PrimeSuspect
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- May 15, 2014
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That's true, JJ, the Botha's of this world are the street fighters of the judicial system and dirty fighting isn't below them. I believe in a fair trial for an accused person, this isn't one of them, imo.
I followed an appeal in the US a few years ago for a young man accused of murdering his wife. I looked through all the evidence and was astounded that he was found guilty. He was hours away from the home staying in a Hotel when his wife was brutally bashed to death (their 2 yr old daughter was left unharmed), the two strikes against him? A CCTV camera in the hotel corridor turned away, no knowledge or witnesses of who turned it and a wedge that was placed under the back door to keep it open. As much as he may be guilty and is currently serving his sentence, sometimes flimsy evidence which is presented well to an impressionable jury can bring a guilty verdict.
In this trial, Botha is reaching for the improbable and succeeding in his delay tactics. There's a neighbour who heard men arguing at the Van Breda household between 10 pm and 12.10 am on the night of the murder and The Star Trek 2 scenario is born! I really hope Galloway blows this one out of the water in her closing statement because she didn't appear to challenge it, maybe it's just too stupid to even bother at this stage.
Now we have James Reade-Jahn, Marli's ex-boyfriend who was 15/16 yrs old at the time presented as a crucial witness to the possibility of there being another axe?! He visited the home, how many times?! He entered the scullery, how many times? So after 2 yrs, this kid imagines the axe head could have been black not green! Maybe and most likely, the light wasn't on!!
Precious worked at the Van Breda's 3 days a week, she identified the axe in court as similar to the one kept in the scullery but no, her testimony isn't good enough! This to me isn't about a fairness, it's about misleading the court and wasting valuable time for the reasons many have listed in this thread.
We've seen the same tactics used here in Australia. Gerard Baden Clay denies murdering and disposing of his wife, he was found guilty and is in prison. Recently his defence team came up with a scenario for his appeal, that Allison accidentally died and he panicked and discarded her body. GBC hasn't confessed this is what happened but his lawyers said, well, maybe it did, and he should have his sentenced reduced!! Luckily, it wasn't accepted by the appeals court but still, the audacity?!!
There a great defence lawyers and then, there are the lawyers who are paid to keep murderers out of jail. I'm sorry for the long rant but I'm frustrated that HvB is free until next year, it isn't right. It's no reflection on SA alone, we've seen many trials go down the rabbit hole to absurdity, but after following Pistorius and Dewani's pathetic trials and now this, grrrrrr!!!
:cry:
I followed an appeal in the US a few years ago for a young man accused of murdering his wife. I looked through all the evidence and was astounded that he was found guilty. He was hours away from the home staying in a Hotel when his wife was brutally bashed to death (their 2 yr old daughter was left unharmed), the two strikes against him? A CCTV camera in the hotel corridor turned away, no knowledge or witnesses of who turned it and a wedge that was placed under the back door to keep it open. As much as he may be guilty and is currently serving his sentence, sometimes flimsy evidence which is presented well to an impressionable jury can bring a guilty verdict.
In this trial, Botha is reaching for the improbable and succeeding in his delay tactics. There's a neighbour who heard men arguing at the Van Breda household between 10 pm and 12.10 am on the night of the murder and The Star Trek 2 scenario is born! I really hope Galloway blows this one out of the water in her closing statement because she didn't appear to challenge it, maybe it's just too stupid to even bother at this stage.
Now we have James Reade-Jahn, Marli's ex-boyfriend who was 15/16 yrs old at the time presented as a crucial witness to the possibility of there being another axe?! He visited the home, how many times?! He entered the scullery, how many times? So after 2 yrs, this kid imagines the axe head could have been black not green! Maybe and most likely, the light wasn't on!!
Precious worked at the Van Breda's 3 days a week, she identified the axe in court as similar to the one kept in the scullery but no, her testimony isn't good enough! This to me isn't about a fairness, it's about misleading the court and wasting valuable time for the reasons many have listed in this thread.
We've seen the same tactics used here in Australia. Gerard Baden Clay denies murdering and disposing of his wife, he was found guilty and is in prison. Recently his defence team came up with a scenario for his appeal, that Allison accidentally died and he panicked and discarded her body. GBC hasn't confessed this is what happened but his lawyers said, well, maybe it did, and he should have his sentenced reduced!! Luckily, it wasn't accepted by the appeals court but still, the audacity?!!
There a great defence lawyers and then, there are the lawyers who are paid to keep murderers out of jail. I'm sorry for the long rant but I'm frustrated that HvB is free until next year, it isn't right. It's no reflection on SA alone, we've seen many trials go down the rabbit hole to absurdity, but after following Pistorius and Dewani's pathetic trials and now this, grrrrrr!!!