from running interference and giving justice to Victorians, like they did in this case
Forgive me father for I have sinned in doubting you throughout the trial.
It was very hard not to doubt. But we were not privy to the whole process. He did lose his presumption of innocence on conviction. Most people don't understand the complete appeals process, so you re previous opinion was reasonably held.
I sincerely hope that some jobs are lost over this. What a disgrace!
I doubt it like it or not they will point fingers and cover it up like they usually do.
Brilliant interview.
Whenever I have heard father Frank Brennan speak it always struck me how fairly he would judge a situation or a person.
Lovely news, absolutely soul lifting to see a fellow human being freed off false charges.
Duarua Tolu exactly.
The who,e thing was a total disgrace! I care neither for the Catholic Church nor for the unappealing George Pell - but his sentencing has shaken the nation’s faith in our judicial system! The two judges who gave the High Court judgment against Pell were unbelievably naive as well as wrong. I hope they have been sacked! The case against Pell should never have gone to court in the first place! I do NOT feel for the complainant. I think he is a liar. The police obviously thought it good fun to bring down a high ranking priest! And their investigation was shoddy indeed, all involved should be sacked.
Acquittal is not a declaration that the accused is innocent. Acquittal merely means that the matter was not proven beyond reasonable doubt. In the Pell matter the evidence given still stands, however that evidence was not sufficient to prove beyond doubt. It does not mean that Pell did not commit the offences.
"Tis better to release nine guilty men, than to hang one innocent"
Father frank Brennan??? , he looks just like any business man....but he’s extremely articulate
i remember last year when pell was charged , my wife said to me he is innocent , as for i ,already had him sentenced guilty as sin .a catholic priest right . . but why did he come back to australia when he didnt have to , he trusted our judicial system , to prove him innocent and clear his name
philip bond you were right.
....and they nearly screwed him to the ground....
ABC look at evidence? I don’t think that happens anymore.
@dodeca hedron Yeah I agree media should always be dominated by right wing wealth LMAO
Victoria is fast becoming a police state with the full connivance of the Andrews government.
Why is the "complainant" seemingly in hiding?
He apparently didn't attend court either.
I’d leave him alone to be safe - only he and God knows the truth and why this was thrown at Pell.
Strange to me too
His mother invented the story and he covered for her after it got momentum
They are just bunch of junkies who hallucinate about their sad past and shit thinking that would bring sympathy and monetary gain to support their lazy and corrupted lives. May God have mercy and pitty on them, I certain do not have any untowards them...
Excellent interview - transparent and honest.
It looks like Father Frank Brennan should be the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria and not that political appointee Anne Ferguson who appears to have been blinded by prejudice and credibility is at rock bottom.
Suppression orders! There are many very good reasons why trials are public.
1. Because it'' s a tradition.2. Because it's internally consistent for the public to attend in person and to attend through proxies and it's absurd for the public to attend and not to report out ( especially this applies to preliminary hearings.3. So false testimonies are exposed to members of the public who might refute them ( hey, that witness couldn't have seen the crime he was playing whist at my house that night).4.So that corrupt behaviour by the legal guild or bad judgment or behaviour of any kind is exposed to the public.5. Because it becomes increasingly plain that the legal guild , judges and Lawyers alike do not represent the public or the law as written but a very radical left wing ideology acquired in law schools.6. Because, in child abuse cases, suppression conceals the namevof the victims and necessarily the abusers when family members and 7. Concealing the names of victims, to protect them from "stigma" actually increases the stigma of victimization, by acting as if it is something to be concealed.
Bad cops everywhere they need to be held accountable for their actions or lack of
The cops have a lot to answer for. Especially seargent Sultz commisioner of police. I see nozing I hear nozing, ldo as i am told.
I thank the mighty God for letting justice prevail. And thank goodness for the High Court.
I wonder if you credit almighty god for the conviction, as much as you do for the release 🤔
Shoddy? Agenda-driven!
I, for one, am grateful that the high court has seen fit to honour the correct processes of the law.
I’m Grateful to God that the prayers of our church have been answered. This in no way saying that there are no guilty priests, but in this case it was obvious that he was innocent! They were making him a “scapegoat “ for guilty ones. Thank God he is free! 🇨🇦💐👏
The truth is finally out. God forgive those who did this to George Pell.
Mr. J lied. It had to be a lie. It couldn’t have happened.
'Someone of his standing'? It doesn't matter what sort of 'standing' a person has, the law must apply to all equally. No the rule of law was not extended to him, he will have more charges to face. He's not completely off the hook yet.
The Vic Appeal majority establish that there was tight but possible opportunity, even assuming that everyone who testified was essentially an honest witness with imperfect memories on exact detail due to time passed. The opportunity was during private prayer time and before the clearing of the altar. That possibility, together with Witness J's strong and credible video testimony, left the jury open to convict. The High Court did not view the video. They relied mainly on Pell's so-called established practice of being on the cathedral steps immediately after service, but this was his first or second mass as new archbishop in the cathedral. He took over from Archbishop Little who never greeted people on the steps. There was no established practice of doing so in this cathedral up until that point. Some choristers remember that Pell sometimes processed right back to the choir room with them to praise them for their singing, and that he was sometimes alone. There would still be time to greet the milling parishioners on the steps after that, perhaps with a quick swig of wine from the sacristy on the way. People would hang around the steps for up to 20 or 30 minutes. This is all in the transcript of the judgments of both appeal hearings.
Sandra Kwa even if that possibility exist, how is it beyond reasonable doubt that he did it? Does a possibility of an offence become he definitely offended just because people hate him?
Mind you, majority of the first set of juries (10 out of 12) did not convict him to be guilty. They witnessed the complainant’s testimony, the second set of juries only listened to a recording.
I respect Fr Brennan for backing Pell despite their disagreements.
RIP Cardinal Pell
Seems the police may have tripped over themselves and become sloppy in their zeal to see Pell go down.
From the first, it seemed to me that, at the very least, the logistics of committing the alleged offences made it highly unlikely. Pell got a raw deal but, given how very Catholic, how appropriate that his release from prison comes in a week when Christians celebrate the Resurrection.
This Cardinal was not guilty the story was bull it made no logical sense
Oh thank you Lord.!!!!!!!!!!There STILL ARE INTELLINGENT PEOPLE IN AUSTRALIA seeing the truth. Yes no one is denying the Church has done the wrong thing and hurt a lot of people......BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF PRIESTS AND NUNS WHO HAVE DEDICATED, AND LIVED THEIR LIVES HONESTLY.....WITH LOVE OF """" PEOPLE AND GOD."""" These have been forgotten.
"There is a significant possibility that an innocent person has been convicted," the court found.
He is right about the 3rd group. It was always obvious that he should never have been found guilty on the evidence available. It makes the vast majority of us who aren't religious, distrust the police and the judiciary
All the public comments that you see seem to say that Pell did some terrible things so he should be in jail. The problem is that the "terrible things" that Pell supposedly did had nothing to do with the case that was brought against him, on which justice has finally been brought, because that case did not have enough evidence. Obviously there are a lot of people who want to use Pell as the scapegoat, but that is not how legal process works, even if they feel they want to see "justice" occur, no matter how that affects the defendant, Pell. Who would want this form of mob rule, whipped up by the ABC and others, for Australians.
Pell has always been an obstinate bully but this doesn't justify what happened here
As the wheel of persecution was slowly spinning across Australia seeking primarily to villify the messenger of God in such an uncaring, unguarded, uncouth and nauseating manner, I recalled the ordeal of St Stephen in the Bible, stoned for no wrong done. In a far flung enclave somewhere, I could not help but silently pray fervently for the messenger of the Lord. His Eminence, George Cardinal Pell carried himself with so much philosophical calm I have never seen before. We live in a world, especially in a developed society as Australia, where the agnostics, atheists and apostates of hell have found big voices and weaponized their entrenched presence in media powerhouses to fan the most vicious, destructive and hate-filled embers of crucifixion of persons they don't agree with, much to the applause of spineless and wimpy politicians, government bureaucrats, police, judges et al who are addicted to political correctness than their own conscience. A shameless media powerhouse as ABC not only hid itself behind these perpetrators of jungle justice but aided and abetted them willy nilly. For the woman who needed so much traction in her quest for supremacy in persecution as will write a book titled "CARDINAL', I will pray she goes home and sin no more. The sage has it that "man proposes, God disposes" and it could not be truer than in what we see today. If the sinful media pundits will regain their conscience and reflect deeply on the injustice done to this great apostle of Christ, they should reflect on one thing - the rule of law - and that is what this is all about, unless in the case of Cardinal Pell, they don't believe in it. The wheel of persecution sought to enfeeble every atom of truth from the outset, probably on account of some vengeful orientation against the faithful but it has come to a halt where the accusers should bury their heads in shame.
Hear, hear!!!
Victorian Police and Justice were not really fair.
Even a naive person such as Brennan has been struck by the vicious and deliberate animosity of the Victorian police and legal establishment against Pell.
Pell might believe in turn the other cheek, but to restore justice in Victoria he should sue the Victorian Government for his wrongful imprisonment and its prejudicial campaign against him.
When I followed the story you can tell the kids lied 🤥,they should be charged and pay 💰 damages and waste of time ,no mercy
Yeh yeh yeh yeh tahts right from all of us mental health for how long on us now its tewenty twenty
Why let the complainant off the hook? Surely either he was telling the truth or making it up?
Anyone heard of the police minister in vic? Who is he what is his role in letting the police whom i guess he oversees get so out of controll
Greg Wall big city politics is ALWAYS
hard left
I appreciate this interview as well God Bless.
Perfect analysis by father Brennan.
And it's CHIEF inspector Clouseau!
De la Securite Francaise...
Talking about detesting Pell is like the campaign against Julian Assange's personality.
He knew the law.
How can witness J have been put through hell.
He is a perjurer and has borne false witness against Pell. He belongs in jail!
Why was the first trial declared a mistrial? Trying Pell a second and third time is a violation of the double jeopardy rule.
Guilty or not he was tried by Medea. He could not have been given a fair trial.
jim czerwinski spit on bro the Media in australia especially channel 9 are just fakes
The abc, Victorian police, dpp and the two highest judges in Victoria should be assumed of themselves.
KANGOUROO COURT = ViCTORIA STATE
Australian Justice.Corrupt.
You must bring these people to justice, they must be brought to account.
The police and the prosecutors are not above the law, with perjury demonstrated, the law applies to everyone.
How disgraceful must this be viewed around the civilised world.
At least the High Court of Appeal, 7 judges, came to the unanimous correct decision and duly passed judgement on the Supreme Court of Victoria.
This shameful episode will take forever to expunge.
Newscorp will never be as fair and professional as the ABC
Yes I agree Pell was far to silent and needed to come out swinging and shout down his accuser's
Thank you Jesus
And the Premier of the good star of Victoria decided to persecute the Cardinal. Andrews is on the highway to Hell and that could not happen to a more deserving man.
Didn't Pell's own counsel think he was guilty? I wonder how many hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on solicitors fees and how many ex prime minister's were lobbied?
Deep down they knew he didn't do it but they wanted someone to pay for the ones that did get away with it
We can blame the prosecutor for not preparing the case against him in a way that would have been water tight. Many people who thought he was guilty knew that there were too many holes in the case against him. However I am sure that there are many of Pell's victims out in the community so let's just hope that they come forward.. Pell got off because the Church is powerful and they know how to pull the right strings. Pell is as guilty as sin, it's a shame that there isn't a Hell because that's where he belongs.
The problem is that Cardinal Pell was being persecuted as he was a Catholic. Agreeably he handed the Emma Foster case very badly. Unfortunately, it is not a crime to act in an arrogant manner.
The law is an ass , said Charles Dickens.
Corrupt country .
Thank you for a thoughtful and balanced report. It’s seems rare for a reporter to give his or her guest the time to adequately reply to questions. Thank you for your balance in matters. Thank you to Father Brennan for a factual review. (Please note, the following 7-part comment may be deleted by RUclips AI because of certain words used. I hope not).
1. It’s time for some to own-up within the Victorian DPP and accept accountability for this travesty of justice, where they (one, or a team) threw a very large spanner into the cogs of justice and the basic concept and essence of the rule of law. Its time also for someone (or a team) from within the Victorian Police Service to own up, be accountable, and accept responsibility for the actual outcome of their actions and inaction. They too then, thrust a very large spanner into the cogs of justice and the basic concept and essence of the rule of law. “Let’s get him”, could be but just one mantra in this very messy saga. The DPP and the Victorian Police Service, as a matter of duty, ought to apologise to the claimant for leading that person up the garden path. Some individuals outside the DPP and the Victorian Police Service, should also, as a matter of personal duty and compassion, apologise to the claimant for leading the person on. Perhaps those people were on a crusade and barking up the wrong tree.
2. Speaking to the claimant, well. Who really knows! However, please allow me to speculate. I’m not sure if speculate is the right word to use here. I don’t have texts of the court proceedings, have only snippets from the press and I haven’t met the person. But please bear with me. It seems quite clear the claimant was subjected to a most horrible assault. That person was assaulted both aggressively and sexually. That person was utterly humiliated. That person became lost and, pretty much, felt alone within the community. That person was grieving big time. And at the time, he or she felt there was no one to turn to. No one they could truly trust. Let’s enter then, a grief stricken never-world. That’s a dark place. That’s a place where survival, and an internal search for peace and compassion is the name of game. Forget about, for a moment, those often over-recited and ingrained one-or-the-other actions about survival - Flight or Fight. They are important reactions and true of most animals. We rarely hear about the third reaction. The one of Freeze. This state is well understood but rarely spoken of. Through that trauma, especially physical and aggressive trauma, combined with the sexual assault and the accompanying psychological trauma, it will definitely cause the person to react. The person might Flee, Fight or Freeze. In the Freeze state, that can last for seconds or years, some major internal confusion reigns. When the Freeze state lingers for a long time, we're welcome to the world of anxiety and deep depression. Some people pull out of that, smile and soar again. Some don’t. I read a statement in a RUclips video from the claimant. Graciously, that person does not wish to move forward with the claim. Hopefully, with the help and support of others, that person will find time to smile and soar again. For those in his vicinity, please allow for a “Freeze” state of being and offer compassion towards healing.
3. Speaking to the DPP and Police Service, and about their job in matters of any alleged sexual abuse, it’s got to be is one of the most highly emotionally charged and emotionally draining jobs anyone would, or could, do. They see and experience a lot of human wreckage that can follow from an assault. Especially an assault on a child. Some of us may have to live amongst some of that wreckage. We do the best we can to survive and move on. Some do move on. Some get stuck. From nothing more than personal experience (I have no evidence), there is no doubt the vast bulk of those within the Police Service in Australia are doing their job within the spirit and letter of the law. Today, some of those people might be disappointed with their leadership. As for some individuals within the DPP, they also see and experience a lot of human wreckage that can follow from a sexual assault (or any assault). For many, that kind of assault can lead to a highly emotional response. Sometimes that leads to an attitude of exacting revenge. But to many in the DPP, some might be disappointed with their leadership when applying the rule of law.
4. Speaking to the rule of law, spanners have been thrown into the works since the rule of law was (generally) introduced. That was way back in antiquity. The spanner throwing has happened many more times than most of us would like to think. I’d say, with no evidence to back up my claim, 99% + of all cases held before courts in Australia follow the rule of law and are sound.
5. *The concept of the rule of law came from Plato and Aristotle (and people around them) and others, way back in Antiquity. Probably around 450-400+ BC. It has stood the test of time. In China, in the 3rd century BC, the rule of law was developing. In Islamic jurisprudence, the rule of law was formulated in the seventh century. The first known use of this English phrase occurred around AD 1500.
6. The rule of law has stood the test of time and ought to be resolutely applied to help all of us to feel a safer in our day to day lives. The rule of law is not perfect. It would seem, the full essence and core of the rule of law was not followed in the case between the complainant and the accused. That’s a real shame. Citizens in Australia and citizens overseas got a wake-up call. I’m not sure we can label this event an entirely “woke” moment in history.
7. Think, perhaps, the lovely sweet and adorable Azaria and her loving joyful mother, Lindy Chamberlain. That was way back in the cave days in the very early 1980's. And think perhaps, trial by media. In both the cases of Pell and Chamberlain, the TV media (and their stuck-on friends) has a lot to answer for by whipping up and maintaining an emotional and very public storm. People were pitted one against another. Then they pushed a mostly manufactured public opinion storm into a hurricane force. That resulted in a community disaster. *en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rule_of_law
Just the same as Pell not instantly reporting any reports of abuse in the church to the police is a denial of justice for alleged victims. I'm not saying that Pell is a pedo, or that this decision is wrong. I'm just saying that Pell conducted internal investigation within the church before notifying police.
Wonderful Cardinal I’m thrilled my prayers have been answered. Justice has prevailed ... leave him now to rest... God has judged and judged well. Those haters we shall pray for you... an innocent man just as a Jesus was . Gb Cardinal Pell 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Ty for this fab video well reported 👌👌👌
Leave God out of it. The Cardinal himself said words to the effect that the ruling was nothing to do with God but with the High Court doing its job properly.
They went after the money 💰 of the church ,they are all in it ,you don’t need to be Einstein
I hope all those wrongly convicted can have their convictions quashed under Pell v Regina in HCA.
Well how can they be held accountable? They should have to pay for putting an innocent man in prison for 404 days. At least the Victorian Police Commissioner and the Head of the DPP.
Cardinal Pell, God bless you
Amen.
God bless Cardinal Pell and God bless the Roman Catholic Church
What a network of an Anti Catholic bigots.. AND NO APOLOGY WHATSOEVER. Shame.
Those in the Victorian Police responsible for the disastrous collection and NON-collection of evidence should be relegated to be back on the beat!!
Why did Pell bother to return? Even if he landed in Sydney an extradition hearing would need to take place.
Fair enough that the convictions were quashed. There really didn't seem to be sufficient evidence. The fellow in the video rightly blasts the police and DPP for their poor work, however, he inappripriately tries to leverage/extend that to place the blame of sex abuse trauma at the feet of the police and DPP. That blame is squarely on the Catholic church for creating and fostering an environment of institutional sexual abuse of children, and persistently seeking to cover it up and protect offenders. This was clearly established by the Royal Commission into institutional sexual abuse in the church, and Cardinal Pell himself has acknowledged the findings, although he denies personal wrongdoing.
I thank you for excellently redressing the tort done to cardinal Pell.
Father Brennan should be the next High Court Judge. He knows the law and how the law is meant to work regardless of who it is applied to.
Bring Mr Mark Weinberg. Why did those two judges ignore all the evidence in Card. Pell's favour?? l think there is something terribly devious, with these two judges.
They both should be charged, for diverting the course of Justice.