General Discussion Thread #1 -Bail Hearing

[jjenny]

It might be best if there is no jury trial anyway, since when it comes to celebrities and juries-well, we all know what can happen. This guy is famous world wide, and apparently he is even more popular in his home country. I can very easily envision a jury enamored of somebody like that.

 

[Davita]

He shot her numerous times and then realises she is not an intruder? Also, the neighbours reported they heard screams and then the shots were fired. If that is undisputed, if only excuse will be that he is deaf? Did he not hear her scream? No forced entry has been reported too. They were alone in the apartment.

 

[Davita]

Just to let you all know that I am South African, but left the country years ago and now reside in another country. I am speaking Afrikaans fluently, so if you need any interpretation, please feel free to ask.

 

[ontariolynn]

http://news.yahoo.com/weeping-pistorius-faces-life-prison-shooting-164118873--oly.html

From the article:

At the defense's request, the chief magistrate delayed Pistorius' bail hearing until Tuesday and Wednesday. Prosecutors and defense lawyers agreed to keep Pistorius in a police holding cell, rather than transfer him to prison like most normal suspects. While Nasir acknowledged that could give them impression that the athlete was getting "preferential treatment," he agreed to it. Police have said they oppose Pistorius being freed on bail.

In saying they'll seek a premeditated murder charge against Pistorius, prosecutors likely are claiming they have evidence that the athlete planned the killing ahead of time, said William Booth, a prominent defense lawyer from Cape Town. The charge, which carries a sentence of life in prison, also makes it more difficult for Pistorius to successfully apply for bail, Booth said, though it could be a challenge to get a conviction.

… in South Africa, there is no jury system, leaving Pistorius face largely to the judge who will oversee his possible trial.

Thank you for the info!

 

[popsicle]

He shot his girlfriend and apparently says he mistook her for a burglar.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...y-shot-dead-girlfriend-mistaking-burglar.html

There may just be more to this.

Ominously, the Paralympic superstar had tweeted how he went into 'full combat recon mode' after mistaking his washing machine for an intruder, less than three months before his girlfriend was shot dead in the middle of the night.

In a message posted on Twitter on November 27 last year Pistorius wrote: 'Nothing like getting home to hear the washing machine on and thinking its an intruder to go into full combat recon mode into the pantry!'

 

[Herding Cats]

I'm wondering if there is any hint about drugs? For someone to mistake the washing machine for a burglar...either he didn't wash his own clothes, or he was not sober enough to understand the sound.

Not sure about him murdering his g/f...I think maybe it was a terrible mistake; not a deliberate thing.

Best-
Herding Cats

 

[Davita]

I am so glad Websleuths is discussing this case. I am sure it will become if not already, a high profile case. This lady is the perfect example of success, so is Oscar. However, profiling both of them, he seems to be the one with the personality flaws ...

Hoping to see how this pans out.

 

[ScarlettScarpetta]

I'm wondering if there is any hint about drugs? For someone to mistake the washing machine for a burglar...either he didn't wash his own clothes, or he was not sober enough to understand the sound.

Not sure about him murdering his g/f...I think maybe it was a terrible mistake; not a deliberate thing.

Best-
Herding Cats

I want to believe this.

 

[TGIRecovered]

Statement from family and management company " The alleged murder is disputed in the strongest terms". Article also state she was shot four times, found in bathroom, holes in the bathroom door.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb/15/oscar-pistorius-court-denies-murder

It sounds to me like she might have ran in to the bathroom to get away from him but he just shot her right through the door four times!

MOO


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[jellybeanz]

It's all pointing to steroid abuse and paranoia.

 

[jjenny]

Being an Olympic athlete, I am sure he was tested for steroids.

 

[jellybeanz]

Being an Olympic athlete, I am sure he was tested for steroids.

So was Lance Armstrong, but we've seen how that panned out.

I've read about the NIKE curse, Armstrong, Woods and now Pistorius, but I'm not buying into it.
The Nike and Saturn link is interesting though.

 

[jjenny]

Armstrong was never in the Olympics.

 

[Montjoy]

Armstrong was never in the Olympics.

That's incorrect. He won a medal in 2000.

 

[Waddles]

The thing that flabbergasts me when these things happen-the biggest question I ask myself, besides why the poor victim had to die at the hands of someone they should have been safest with, is why would a person who has all their life ahead of them, who has excellent prospects, home comforts, secure future, everything going for them-why would they throw their life away - knowing there is no possible way they can get away with this and they are looking at a minimum of 25 years in prison, well with the incredible exception of Casey that is. Even if he thought he was untouchable and he would plead the intruder thing, he still knew a very very heavy price to pay was unavoidable. If this was premeditated then he knew he was throwing his life away, that he would become hated by the fans who once adored him, that his life would never be the same, that his family would never look at him the same, he would have no other prospects of future love with a woman, of a normal life-he would be looking at terrible conditions in jail and a complete loss of the conditions that allow him to live so well with his disability, no possibility to perform again, to train his body at such a level, no prospect of anything at all. He is looking at a very dark hole of a life from now on. It makes no sense at all, none. I don't get it. Even if you only consider these things for a split second before committing the act why is it not enough to stop you? How can the desire to kill be so strong as to lose your own life in the process. What is the point when there is nothing to gain from it, an enormous penalty to pay and mental toll until your dying day. If it was premeditated as they say then why??
Just my thoughts

 

[Waddles]

This part about previous incidents of domestic violence between them in the article stuck out to me:

Beukes said there had been incidents of domestic violence at his house.

"I confirm there had been previous incidents of a domestic nature at his place, but this will form part of the investigation," she said.

Yes, I saw that and wondered if the previous incidents could have been previous relationships too rather than just between them...
The only incident quoted as far as I've seen is the door slamming on a woman situation.

 

[Waddles]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/a...lawyers-insist-he-is-no-murderer-8496555.html
A close friend, who asked not to be named, said they had received a call from Mr Pistorius soon after the shooting in the early hours of yesterday morning and were told by the athlete that there had been a tragic accident. They arrived soon after at Mr Pistorius’ home to find him with a bloody and unconscious Reeva Steenkamp. They were told she had been shot after the runner mistook her for an intruder.

Police claimed they have evidence that Ms Steenkamp arrived at her boyfriend’s house on Wednesday evening, contradicting the notion that she surprised him during the night.

 

[Sarahlou]

I read they have CCTV footage of her arriving at his house earlier that day. The intruder theory is bull. I really hope he doesn't get special treatment because of who he is.

 

[squeaky]

If this was indeed premeditated, it seems that a thorough defense strategy had already been conceived.

Phone calls to friends immediately following the incident to bolster the mistaken identity story. The over-the-top breakdown in court (I read somewhere even the judge told him to tone it down), as would be the predictable reaction to the proposed scenario laid out by the defense.

If this is true the nature of the premeditation seems very deliberate. Just how savage do we think this guy is?

However, at this current point of the investigation, I have to say that the mistaken identity story doesn't make very much sense to me.

 

[jjenny]

I am guessing not premeditated in advance.
An argument of some sort escalating?