[Vause:] A stunning development in the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal. A short time ago, Cardinal George Powell left an Australian prison after the high court overturned his conviction on charges of pedophilia, abusing two choir boys. CNN's Anna Coren has been following this case for us from the very beginning. She is live this hour in Hong Kong. Let's begin with the legal basis, Anna. What is sort of the legal background here, this decision by the high court?
[Anna Coren, Cnn Correspondent:] Well, it's a stunning turn of events, John, for Cardinal George Pell. He has spent 405 days behind bars. A few hours ago, he was released from Barwon Prison in Victoria, and he is now a free man. Well, the high court found earlier today that his conviction be overturned for historic child sex abuse. This was a unanimous decision, all seven judges of the high court. They found that there was reasonable doubt, with the evidence prevented, that could not support a guilty verdict. And that the jury of the magistrates court and that the court of appeal should have had this doubt. Let me read you some of that statement. The high court said, "The jury, acting rationally on the whole of the evidence, ought to have entertained a doubt as the applicant's guilt with respect to each of the offenses for which he was convicted." Now, this legal drama, John, has dragged on for five years. Well, the high court made its decision within 26 days. As we say, Pell left Barwon high-security prison a few hours ago in the back of a black SUV. He was escorted away from that prison. We don't know where he is heading, but he is a free man. He was expected to speak to the media. That did not happen, but he did release a statement. Let me read you some of that. He said, "I have consistently maintained my innocence while suffering from a serious injustice. This has been remedied today with the high court's unanimous decision." John, Cardinal Pell, he is no longer on the national register for sex offenders. Obviously, his supporters are overjoyed, over the moon. From the very beginning, they have maintained that this was a witch hunt. For these survivors, however, of clerical sex abuse, this has been an absolutely devastating blow.
[Vause:] This case has sort of become something of a political issue, if you like. There's some former prime ministers, conservative prime minister who support Pell. There are some in the right-wing media, you know, on the crazy end of the radio dial who have been supporting Pell, as well. So how has that played into the this decision? Obviously, the hard court said they weren't impacted by that, but it has had some impact on how Pell is seen by many around the country.
[Coren:] Well, John, I mean, the high court is supposed to be above all of this. It is the highest court in the land, but you mentioned the two ex-prime ministers who were character references for him, for the right-wing media that has been his cheer squad throughout this five- year saga. Pell is the highest Catholic in Australia. He is the third highest Catholic in the world, as treasurer of the Vatican. Speaking to the survivors of clinical sex abuse, they believe politics was at play. They believe that the high court's decision makes a complete mockery of the Australian justice system. They are shocked. They are in disbelief. They feel that the message that it sends is, why come forward if you are a survivor of clerical sexual abuse? The courts will not believe you. The highest court in the land will not believe you. Now, the former choir boy who testified that he and his friend had been sexually abused by Pell in 1996 at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne, he will be speaking through his lawyer tomorrow. His lawyer will make a statement. As for the other choir boy, who died in 2014 from an overdose, drug overdose, his father came out today, saying that he was absolutely shocked with this decision, but that he blames Pell for his son's death and will be pursuing civil claims. And this is a very interesting point, John, because there are lawyers in Australia who have indicated that there will be numerous civil claims made against George Pell and the Australian Catholic Church. And the other bombshell that we must mention is the royal commission into clerical sexual abuse. The 60 pages involving Cardinal Pell were redacted, and now that these legal proceedings have finished, they will be unredacted. This involves his time in Ballarat, his hometown, also the epicenter of clerical sexual abuse in the Australian Catholic Church. From all reports, those 60 pages extremely damning, so John, this may not be the end of Pell's experience with the Australian legal system.
[Vause:] But it is the end of his criminal convictions, I guess.
[Coren:] Right.
[Vause:] Anna, thank you. Anna Coren, live there for us in Hong Kong. So, where did the coronavirus begin? When we come back, we'll have the leading theories and the latest on the hunt for an answer.