Pell v The Queen: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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== Reaction==

On 7 April 2020, Pell was freed from [[HM Prison Barwon|Barwon Prison]].{{Sfnp|McKenna|2020}} [[Pope Francis]] of the Vatican stated he "welcome[d] the High Court's uninimous decision" and that he “has always expressed confidence in the Australian judicial authority.”{{Sfnp|Albeck-Ripka|Cave|p=|2020}} Shortly after Pell's release, Pope Francis held mass, inviting those present to pray for "all those people who suffer unjust sentences resulting from intransigence [against them]". Without mentioning Pell by name, he compared those suffering unjust persecution with jesusJesus, posting the following to Twitter: "In these days of #Lent, we've been witnessing the persecution that Jesus underwent and how He was judged ferociously, even though He was innocent. Let us #PrayTogether today for all those persons who suffer due to an unjust sentence because of someone had it in for them." {{Sfnp|McKenna|2020}}

Pell released a statement saying he had "no ill will" toward his accuser and that he had "consistently maintained [his] innocence while suffering from a serious injustice...[which was] remedied...with the High Court's unanimous decision".{{Sfnp|McKenna|2020}} The father B was said by his lawyers to be "in shock" and struggling to comprehend the decision. Victoria Police stated it respected the decision and acknowledged the work on the case by investigators.{{Sfnp|McKenna|2020}}