AUSTRALIA
The Advertiser
Stephen Pallaras, The Advertiser
VICTORIAN police and the Director of Public Prosecutions have decided there is sufficient evidence against Cardinal George Pell to charge him with multiple sexual offences. Even before charges were laid, there was considerable discussion that a fair hearing would be impossible.
This speculation continues, with the Vatican’s chief diplomat, Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, due to raise concerns Pell cannot receive a fair trial with Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, who is in Rome on trade talks.
The claim that a fair trial is impossible has been based on two propositions.
First, that Pell is so well known that a jury could not determine the question of his guilt or innocence without bias or prejudice. Secondly, that so much prejudicial material has been made public it would poison the jurors’ minds and make a fair trial impossible.
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