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What was Chief Judge Peter Kidd trying to achieve by appearing on TV, and that too on The Project which Gerrad Henderson describes as " one of the media networks that led the pile-on against George Pell in the lead up to his trial and conviction"?
The Chief Judge needs to explain himself.He chose to come down from the safety of the bench and into the public arena.
END
See story on that interview by Yahoo News
'Maverick' judge who sentenced George Pell speaks out on The Project
The judge who presided over the landmark case of disgraced Cardinal George Pell has spoken out in a TV interview.
County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd sentenced Pell to six years’ jail in March.
Mr Kidd, jokingly labelled a “maverick” judge by The Project host Waleed Ali, told the program in an interview on Tuesday night why he decided to have the sentencing aired live.
Pell raped one 13-year-old choirboy and sexually molested his friend in the sacristy of St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne in 1996 when he was newly-installed as Archbishop.
He molested the first boy again about a month later.
The trial was viewed around the world after Mr Kidd chose to broadcast Pell’s sentencing.
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Disgraced Cardinal George Pell leaves the County Court of Victoria in February. Source: Getty ImagesMore
The Australian media could not report Pell’s convictions, despite being handed down in December, due to a suppression order until February.
“If they (the public) were to make a judgement about my particular sentence, which everybody is entitled to do as part of the democratic process, then it was important they heard those reasons in their entirety from me (and) not distorted or manipulated in any way by the commentators or politicians,” Mr Kidd told the program.
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Waleed Aly interviewed County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd has on The Project on Tuesday night. Source: The Project/ 10 NetworkMore
View photos
County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd explained why he chose to broadcast Pell's sentencing in an interview on The Project. Source: The Project/ 10 NetworkMore
Mr Kidd added during his sentencing that Pell was not to be seen as a scapegoat for “perceived failings” of the Catholic church.
While he wouldn’t go into specifics surrounding Pell’s sentencing, Mr Kidd quashed any speculation high-profile figures ever receive preferential treatment when being sentenced.
“It’s not true that just because you’re a minister or the prime minister and you lose your job and you lose your status that you’re going to get a better outcome than someone else,” he said.
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A man reacts as he watches a livestream of Pell being sentenced to jail time. Source: Getty ImagesMore
“In fact, the law grapples with this and says that’s exactly what the outcome shouldn’t be - you shouldn’t be simply rewarded because you’re a high-profile person.”
Pell won't be eligible for parole until he has served three years and eight months of his sentence.
- with AAP
'Maverick' judge who sentenced George Pell speaks out on The Project
The judge who presided over the landmark case of disgraced Cardinal George Pell has spoken out in a TV interview.
County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd sentenced Pell to six years’ jail in March.
Mr Kidd, jokingly labelled a “maverick” judge by The Project host Waleed Ali, told the program in an interview on Tuesday night why he decided to have the sentencing aired live.
Pell raped one 13-year-old choirboy and sexually molested his friend in the sacristy of St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne in 1996 when he was newly-installed as Archbishop.
He molested the first boy again about a month later.
The trial was viewed around the world after Mr Kidd chose to broadcast Pell’s sentencing.
View photos
Disgraced Cardinal George Pell leaves the County Court of Victoria in February. Source: Getty ImagesMore
The Australian media could not report Pell’s convictions, despite being handed down in December, due to a suppression order until February.
“If they (the public) were to make a judgement about my particular sentence, which everybody is entitled to do as part of the democratic process, then it was important they heard those reasons in their entirety from me (and) not distorted or manipulated in any way by the commentators or politicians,” Mr Kidd told the program.
View photos
Waleed Aly interviewed County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd has on The Project on Tuesday night. Source: The Project/ 10 NetworkMore
View photos
County Court Chief Judge Peter Kidd explained why he chose to broadcast Pell's sentencing in an interview on The Project. Source: The Project/ 10 NetworkMore
Mr Kidd added during his sentencing that Pell was not to be seen as a scapegoat for “perceived failings” of the Catholic church.
While he wouldn’t go into specifics surrounding Pell’s sentencing, Mr Kidd quashed any speculation high-profile figures ever receive preferential treatment when being sentenced.
“It’s not true that just because you’re a minister or the prime minister and you lose your job and you lose your status that you’re going to get a better outcome than someone else,” he said.
View photos
A man reacts as he watches a livestream of Pell being sentenced to jail time. Source: Getty ImagesMore
“In fact, the law grapples with this and says that’s exactly what the outcome shouldn’t be - you shouldn’t be simply rewarded because you’re a high-profile person.”
Pell won't be eligible for parole until he has served three years and eight months of his sentence.
- with AAP
