South Africa - Martin, 55, Theresa, 54, Rudi van Breda, 22, murdered, 26 Jan 2015 #4

[L2L]

VanBreda house in middle of De Zalze. Got there undetected, Galloway says. Back door open - easy access. Don't remove valuable property?

Galloway says they then fled and escaped without being detected? #VanBreda says if they came through the fence, then yes.

Are you implying someone was given a key and might have used it to gain access? #VanBreda says this is a reasonable possibility.

Court adjourns until 10am tomorrow.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24

Brilliant updates, JJ! Many thanks! :cheers:

 

[Fluffykins]

RSBM

#VanBreda says he regularly sees a therapist, started immediately after attacks. Adv Botha has no further questions.

Adv Galloway starts cross examination.
Says #VanBreda hasn't stuttered. Adv Botha objects, says he did.

#VanBreda says he can't recall having stuttered. He says he has been trying hard not to. Galloway says she heard "um" but didn't pick it up.

Adv Galloway asks if it's in essence the same as what he told the police.
Correct, #VanBreda says. Same as his police statement. Correct.

Galloway says he was a victim and/or a witness to serious and violent crime. Correct

Why not testify first?
#VanBreda says he wanted to have his say. Near the end of the case, decided he wanted to testify.

Other people (visitors) at house the night or morning of murders?
No, #VanBreda says. He also confirms he is right handed.

Disagrees that he is the only person alive that can remember what happened. "I have no idea what the attackers' memory is like."

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24

What utter rubbish. I remember months ago, must have been March or April, Botha saying his client was eager, or very keen - words to that effect - to tell his side of the story. And then it became a case of will-he-or-won't-he-testify, and now Botha's manipulated Henri into being last cab off the rank, which was no doubt going to be his ploy all the way along. Ye gods, it is annoying.

As for "I have no idea what the attackers' memory is like" .... :facepalm:

Oh please. What a charade.

 

[LouP1209]

Thank you for updates JJ much appreciated :cheers:

 

[Interested Bystander]

I suppose Galloway has to go through his story piecemeal but it makes it sooo boring. Can't wait for her big guns. I just hope we won't be disappointed.

 

[Tortoise]

Galloway says #VanBreda family felt comfortable enough with what was happening in house to not grab a gown? Middle of summer, he says.

This was a fantastic point made by Galloway and HvB slipped up.

He not only said it was summer, but that the women were not embarrassed to walk around the house in vest and panties with family members. But they would cover up with non-family members.

Seems he forgot about the non-family member with the axe.

 

[Tortoise]

RSBM



What utter rubbish. I remember months ago, must have been March or April, Botha saying his client was eager, or very keen - words to that effect - to tell his side of the story. And then it became a case of will-he-or-won't-he-testify, and now Botha's manipulated Henri into being last cab off the rank, which was no doubt going to be his ploy all the way along. Ye gods, it is annoying.

As for "I have no idea what the attackers' memory is like" .... :facepalm:

Oh please. What a charade.

BBM did him no favours. It wasn't a natural answer and it came across that he sees this as an intellectual contest.

 

[Interested Bystander]

December, January and February are summer months in SA. They were obviously aware there was nobody else in the house, hence their skimpy attire. With HvB shouting for help and obviously creating quite a bit of noise they surely would have covered up if they had any doubts about an intruder and left the house as quickly as possible. It seems they were perfectly aware it was a family "situation" which they were witnessing. I think there were probably more family arguments than we know about. Marli's boyfriend at the time alluded to this in his messages.

 

[Tortoise]

I'm going to post up Nick van der Leek's tweets - for anyone that hasn't come across his work, he is an investigative journalist.

Evidence in chief:-



[FONT=&quot]Phew. Just arrived in court. # vanbreda standing while on the stand for past ten minutes. Looks flushed.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]now going through whatsapp messages with Marli an her ex. "Can you give background Henri?"
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]You're not suggesting James committed these crimes? Henri glances at Judge. "No." Ok then.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Did you have anything to drink that evening? Henri reaches for his back pocket. "Yes, my dad opened a bottle of wine."
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]public gallery chokkablok full. Ditto media gallery. Henri talking almost too softly to be heard.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Can you remember when you watched Star Trek Into Darkness? "I can't remember specifically." Can [/FONT]@DStv[FONT=&quot] ?
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Both prosecuturs scribbling furiously. Desai and assistant also.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]when Rudi and her girlfriend visited where did they stay? "Marli's room." Why not say her name adv Botha?

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]We're back. Botha immediately jolts back to attack. Leads with: Was he wearing gloves? "He was wearing gloves."
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Going through his father's death. Barely audible. "I distinctly remember..."
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Botha leading Henri every step of the way. Was the attacker laughing? "He was."
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"Why did you not come to the aid of your father or mother?" Long pause. "I dunno......I was very scared."
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]He's nailed down his story quite well by now: "He seemed rather unconcerned about me." Rather? Very genteel way of putting it.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]clutches across his abdomen absently. Voice is flat but body language speaks volumes.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Judge making very little eye contact with Henri. Henri glancing at judge each time he answers. Journos straining to listen.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Still reasonable and agitated. Not a trace of sympathy for his family thus far. If they were sitting here listening, I wonder...
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Still describing altercation: "I was able to avoid that...after some time pushing one another back and forth..."
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Demos how he defended himself: uses his left hand to grasp his own right hnd. Says used his left hand to oppose attackers rt hand.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"Not that I could visibly...see, no." Pretty incredible the way he's talking.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Henri talks about seeing his family's blood. Dabs right eye with the finger of the opposite arm. Is he left-handed?
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]far less differential to Judge than [/FONT]#OscarPistorius[FONT=&quot] Minimal your lordships or my lords. Very clipped. Even. Matter of fact.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Seems only study lights were on. Didn't he think to turn them on at 4am? Seem to recall cops arrived with lights on. Galloway!
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Botha asks if he saw any other blood stains. Henri reaches with left arm and scratches back of trousers. Pulls blaser into place.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]One oom snoozing in the public gallery. Henri refers to "various techniques etc...."
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]While on phone to emergency services, did you use your mobile phone? "Yes." Reaches back with left arm, fumbles behind with shirt.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Did you see someone outside after call? "Yes." Asked her to get help. Another phantom? Gropes across blaser with left hand.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Botha asks if he was "very traumatised" when paramedics arrived. Otherwise no one might know? No discussion yet of the "chuckle".
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Adjourned for lunch. As Henri exits, a quick glance up to his uncle in the corner of the public gallery. Quick exchange of smiles.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]No mention of when Teresa and Marli died. Also missing from plea explanation. Lady in public gallery says she feels sorry for him.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Also zero mention thus far of those brain scans in Australia. Will we hear about the alleged visit to drug rehab in Bellville.

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]I'm sitting in the media area this afternoon. Guard pounced on me again. Levity as we await the Judge.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"When last did you sleep?" Botha now pushing the police abuse-rush to judgement narrative.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]It seems Botha wants police statement disputed as it only involes one attacker, not two. No grammar errors seized on thus far.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]The many blaser adjustments seem to me to be an attempt at image preening. Yes, I'm a normal, reasonable, decent gentleman.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Had a beer after police interrogation. " I think it was meant to calm me down. I was rather in shock...hands were shaking."
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Ever seen the axe before in your house? "No."
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Botha: did you kill your father? No. Now Henri flushes and looks choked up. Desai looks at him. Did you kill your mother?[/FONT][FONT=&quot]

https://twitter.com/HiRezLife

[/FONT][FONT=&quot]


[/FONT]

 

[Tortoise]

Cross-examination:-

[FONT=&quot]Galloway taking pot shots at his credibility. Are you right handed? Why weren't you the first witness when you were there?
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Galloway plants a landmine. Henri sidesteps it. "I have no idea what the attackers memories are like."
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Henri reaches for a bottle of water. Starting to squirm? Has right arm on side of dock - like he's blocking Galloway.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"I looked at the photos. I didn't enjoy it." Jeepers, he's blase.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]"Shortly after she came back from Australia Sasha had a stroke-like event." Henri's words.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Was your father a private man? "It's hard to say." It shouldn't be.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Desai raises fingers like talons in front on his face as Henri stumbles badly in his testimony.
[/FONT][FONT=&quot]Desai: How do *you* say the security was breached? "I can't." Then invokes inside job. Someone had a key?

https://twitter.com/HiRezLife
[/FONT]

 

[Tortoise]

"Oh, well, I have no idea what the attacker's memory is like. so.." (looking very pleased with himself)

https://youtu.be/v5XTuycEd2Q?t=30m31s

 

[Tortoise]

"He was not a private man when it came to, um, how he was with the rest of the family" (I pick up a horrible vibe when he says bbm)

https://youtu.be/v5XTuycEd2Q?t=45m37s

 

[JudgeJudi]

For anyone following the Panayiotou trial, I've now posted the tweets of the Defence's closing argument.

Judge Chetty will deliver his judgment on Thursday morning

CP will hear his fate on his 31st birthday

Aww, isn't that nice. Mummy brings him food in prison every week so I hope she makes a big effort on this very special birthday.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

:tyou: for updates JJ and Tortoise, sorry I wasn't here but boy, I am gobsmacked that HvB took the stand! Will anyone be able to verify the dog's state of health at the time of the murders, or will Judge Desai take HvB's word for it?

 

[Tortoise]

For anyone following the Panayiotou trial, I've now posted the tweets of the Defence's closing argument.

Judge Chetty will deliver his judgment on Thursday morning

CP will hear his fate on his 31st birthday

Aww, isn't that nice. Mummy brings him food in prison every week so I hope she makes a big effort on this very special birthday.

Samp cake.

 

[Tortoise]

Can't wait for Henri to taste some of that too.

I was almost expecting him to say he was starving at the police station, when they didn't include him in their lunch plans. Would anyone be thinking about food after that experience?

 

[Tortoise]

Do you think he reads here?

:behindbar

 

[Tortoise]

I wonder what he talks about in his therapy sessions. They must be a complete charade.

 

[ApplesInMyBra]

VanBreda house in middle of De Zalze. Got there undetected, Galloway says. Back door open - easy access. Don't remove valuable property?

Galloway says they then fled and escaped without being detected? #VanBreda says if they came through the fence, then yes.

Are you implying someone was given a key and might have used it to gain access? #VanBreda says this is a reasonable possibility.

Court adjourns until 10am tomorrow.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24

I just listened/watched the whole afternoon's session, and there is more that happened between him saying "this is a reasonable possibility" and adjorning. Here is my transcript:

HvB: There is a reasonable prossibility that someone might have access to a key card and have gained access to the estate in that way.
Desai: You mean somebody had acces to a resident's key card?
HvB: Uh-huh
G: And you describe that as a reasonable possibility?
Hvb: I would, yes.
G: Do you understand the difference between a possibility and a reasonable possibility?
HvB: Reasonably <smirks>
G: Possibility is that anything is possible. Why did you pick then? Reasonable possibility is within what is available it must be reasonable and fit with what evidence or what facts are available.
HvB: Yes, there is a reasonable possibility when compared to someone jumping the fence.
Desai: <interrupts> No but that is theoretical. If sombody gave the card to the intruder, if the card was stolen, or if someone conciously gave the card to the intruder - one of 2 options. If the card was stolen, then this would be a highly unlikely sequence of events that follows. Because he comes fortuitously across the card, breaks into the security estate, and uh, attacks your family. On the other hand, if someone willingly gives the card to the person, the intruder, that means that someone had malice intent towards your family. Especially if the family was killed.
HvB: If, if in your scenario the person knows what purpose they are giving the key card for.
Desai: <unintelligible> ...we've found no real evidence
HvB: No, that is correct.
Desai: The story of the card seems a bit of an unlikely scenario
Hvb: <softly> I suppose...
Desai: Sorry?
HvB: I suppose so, yes.
G: My Lord, I am going to move over to a new point so I am asking the court to ajdourn.
Desai: Yes, that is fine.
Court Adjourns

You can view this last bit of yesterday starting here (approx 4mins): https://youtu.be/v5XTuycEd2Q?t=4068

 

[bleuboy]

The first half of his testimony I got a knife out of the kitchen and had my husband acting it out with me lol.. There is know way Henri remembers action by action how the attack went with the axe and knife. All this right hand turning clockwise while the attackers hand went anti clockwise. Did anyone notice how slow he spoke with Botha and the play acting breathing. Then it gets to Galloway any arms are wide open, standing tall, speaking quick and smirking.
I would give him a 1/10 for acting.

 

[bleuboy]

Thanks everyone for the tweets and updates. You are amazing. Xx