In early April, Australia’s highest court overturned the sexual abuse conviction of a Roman Catholic Cardinal. Cardinal George Pell was the highest ranking Catholic clergy member to have been found guilty of child abuse.

Australia Court Overturns Cardinal George Pell Conviction

Cardinal George Pell was accused in 2015 of sexually assaulting two underage boys in the 1990s. According to the victims’ claims, the cardinal had abused two choir boys during his time as Archbishop of Melbourne at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Pell, who is in his late 70s, was charged by police in 2017 and unanimously convicted by a jury the next year. He was sentenced to six years in jail.

According to the sole surviving victim of Pell’s alleged crimes, the six year sentence was not enough. In a statement read aloud by the anonymous victim’s lawyer following Pell’s sentencing, he said “It is hard for me, for the time being, to take comfort in this outcome.”

Since his sentencing, Pell has been attempting to have his conviction overturned. He has maintained his innocence, claiming that his incarceration is a serious injustice. He claims that the trial relied too heavily on evidence from the victim who testified against him, and that the jury failed to consider other evidence that might exonerate him.

His appeals came to fruition in early April after he had served only 13 months of his sentence. A panel of 7 judges who reviewed his case determined that the jury responsible for convicting the cardinal may have been wrong when unanimously finding him guilty.

According to the judges, the evidence consisted of multiple improbabilities that should have introduced doubt into the minds of the jurors. Additionally, as one of the victims died prior to the trial, the evidence presented was based on the testimony of a single victim. This testimony was allegedly contradicted by some other witnesses who spoke during the trial.

Making this case even more complicated is the fact that much of the evidence has been kept secret. Suppression orders regarding the trial limited what information from the case could be made public, and the testimony from the single surviving victim was not released. Additionally, in accordance with Australia’s laws, the identities of the victims have not been released.

While George Pell’s conviction in this lawsuit was overturned, the priest may face future charges. Less than a week after he was released from jail, two more alleged victims came forward with allegations against the priest.

Catholic Clergy Sexual Abuse Lawsuits.

While Cardinal George Pell is the highest ranking Catholic clergy member to have been convicted of child abuse, he is far from the only priest to have faced these allegations. Thousands of priests, nuns, and other members of the Catholic Church have been accused of abusing children over the past several decades.

Over the past few years, many individual dioceses have released lists of credibly accused priests, and many of these clergy members have been hit with lawsuits by victims. Although many priests who have been accused of sexual assault are now deceased, some victims may also be able to sue the dioceses, Catholic schools, or other institutions that allowed the abuse to occur.

Due to the influx of sexual abuse claims by former students and parishioners, many Catholic dioceses have opened victim compensation funds. Victims who apply for a settlement from these funds can have their claims reviewed, and may be granted a financial award.

However, these awards often come with strings. Victims who accept payments from compensation funds may also be required to waive their rights to speak about their abuse or pursue future legal action against individual priests or the Catholic Church. Additionally, these payments are often much lower than what victims may be able to collect through a lawsuit.

Many states have recently updated their sexual assault statute of limitations laws, making it easier for victims who were abused by Catholic clergy members years or decades ago to pursue justice. These laws may allow victims to file civil or criminal charges against their abusers, or against the organizations that failed to prevent, or even covered up the abuse.

If you are a victim of sexual abuse perpetuated by a member of the Catholic Church, you may be eligible to hire a qualified attorney to review your case. Some victims may qualify to join or file a class action lawsuit and pursue financial compensation for pain and suffering, emotional distress, and medical expenses.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.