Top Vatican Leader Found Guilty of Sexual Abuse in Australia
A top Vatican leader, Cardinal George Pell, who acted as Treasurer for the Vatican was found guilty of sexual abuse in December 2018. Former Cardinal Pell was charged with five counts of the abuse of two children in a Melbourne, Australia court. Reports of the guilty verdict could not be released until now due to legal restrictions. One of the survivors who endured the abuse over 20 years ago testified against Pell while the other survivor who never told anyone about the abuse succumbed to a fatal drug overdose back in 2014. In December, the Pope removed Pell from his Vatican council position after the outcome of the trial.
Former Cardinal George Pell is one of the most senior members of the Catholic church to be convicted of clergy abuse. The searing results, though, of the many reports documenting clergy abuse in several states including New Jersey demonstrate the widespread and rampant epidemic among clergy members of any level that has infected the church for decades and harmed innumerable children. These reports strengthened the resolve for survivors to come forward and reveal the abuse they endured for too long.
If you or a loved one experienced the trauma of clergy abuse, our New Jersey clergy abuse lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr will provide the legal guidance you need during a trying time. Call us today at 732-537-8570 or toll-free at 877-249-4600 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. From our offices in Highland Park, New Jersey, we proudly represent clients throughout New Jersey and in the municipalities of New Brunswick, Somerset, Piscataway, Edison, South River, Sayreville, Metuchen, East Brunswick, South Plainfield, Fords, Middlesex, Old Bridge, Iselin, Bound Brook, Perth Amboy, and Colonia.
