How many bullets are left in the magazine?
Witness testimony analysis 2 re-presents the sequence of events of 14 Feb based upon the supposition that Johnson's phone time is incorrect (see event comments for rationale). This then allows for the possibility that the 3 loud bangs that the Stipps hear some time after Annette Stipp wakes at 03:02 (less 3/4 minutes) are prior to the 4 shots that kill Reeva, which most ear witnesses then hear. One possibility for this first set of sounds is OP firing out of the balcony doors or bathroom window.
The photo of the magazine at the scene shows us that there are at least 10 bullets (of 17) in it but not whether there are more (except there aren't 17 as can be seen from the viewing hole marked '17' which is empty). If there are more than 10 bullets in the magazine then it is unlikely that the first sounds were gunshots. If there are 10, that leaves open the possibility that 7 shots were fired and perhaps the initial 3 cartridge casings were then removed from the scene (via Reeva's bag being one possibility). This also assumes that OP kept the magazine fully loaded, a reasonable assumption?
As there doesn't appear to be any evidence given on how many bullets are left in the magazine, I've had a go at figuring it myself.
From this picture of a disassembled 17 round magazine taken from a Taurus PT917CS (same gun) we can see that there are 12 complete coils in the spring.
View attachment 62408
Closer inspection of OP's magazine below shows two coils of the spring visible in the bottom right 'viewing hole'. The first is easy to see, and you can see the edge of the second to its right if you look carefully.
View attachment 62409
If the gap between these two coils is measured and then multiplied by 12 (the total number of coils) this then gives us an approximation for the extent to which the spring is extended within the magazine. Add the piece of yellow plastic that is used as a seat for the last bullet (see top photo) and we have an idea of where the bottom bullet sits in the magazine and therefore how many bullets remain.
View attachment 62412
The estimating method is inexact but I come to two conclusions assuming the magazine was full to start with:
1) It looks like there are only 10 bullets remaining in the magazine which implies 7 may have been fired
2) Even allowing for the inaccuracies of this approach it still looks like more than 4 bullets are missing, which again supports the 7 bullets used hypothesis
Would anyone else care to have a go at this exercise to see if you agree or not?
Ah! ... No wonder OP and family were so stoic and quiet when the sentence was delivered.
Roux is delusional - excellent chance the public will NEVER forgive OP, regardless how much time he serves.
No big surprise that Uncle Arnies trying to skate on Rouxs bill. Little Ozzies destitute, essentially unemployable for the rest of his life and with zero income, he can never repay the outstanding legal fees. OP sold all his real and personal property, including a car and set of wheels/tires ... that turnips been wrung dry.
Uncle Arnie sure didnt offer any of his personal money towards that insultingly paltry (REJECTED) Steenkamp settlement, did he? He wants to make sure hes not out anything. Really makes you wonder if he even believes OPs version of self-defense and terrible accident? Seems like hed be a bit more generous financially if he actually believed it was genuinely a tragic case of mistaken identity. Perhaps forcing OP to foot all expenses till hes broke was his punishment for recklessly murdering Reeva and bringing shame and notoriety to the family name.
I doubt the arrogant, belligerent OP is fearful of many people (any?) but I imagine at the top of that list is Uncle Arnie. LOL
But even worse for Uncle Arnie - though the trialss over and OPs sitting in VIP Prison (not the VIP Room) - Uncle Arnies looking at MORE legal fees with the looming appeal. Man, he must be ticked. LOL
My friggin heart just breaks. He must be incensed at being so inconvenienced! Defending the innocent nephew he very likely knows(?) is guilty of murder - as well as defending the family honor - must be a bitter pill to choke down.
Just take a hammer to the Cartier piggy bank on your night stand, Uncle Arnie. Youll never miss it.
NPA pushes ahead with Oscar Pistorius appeal
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNx7xQKK-a8&feature=youtu.be
Includes another brief interview with Nathi Mncube
When OP is eventually is released, I can’t really see a happy homecoming at Uncle Arnold’s home. I think Arnold is not only unhappy with the outstanding fees, but his knowledge of the total disdain felt by the community at him and his family would be pretty gut-wrenching I’d imagine. So be it, he brought it on himself.
This is the same Arnold Pistorius who, just minutes after the verdict was read, distastefully used the court as his stage to vocalise his "gratitude" to the judge for clearing OP of murder - while Reeva's family were still sitting there (I think). This is the same AP who publicly criticised Nel for doing his job. This is the same AP, who, along with other members of the family, helped shape OP into the killer he became, by not doing more to hold him to account for his previous atrocious behaviour.When you say 'we as a group', please don't include me in that .. cheers!
Transcript of the most relevant part of the interview on a point receiving a lot of attention here.
Published on 29 October
"It remains a possibility that Judge Masipa could turn down their application for leave to appeal. Mncube says this however would not be the end of the road for the NPA.
"NM: We want to believe that we will be successful with our application for leave to appeal, but if that fails, of course in terms of the law, we can petition the Supreme Court of Appeal and we hope it will not get to that point of course".
The NPA remain confident that Judge Thokozile Masipa will grant their application for leave to appeal both judgment and sentencing (sic).
This is the same Arnold Pistorius who, just minutes after the verdict was read, distastefully used the court as his stage to vocalise his "gratitude" to the judge for clearing OP of murder - while Reeva's family were still sitting there. This is the same AP who publicly criticised Nel for doing his job. This is the same AP, who, along with other members of the family, helped shape OP into the killer he became, by not doing more to hold him to account for his previous atrocious behaviour.
I'm pretty sure he'd have known about Carl wiping the phone, too! The mere fact of him taking the kids in and treating them as his own doesn't mean much if his parental skills were lacking to such an extent that one of the "kids" felt entitled to get away with murder. No bloody boundaries in that family. Anything goes. I'm not saying he wasn't a better father to OP than Henke was, but he does seem to live in his own familial bubble where rules that decent law-abiding people live by, are ignored and scoffed at.
How many bullets are left in the magazine?
Witness testimony analysis 2 re-presents the sequence of events of 14 Feb based upon the supposition that Johnson's phone time is incorrect (see event comments for rationale). This then allows for the possibility that the 3 loud bangs that the Stipps hear some time after Annette Stipp wakes at 03:02 (less 3/4 minutes) are prior to the 4 shots that kill Reeva, which most ear witnesses then hear. One possibility for this first set of sounds is OP firing out of the balcony doors or bathroom window.
The photo of the magazine at the scene shows us that there are at least 10 bullets (of 17) in it but not whether there are more (except there aren't 17 as can be seen from the viewing hole marked '17' which is empty). If there are more than 10 bullets in the magazine then it is unlikely that the first sounds were gunshots. If there are 10, that leaves open the possibility that 7 shots were fired and perhaps the initial 3 cartridge casings were then removed from the scene (via Reeva's bag being one possibility). This also assumes that OP kept the magazine fully loaded, a reasonable assumption?
As there doesn't appear to be any evidence given on how many bullets are left in the magazine, I've had a go at figuring it myself.
From this picture of a disassembled 17 round magazine taken from a Taurus PT917CS (same gun) we can see that there are 12 complete coils in the spring.
View attachment 62408
Closer inspection of OP's magazine below shows two coils of the spring visible in the bottom right 'viewing hole'. The first is easy to see, and you can see the edge of the second to its right if you look carefully.
View attachment 62409
If the gap between these two coils is measured and then multiplied by 12 (the total number of coils) this then gives us an approximation for the extent to which the spring is extended within the magazine. Add the piece of yellow plastic that is used as a seat for the last bullet (see top photo) and we have an idea of where the bottom bullet sits in the magazine and therefore how many bullets remain.
View attachment 62412
The estimating method is inexact but I come to two conclusions assuming the magazine was full to start with:
1) It looks like there are only 10 bullets remaining in the magazine which implies 7 may have been fired
2) Even allowing for the inaccuracies of this approach it still looks like more than 4 bullets are missing, which again supports the 7 bullets used hypothesis
Would anyone else care to have a go at this exercise to see if you agree or not?
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29793210
Twitter Q&A: Milton Nkosi answers questions on the killing of Senzo Meyiwa
Riche Juif Joel emails a question: How can they stop killing each other, when sentences are as short as five years in jail?
Miltons says: True, if you use the Pistorius case as an example, but there are many more inmates who are serving longer sentences behind bars.
Ah! ... No wonder OP and family were so stoic and quiet when the sentence was delivered.
Roux is delusional - excellent chance the public will NEVER forgive OP, regardless how much time he serves.
No big surprise that Uncle Arnies trying to skate on Rouxs bill. Little Ozzies destitute, essentially unemployable for the rest of his life and with zero income, he can never repay the outstanding legal fees. OP sold all his real and personal property, including a car and set of wheels/tires ... that turnips been wrung dry.
Uncle Arnie sure didnt offer any of his personal money towards that insultingly paltry (REJECTED) Steenkamp settlement, did he? He wants to make sure hes not out anything. Really makes you wonder if he even believes OPs version of self-defense and terrible accident? Seems like hed be a bit more generous financially if he actually believed it was genuinely a tragic case of mistaken identity. Perhaps forcing OP to foot all expenses till hes broke was his punishment for recklessly murdering Reeva and bringing shame and notoriety to the family name.
I doubt the arrogant, belligerent OP is fearful of many people (any?) but I imagine at the top of that list is Uncle Arnie. LOL
But even worse for Uncle Arnie - though the trialss over and OPs sitting in VIP Prison (not the VIP Room) - Uncle Arnies looking at MORE legal fees with the looming appeal. Man, he must be ticked. LOL
My friggin heart just breaks. He must be incensed at being so inconvenienced! Defending the innocent nephew he very likely knows(?) is guilty of murder - as well as defending the family honor - must be a bitter pill to choke down.
Just take a hammer to the Cartier piggy bank on your night stand, Uncle Arnie. Youll never miss it.
Quote Originally Posted by Estelle
"Where did I state that he went with Reeva? I said "she" but will edit it to read Sam Taylor as I assumed everyone knew it was Sam Taylor".
This whole bit is confusing and there's lots of articles to look at. One thing I've noticed numerous times is the threat to break legs. I've seen Batchelor interviewed where he said OP threatened to break his legs and he stated that he just ignored that comment. There are plenty of articles on that.
On the other hand, I've also seen as many articles saying that he made the threat to Batchelor but the threat was that he'd break Van der Burgh's legs. I've often wondered if OP made this threat to each of them.
In the overall scheme of things I don't think it really matters. We do know there were 3 incidents related to Van der Burgh, one with VdB himself, and the remaining 2 with Batchelor.
Let's face it, he was so out of control in 2012 that he could have done anything that year. The whole point of the list was never meant to be a timeline like the one relating to the shooting. It's really just to show more of an outline of events and approximate times showing how things appeared to be reaching a climax. It's all irrelevant now anyway. I just did it for our benefit because we like to know everything.
Thanks FG. The exercise showed me that two sets of shots remains a possibility, supporting the idea that this is what the Stipps heard first, but I think the only shots to hit Reeva occurred in the toilet and were the second sounds.
When you say 'we as a group', please don't include me in that .. cheers!
When OP is eventually is released, I cant really see a happy homecoming at Uncle Arnolds home. I think Arnold is not only unhappy with the outstanding fees, but his knowledge of the total disdain felt by the community at him and his family would be pretty gut-wrenching Id imagine. So be it, he brought it on himself.
Great to hear State are going to try and Appeal on Errors in Law
but will this include the ammunition charge , possession ?