Judge Grants Oscar Pistorious An Order For Mental Health Assessment

[Jomlett]

Oscar Pistorius must be referred for a 30-day mental health evaluation in hospital.

The court will adjourn until Tuesday, when the full ruling on the referral – including the terms – will be given.

Roux asks the judge to consider the option of Pistorius receiving treatment as an outpatient.

[Peter Pedant]

Thank God for that
we can get back to some proper news

[royfromaus]

Someone has been killed (possibly murdered) Peter.

[tonyav]

Hospitals are more comfortable than prisons !.

[anneasquith]

as an out patient though, ? bit strange,

[Jomlett]

Judge Masipa indicated she was sympathetic to the defence request that Pistorius should be treated as an outpatient. Waiting times for an inpatient place in a psychiatric hospital can be several months, South African media reports.

[Sqad]

Surely anybody who is in court on a charge of ?murder will have an anxiety problem.......and a MONTH for assessment?

This takes the heat out of the trial, good for the defense, but a slap in the face for the prosecution.

It will be easy to find a "tame Psychiatrist" who will give evidence to the fact that Pistorius is not fit to stand trial.

[ToraToraTora]

looks like this is how they are going to keep him out of jail, stinks!

[tonyav]

Yep, the old insanity plea.

[ummmm]

Awful....

I think it's clear his emotions were solely about the fact he's going down. Not saying he doesn't care about what hes' done but imo his feelings are centered on himself.

[slaney]

Sqad "good for the defense, but a slap in the face for the prosecution."
No - it was the prosecutor Nel who asked for the assessment - Roux for the defence opposed it.

From the Guardian...
"Nel's manoeuvre appeared to take Pistorius's defence team genuinely by surprise and be regarded as a tactical ploy. Some observers suggested the prosecutor is calling the defence's bluff by daring them to put Pistorius's mental stability to the test or withdraw it as a factor. Defence counsel Barry Roux said he would oppose the application"
So the prosecution is calling the defence's bluff - but a high risk strategy nevertheless.

[jim360]

For all that, it's hard to see how the prosecution's case is any more advanced than saying, "How could you have been so stupid?! - Therefore, you're guilty." I don't see how it's safe to convict him of the most serious charge based on a case like that. Perhaps after all he was suffering from a mental unbalance. Rampant paranoia? Who in their right mind could hear a noise in the bathroom and instantly assume "armed and dangerous killer", without checking that it's not "person next to me just out for a trip to the loo"... but from someone with mental health problems it's not unfeasible that they would jump to such a conclusion.

At any rate, it's hard to know what to think of the case any more.

[anneasquith]

sqad, his anxiety problem is not new,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,he has suffered with it for many years going back to childhood,( via psychiatric evidence yesterday ).

[Sqad]

slaney.......what WOULD I do without you?..;-)

Thanks.

[ladybirder]

Absolutely high risk, totally agree. Hope it pays off.

[tonyav]

Yet he was allowed to have guns though, anne !.

[boxtops]

Good - I referred to his mental health on the other thread this morning.

[anneasquith]

tony, im no expert, but I think many people have firearms in SA.

[tonyav]

Of that I have no doubt, anne, but someone with metal health problems !.

[ladybirder]

Could be suffering from Hyper Vigilance they said, fight or flight and his disability would make him more likely to flght than flight. Hmmm. So risky.

[ladybirder]

Metal health? Very good tony. Is that someone with lots of guns?