[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Pell Supporters Optimistic About Appeal Hearing

National Catholic Register ^ | June 7, 2019 | Edward Pentin

[ebb tide]

[Catholic Caucus] Cardinal Pell Supporters Optimistic About Appeal Hearing

Edward Pentin

They tell the Register that the two-day process unfolded very favorably for the imprisoned Australian cardinal, who is appealing his conviction of sexual abuse.

Cardinal George Pell’s two-day appeal hearing ended yesterday after the court heard from the cardinal’s defense counsel on the first day, and the prosecution on the second.

On the first of the two days, Cardinal Pell’s lawyer, Bret Walker, defended the cardinal principally on the grounds that Cardinal Pell’s conviction last year on charges of sexual abuse was unreasonably based on the testimony of one surviving victim and that the trial judge unfairly disallowed defense evidence.

Walker argued that the guilty verdict was returned despite the lack of proof beyond reasonable doubt.

The following day, June 6, prosecutor Christopher Boyce reportedly struggled to answer questions from the three appeals court judges, and accidentally named the alleged victim, which is suppressed in these cases.

[ebb tide]

Boyce appeared to have difficulty articulating his own arguments, or was lost for words under judicial questioning. One of his arguments was that the alleged victim’s story was too outlandish to be invented.

[ebb tide]

Ping

[ebb tide]

Ping