cottonweaver
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Have you had this link here already?
http://europe.newsweek.com/oscar-pistorius-sentence-reeva-steenkamp-478327
Despite appreciating the BIB, it fascinates me, in a bad way!, that masipa chose to go with 6 and not 10 years or a number close to that.
What Masipa’s judgment served to do was to reinforce the belief—and reality for many—that in South Africa people experience different kinds of justice based on class, race and privilege.
As someone who spends a great deal of time in the country’s courts, I was not surprised by her sentencing decision and, like many of our legal experts, had predicted a seven-to-10 year sentence. Masipa’s finding has to be considered in the context of the specifics of this particular case and she had to weigh up the factors pertinent to the incident. As the judge herself stressed, she presides over a court of law, not a court of public opinion.
But when you step out of the legal realm and into reality, how do you explain to the average person that a six-year jail term—which in all likelihood will translate to three years of time behind bars—is sufficient for taking a life? And what message does that send to society about the punishment for murder?
http://europe.newsweek.com/oscar-pistorius-sentence-reeva-steenkamp-478327
Despite appreciating the BIB, it fascinates me, in a bad way!, that masipa chose to go with 6 and not 10 years or a number close to that.