Cardinal Pell Hoping to Walk Free from Charges; Parkland Chief Ousted Facing Charges
CHURCH: The Florida sheriff's deputy who came under heavy criticism for his actions during a school shooting is now facing charges. Scot Peterson announce his retirement shortly after last year shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He was formally terminated Tuesday at a disciplinary hearing. Mary Moloney has the details.</s>MARY MOLONEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: On February 14th 2018, as a gunman killed students and staff inside a Parkland Florida High School. Scot Peterson was outside behind stairwell. The Broward County deputy assigned to protect the students at the school had his gun drawn and wore his bullet-proof vest, but he stood shielded away from the gunfire.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He stood there for some 45, 48 minutes and did nothing.</s>MOLONEY: Seventeen people died in the attack.</s>LORI ALHADEFF, PARKLAND VICTIM'S MOTHER: He needs to go to jail and he needs to serve a lifetime in prison for not going in that day and taking down the threat that led to the death of our loved ones.</s>MOLONEY: More than 15 months after the shooting, Peterson was arrested by the deputies from the department he used to serve.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We swore an oath to protect the public that we serve. If you don't do your job you will be held accountable.</s>MOLONEY: Peterson faces 11 counts including felony child neglect, negligence and perjury. His attorney bows to fight the charges which he calls politically motivated retribution. Parkland parents say the developments are bittersweet.</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We missed our children every day and there is nothing that's going to bring them back and we know that. But it just hurt so much and I know that whatever comes our way doesn't bring them back.</s>MOLONEY: I'm Mary Moloney reporting.</s>CHURCH: We turn to Australia now, and police say a man released on parole earlier this year has been arrested for killing at least four people during a mass shooting in Darwin. It's not clear what triggered the attack, but police are ruling out terrorism.</s>MICHAEL GUNNER, CHIEF MINISTER, NORTHERN TERRITORY: I understand when an event like this occurs especially considering recent global events. People fears turned to terrorism. I can confirm that we do not believe this is a terrorism incident.</s>CHURCH: Police are still trying to establish a motive for the shooting and the investigation is ongoing. Well, he was once one of the most powerful men in the Roman Catholic Church, now Australian Cardinal George Pell is in court appealing his convictions on child sex abuse. A former Vatican treasurer was sentenced to six years in prison back in March, for molesting two choirboys. If his convictions are overturned, he could walk free. For more, CNN's Anna Coren is live in Melbourne. Good to see you again, Anna. So, what is the latest on all of this and what is the legal argument for George Pell?</s>ANNA COREN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Rosemary, today has wrapped up and we are waiting for George Pell to leave the Supreme Court and head back to the Melbourne assessment prison. A few blocks from where we are here at the Supreme Court. And of course, that is where he's been for the past three months after receiving his six-year sentence. The legal argument for the appeal is that these were unreasonable verdicts, that is at the core of it. His defense team says that the testimony and the evidence of the sole surviving choirboy could not convince the jury beyond a reasonable doubt that Pell in fact sexually abuse these choirboys back in 1996, 1997 when he was the archbishop of Melbourne at St. Patrick's Cathedral not far from where we are standing. We heard from his barrister Bret Walker today who said it was virtually impossible for Pell to commit these crimes. He said, quote, "the offending not only did not occur but could not have occurred." And that's what they were trying to illustrate today that it was impossible for Pell to have molested these boys. That the cathedral was busy. It was after Sunday mass that somebody would have seen. So that is the heart of their legal argument. He has to convinced two of the three appeal court judges who have been forensically examining this evidence and this testimony. They have seen everything that the jury has seen. Legal argument, Rosemary, in this country is very divided as to which way this will go. There are experts who say that Pell has a very good chance of getting off and walking free. Because, perhaps these verdicts were unreasonable. There is the other school of thought that says the court of appeal is extremely reluctant to overturn the decision of the jury. Because it was the jury that heard this evidence, they heard the testimony, they believed this choirboy. They found him to be credible, to be trustworthy so much so that they convicted George Pell of five counts of child sex abuse. Now, the other choirboy who was molested, he died in 2014 of a heroin overdose. His father blames George Pell, he says that Pell destroyed his son's life. We spoke to his lawyer earlier today. Take a listen.</s>LISA FLYNN, ATTORNEY: I've spoken to her client this morning, he's feeling a nervous and anxious but also somewhat relieved that this day has come. Ever since George Pell did indicate that he was going to appeal the conviction, this has been hanging over our client's head. So, in some ways he is relieved that we will have a decision soon. But obviously, he is also feeling really anxious that the court of appeal could overturned George Pell's conviction in relation to the sexual offenses against his son.</s>COREN: That was Lisa Flynn from Shine Lawyers representing the father of the deceased choirboy. He of course has launched a civil suit. Now, this has been livestreamed throughout the day. It's the second time that the Supreme Court of Victoria has done this. And that gives you an indication of the level of interest the high public interest in this case, and also, they want to be as transparent as possible. George Pell will reappear here tomorrow. We will hear from the prosecution as to why the verdict should not be overturned. The conviction should not be overturned. So that will make up tomorrow's legal argument. At this stage, Rosemary, we're thinking it's highly unlikely that the court of appeal will hand down a decision. You never know. But it's looking like it might come in coming weeks, some lawyers say in the coming months. Either way, Rosemary, both sides can appeal to the high court. So, the saga is far from ending anytime soon, Rosemary.</s>CHURCH: Most definitely. Our Anna Coren bringing us up to date on the situation there from Melbourne, Australia and coming up to 5.30 in the afternoon early evening. Many thanks. And coming up here, honoring those who gave their lives for freedom. We will talk to veterans who fought in the battle of Normandy the beginning of the end of the Second World War.