George Pell has been charged

[stui magpie]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-06-29/g ... dy/8663554

As effectively the Vatican treasurer, it's international news.

I expect the Catholic Church to throw it's full might at defending this, so london to a brick he is acquitted.

Interesting Bio. Ballarat boy who was signed to play VFl by Richmond back in the day, but chose the priesthood.

I suppose he deserves some credit for judgement for choosing the less flakey organisation at that time, and it's not his fault he was born in Ballarat.

<Moderator note to all posters: please steer clear of potentially defamatory commentary, insinuations and so on.>

[think positive]

dont like his chances - but hey he could always get Turnbull and Aly to give a character reference!

[KenH]

^ he's not been convicted yet Dave, so he is innocent at this point and a lot of people have it in for him on political grounds. We have had many cases in England recently where prominent people were accused and tried for this, and in some cases the complainant(s) turned out to be fantasists or worse. Equally, some cases have resulted in guilty verdicts. So I'd suggest we all be very careful what we say, or assume, until there is a trial and a verdict.

People who have lived in Ballarat for a long time have always suspected he knew or was involved in this! I remember working as an apprentice and was warned by my boss not to go near the Catholic priests when we had to work at their premises (the 70's and 80's)!

[Tannin]

I was very surprised to hear that they had charged him. I'd have taken 4 to 1 odds that they would not.

I have no idea whether he will be found guilty or innocent of these charges, but curiously enough, I have considerable faith that the court will come to the right conclusion in this case, whatever that conclusion may be.

(Meanwhile, Pell's most prominent booster and supporter, one T. Abbott, continues to work very hard on a self-appointed crusade to wreck his own party.)

[stui magpie]

I make no judgement on his innocence or guilt.

My only experience of Catholic officialdom was being taught Piano by a Nun when I was 6 who would whack my knuckles with a ruler every time my wrists dropped down.

Needless to say, I still play with lowered wrists.

[Mugwump]

^ he's not been convicted yet Dave, so he is innocent at this point and a lot of people have it in for him on political grounds. We have had many cases in England recently where prominent people were accused and tried for this, and in some cases the complainant(s) turned out to be fantasists or worse. Equally, some cases have resulted in guilty verdicts. So I'd suggest we all be very careful what we say, or assume, until there is a trial and a verdict.

People who have lived in Ballarat for a long time have always suspected he knew or was involved in this! I remember working as an apprentice and was warned by my boss not to go near the Catholic priests when we had to work at their premises (the 70's and 80's)!

As I understand it, there is no question that some priests (Ridsdale etc) were involved in this. It is unknown what, if any, role George Pell played. The trial should hopefully find the truth.

[stui magpie]

I was very surprised to hear that they had charged him. I'd have taken 4 to 1 odds that they would not.

I have no idea whether he will be found guilty or innocent of these charges, but curiously enough, I have considerable faith that the court will come to the right conclusion in this case, whatever that conclusion may be.

(Meanwhile, Pell's most prominent booster and supporter, one T. Abbott, continues to work very hard on a self-appointed crusade to wreck his own party.)

Pell chose the Priesthood over playing footy for Richmond, Abbott chose Politics over the Priesthood.

Scary options.

[HAL]

Would you like to have an idea?

[ronrat]

The fun part will be picking a jury. Any Catholic will be excused if they want. Just say they can not be objective.Anyone else can probably get off if they say anything, molested as kid, new of kids molested by priests, etc etc.

[swoop42]

Personally I believe in a statute of limitations for all crimes outside murder and really believe people making the allegations had there chance many moons ago and to much time has now past.

[stui magpie]

Personally I believe in a statute of limitations for all crimes outside murder and really believe people making the allegations had there chance many moons ago and to much time has now past.

There is a statute of limitations in play, the limitations of actions act 1958.

Without reading in detail, people who were "injured" as a child have basically until age 37 to make a complaint from what i can see, although it was amended in 2015 and It may have removed the limitations for cases like this.

[KenH]

Personally I believe in a statute of limitations for all crimes outside murder and really believe people making the allegations had there chance many moons ago and to much time has now past.

Okay Swoop if by chance you were interfered with as a young boy and never told your family or friends because not only were you embarrassed by it but the person that was doing the interfering was either a very close family friend and a pillar of society so you keep it to yourself.
Then as you grow up you feel like it is too late to say something because you kept on going back to see this person and still kept quiet.
Years later you realise too late that you should of said something but you never did.
Then you live with the guilt for the rest of your life because some people like you will never believe you, so you still stay quiet.
I hope if he is guilty he gets found out and some people can sleep better after it is over.
No-one knows what some of these kids now adults have felt over the years unless they have been there themselves.
Trust me!

[David]

[think positive]

I don't agree. No statue of limitations on any violent crime. The damage doesn't go away, why should the sentence?

[David]

Well, that's not strictly true, is it? Both physical and psychological damage can heal. Whether that should alter criminal justice decisions is another question to consider.