Cardinal George Pell to stand trial on historical sex assault charges
Source: The Age
George Pell will be the most senior Catholic leader to face a jury after being committed to stand trial on multiple historic sexual assault charges.
In a decision that will ring loud through the Vatican and around the religious world, Australia's most senior Catholic and the man who a year ago oversaw management of the Vatican's finances was on Tuesday committed to stand trial on half the charges he faced, involving multiple accusers.
However, magistrate Belinda Wallington struck out a series of serious charges at the start of her ruling, finding there was insufficient evidence for him to be convicted by a jury.
Ms Wallington committed the 76-year-old on charges against multiple complainants, involving alleged sexual offending at a swimming pool in the 1970s in Ballarat, where the accused man was then working as a priest; and at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne in 1990s, when he was the then Archbishop of Melbourne.
Asked to enter a plea, Cardinal Pell said in a loud, clear voice: "Not guilty."
Cardinal George Pell has been committed to stand trial on multiple charges related to historical sexual assault.
Read more: https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/cardinal-george-pell-to-stand-trial-on-historical-sex-assault-charges-20180501-p4zckv.html
lindysalsagal
(20,730 posts)I certainly hope the prosecution is up to the job.
WhiteTara
(29,722 posts)now have to drag it out of him. What a fine specimen of Christianity.
Nitram
(22,877 posts)their crimes because their high position is proof of god's favor. The perfect tautology: I wouldn't be here if I weren't god's choice, so whatever I've done, he must approve of it. "The good I do for the world with the power I wield more than makes up for any trifling sin I might have committed."
FSogol
(45,525 posts)- Yossarian