Pistorious Trial......

[ToraToraTora]

Are we looking at another OJ here?

[Zeuhl]

^
So he didn't even call out a challenge!

If he had indeed been burgled, and an unarmed, non-violent, 9 year old kid was hiding in his toilet, then executing them would have been ok?

[mikey4444]

All that may be true cloverjo but to allow anyone to go around firing a gun at anybody else and pretend its OK. because they live in a violent country, is just not right. All the evidence so far points to him having murdered his girlfriend after a loud and violent row. There is a possible connection between this case and OJs...if Pistorious gets off, then another miscarriage of justice will have been done.

Does anyone know how long this trial is set to last ?

[mikey4444]

Naomi is right here (!) His case has more holes in it than a Swiss cheese.

[mikey4444]

Thanks chewn !

[DTCwordfan]

Wait until the prosecution get on to the effects of his performance enhancing drugs on his mind............I agree that there are a lot of inconsistencies that we seem to be getting - will his lawyer have some way if knitting these all together. Given his so-called brilliance, maybe - but it ain't obvious at the moment.

We also have to recognise that we are debating and opinionating using just sound-bites and others' views.

[DTCwordfan]

The rights to defend property with firearms in S.Africa is laid out in the attached.

A bit like here, you had be better be bloody sure before you hit the trigger.

http://www.issafrica.org/uploads/CQNO8DUPLESSIS.PDF

[mikey4444]

I understand that he shot his girlfriend through the closed bathroom door, unless I have that wrong. So if the door was closed, how did he know who was in the bathroom ? How could he be sure that it was a burglar, instead of the only other person that was in the house alongside him at the time...ie his girlfriend. As I said more holes than a Swiss cheese.

At the very least, he must be guilty of manslaughter surely, if such a thing exists in SA ?

[mikey4444]

Chewn...there is quite a lot here on the BBC News website :::

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-26417240

[sp1814]

Can I play Devil's Advocate for a moment?

Let's say that on the night of the shooting, Oscar had been chatting with a mate who told him a horror story about an unarmed friend who confronted a burglar, who shot him, and before he died, had to witness his wife being raped?

Then at 3am that night, Oscar hears sounds from the bathroom, and in his disoriented / half asleep state, he has this story playing in his head...

In blind panic, might he not take his gun and shoot through the bathr...

You know what?

I can't do it.

I can't work it out.

I'm putting myself in his position and if I woke up in the middle of the night, and I heard noises from the bathroom, and noticed my partner was out of the bed, my first thought would be:

A) It's him

B) I hope he cleans up in there.

[twofeathers]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/womens-politics/10680027/Oscar-Pistorius-bet-Congratulations-Paddy-Power-youve-offended-130000-people.html

Have a bet on it!

[jomifl]

(B) ?

[modeller]

Trials in our courts are not concerned with 'justice ' . It's only a contest between two barristers. The more money you have to spend on the 'best ' lawyers , the greater is your chance of success. Add to that our protection of the criminals rights is so loaded it's surprising anybody gets convicted.

[cassa333]

I also think he is guilty and IF he is found guilty (I have my doubts that he will be) he will get of very light or soft sentance.!!

[ladybirder]

Been an interesting day today with the testimony of Samantha Taylor, the girlfriend he cheated on with Reeva. The prosecution is slowly building a picture of a trigger happy, out of control, little respect for authority (or women) kind of guy. Not a good day for Mr Pistorius. Or for Reeva's parents listening to this. Let's see what his QC makes of it when it's his turn.

[ludwig]

Lawyers are usually pretty good which is why they get paid loads. At the moment we're all thinking it's an open and shut case, but by the time the case for the defence has finished, we'll probably all be marching in the streets in outrage at how such an obviously innocent man could be put through such a nightmare.

If only he'd stopped to consider that the person in the bathroom might be the other person that was living in his flat, or even that it would probably be wrong to shoot first and find out afterwards, none of this would be happening.