BBM: From this lay person's vantage point, Defense did a lot of wasting of the court's time. Roger Dixon testifying on matters in which he is not an expert comes to mind. The testimony of social worker Yvette Van Schalkwyk that Oscar sincerely was very upset about the killing seemed to be a last minute scramble.
Beginning with Oscar's evasive testimony, IMO, they did not mount a vigorous defense, but rather threw everything against the wall, including intentional muddling of timelines, hoping something would stick.
This is an excerpt from health24, this professor shares our incredulity of the defence.
Oscar and the Tinker Bell Defence: Clap Hands if you believe in Fairies. Listening at any length to Tannie Roux in full flight is a truly unpleasant experience. Its that sanctimonious sense of simulated indignation, the wheedling, high-pitched voice, the endlessly condescending, pouting, pious, sulky, kvetching.
Roux doesnt argue, he nags, he carps
After calling a disastrous series of witnesses, leaving us unsure of which of a host of possible defences and versions of events hed settle on, he chose to sit on at least two chairs at once, insisting they were only one. We hoped that at last hed convince us, with a coherent argument based on real facts. Alas, this wasnt to be.
He chose, instead, the Tinker Bell defence.
Remember when in Peter Pan, the little fairy was nearing death, and Peter calls to the audience: Do you believe in fairies?"
If you do, clap your hands! Dont let Tink die! And the audience, especially the children, clap furiously and revive the sprite. Rouxs Pixie Dust.
The defence relied almost entirely on fictional facts, invented by experts venturing beyond their areas of expertise, absolutely fallacious, but sprinkled like Tinker Bells pixie dust, in the hope of confusing the issues, hoping the audience will applaud.
As Ill make clear, much of what was paraded before the court was pseudo-science, speculation and invention masquerading as science.
It would be disaster for South African justice and science if this was accepted. For all of Nels panache and swagger, he has been over-confident and has failed to call necessary witnesses to denounce and dispose of the psychobabble and fake science we have heard.
Despite his skilful cross-examination, there is far too much nonsense he could not (on his own) and did not challenge, having insufficient expert advice and evidence of his own.
http://www.health24.com/Columnists/Oscar-Pistorius-and-the-Tinker-Bell-defence-20140811
_____________________
New pic of Uncle Arnold and Aunty :scared:
