South Africa - Martin, 55, Theresa, 54, Rudi van Breda, 22, murdered, 26 Jan 2015 #3

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

spinning at all, just from a straight throw it lands just like that in the wall. It turned only once, made one rotation

Desai your witness consciously tried to hit the wall with the blade of the axe?

C: it shows the velocity and the way that it travels in general will make the damage on that wall

B: I said it was possible. C- no if it has enough velocity that is how it will land

 

[JudgeJudi]

Plea Explanation

“I then threw the axe at him. I cannot recall exactly where I was on the stairs when I threw the axe. I also did not see where or what the axe struck”.

C: Our expert has thrown that axe he assimilated the movement, our client was certain of how it landed and without spinning at all, just from a straight throw it lands just like that in the wall. It turned only once, made one rotation

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

C: We now move to mark A at the entrance hall near the front door

C: shows a much closer picture of this mark

C: Can u consider there are two marks to the left of that damaged area- B- I did consider them, didnt make casts

Brown: it looks like smudges and impacts into the plaster area on the adjacent law

adjacent wall sorry

Desai- what do you think could have caused this damage? Brown I have no idea my lord

Brown describes the damage on the photograph, smudging, scratch, indentation like a scratch mark

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

C: look at photo from Hitchcock, you see it is on top of a blood print of a foot. Brown there is blood beneath it

C: so that would be an indication that the damage was caused after the blood mark?

B: I don't know what area this was or if the blood was stepped or crumbled away?

C: its the same area you photographed your A.

C then shows Brown the corner on the photos so she can recognise the area as the same area she took a photo of

 

[JudgeJudi]

Entrance wall chip - Two marks to the left of it. She considered it, saying it looked like smudges and impacts into the plastered painted area.

What could have caused it? It looks like there is a scratch mark

Debris appears to be on the bloody footprint

If on top, it would have had to be afterward and after it had dried, Combrink says.

You found the scene not as WO Hitchcock found it. Your deduction would have to be that that piece landed on a dry shoe print?

if it was like this, yes.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/live-van-breda-axe-murder-trial-day-26-20170613

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

This picture it appears to lie on top of a blood shoe print so it must have occurred after the print had dried for it to be on top

C: on your pictures you made deduction that piece A landed on top of dry blood shoe print

B: I didnt make any deductions the bloodied dry shoe print

C: it must have come after the shoe print? B if it was like this, C: it was like this and shows another photo taken by B

C: in this photo Brown is photographing a photo of her colleague fitting a piece into the mark on the wall B

 

[JudgeJudi]

Court breaks for lunch.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

Adv G interrupts to say that she has the physical pieces with her

Brown starts taking them out

Judge Desai adjourns for lunch

 

[JudgeJudi]

I cannot help feeling this morning has been more time wasting on the part of the Defence. How on earth has this niggling argument taken the case forward in any way? The DT seems to be obsessed with minor points that in no way change the story or am I missing something?

They're just making mountains from molehills and thinking big things from little acorns grow.

 

[Interested Bystander]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

C- you didnt take sample of that wall B no I did not. C you could extract a piece of the wall or use an instrument to measure

C: so broadly you know nothing of that wall. B That is what I said I am not building expert but the standards of building I know

C: given what we now know you know, you cannot truly say axe wasn't thrown

B: I did not have velocity I had the mass of the axe and I didnt have the hardness of the wall from other aspects

Desai- just looking at it you have a better eye than we have what do you see

Brown: by looking at the characteristics and considering the scenario given to me- possible but highly unlikely

BIB

I love this judge. His comments often belittle those who should know better, ie Botha and C.

 

[Fluffykins]

Even though it would be so hard for her to do, you have to hope Marli can get in there and say "It was Henri". But knowing Botha he'd then try and claim she's saying that for more of the estate or some such rubbish.

I think the defence would attack her memory, or lack thereof, and say she is confused about what happened or isn't recalling things as they really happened.

Surely even Botha wouldn't sink so low as to accuse her of testifying against Henri for her own ends. That would just be the absolute pits. And I don't think he could accuse her of being confused because if she does testify, surely she would have medical clearance that she's of sound mind. Poor kid, what she's been through.

 

[Marples]

Surely even Botha wouldn't sink so low as to accuse her of testifying against Henri for her own ends. That would just be the absolute pits. And I don't think he could accuse her of being confused because if she does testify, surely she would have medical clearance that she's of sound mind. Poor kid, what she's been through.

Oh I think he 500% would. In my opinion he's a vulture with no insight into how outrageous his behaviour is at times. I know he's doing a job, but some of his statements and treatment of witnesses has been deplorable. I think if he thought Marli was weak, he'd badger her incessantly, claiming she was blaming Henri for financial gain. He'd clutch at any straw, no matter how horrid, if it meant a win for his client. 🤢


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Fluffykins]

rsbm

I cannot help feeling this morning has been more time wasting on the part of the Defence. How on earth has this niggling argument taken the case forward in any way? The DT seems to be obsessed with minor points that in no way change the story or am I missing something?

I'm just waiting from Combrink to ask her how many dust particles were on the stair

Yeah, it's excruciating, isn't it. :waiting:

 

[Interested Bystander]

Plea Explanation

“I then threw the axe at him. I cannot recall exactly where I was on the stairs when I threw the axe. I also did not see where or what the axe struck”.

C: Our expert has thrown that axe he assimilated the movement, our client was certain of how it landed and without spinning at all, just from a straight throw it lands just like that in the wall. It turned only once, made one rotation

More lies from the Defence. How on earth can they claim VdB knows how the axe landed and that it did not spin when in his Plea Explanation he says just the opposite. Pity the judge didn't pick them up on that.

 

[Fluffykins]

Oh I think he 500% would. In my opinion he's a vulture with no insight into how outrageous his behaviour is at times. I know he's doing a job, but some of his statements and treatment of witnesses has been deplorable. I think if he thought Marli was weak, he'd badger her incessantly, claiming she was blaming Henri for financial gain. He'd clutch at any straw, no matter how horrid, if it meant a win for his client.

I agree his treatment of witnesses has been really quite disgraceful, but you notice Judge Desai only lets him get away with so much; Botha goes too far over the line and Desai pulls him up. I suspect if B was really harassing Marli to the point where she was in tears, D would put a stop to it.

 

[JudgeJudi]

I remember Galloway said yesterday that the blood spatter witnesses and DNA experts aren't available this week but I totally forgot that she also said today would be the last day and that we'll resume on 7 August. I was already on my little holiday.

Court is in session.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

We are back and Combrink continues his cross examination of Captain Brown

Combrink hands up pictures of the boys' bedroom

B: I only looked at the areas I photographed and the floor underneath those areas

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

C: moving back to area A and B at the wall near the entrance

C: you can't see how "B" occurred. Brown I said sharp edge mark possibly produced by the sharp top part of the axe

C: do u agree that the motion that caused breaking must have come from inside of house going towards outside?

Brown: as I mentioned either side, from inside or outside

Brown: A fell out before the striation and impact damage I photographed

C: if you come from corner where it lies on the right that part had to come first

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

Combrink: refers to blood spot right next to skirting then you see some steps approaching that blood spot

C: if trolley moved past there first double tapped hit that area and then shape edge hit there, would that not break it out?

Brown: that is possible

Desai trying to ascertain if this is the mark on the stairs? C: refers to another photo to clarify

 

[PrimeSuspect]

https://twitter.com/Traceyams

Photo 403 shows the gurney or a "scoop"

Adv G: there is no evidence on record of the gurney being put down, Koegelenberg testified and didnt say it made marks

Brown: it is possible that the gurney may have made these marks but I never considered the gurney

C: one other possibility you mentioned an axe, but you don't know if it is this axe that made the mark. B I don't I only examined

B: this axe

C: Rheede Jahn has given evidence that he did not recognize the axe James said the axe was black

Desai: are you suggesting that there was another axe? C I don't know there is evidence that possibly there was more than one axe

Desai shakes his head,