Trial Discussion Thread #1 - 14.03.03-06, Day 1-4

[Interested Bystander]

Michell Burger, a university lecturer, makes a very good witness.

 

[zwiebel]

Witness Burger is a lecturer at university of Pretoria.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/03/oscar-pistorius-trial

 

[katydid23]

if she is a believable witness, and can convince the judge that they heard the woman's screams BEFORE the shots---GUILTY VERDICT

 

[nursebeeme]

Wonder if all witnesses will not be streamed?

 

[sorrell skye]

if she is a believable witness, and can convince the judge that they heard the woman's screams BEFORE the shots---GUILTY VERDICT

Especially since OP stated (in his version) that when he told Reeva to call police, she didn't respond, which I take to mean that he claims she was completely silent during the entire event, including before & after being shot. In his affidavit at the bail hearing, and in his statement today, he never mentioned Reeva screaming at any time.

I think this witness has poked a huge hole in his claims.

 

[nursebeeme]

Especially since OP stated (in his version) that when he told Reeva to call police, she didn't respond, which I take to mean that he claims she was completely silent during the entire event, including after being shot.

His story is really out there!

 

[zwiebel]

'At our workplace we realized how important our testimony was. Our colleagues knew what had happened.

We tried to find out what we should do as we're not really media people. I then contacted an attorney. He said we should give a statement . We'd heard that media activity really intense. Wanted to do it privately.

Before that, police knocked on our door one evening. Told us a Cpt would come get a statement.'

 

[Mrs G Norris]

Oh that's damning .. The pause between shots and Reeva screaming before gunshots too ..

 

[zwiebel]

'She told her husband that that account (Oscar's) did not fit with what she'd heard'.

Lunch break.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/03/oscar-pistorius-trial

 

[zwiebel]

Wow. I'm thinking she is a crucial, crucial witness.....

 

[nursebeeme]

Two other families on witness list. Mb never met them

 

[zwiebel]

Oh that's damning .. The pause between shots and Reeva screaming before gunshots too ..

Yes. Is he going to say he didn't recognize his own girlfriend's screams?

 

[shane13]

An important matter--especially should there be Appeals as may be likely...

Numerous commenters at the news24.com site are saying how bad the translator is. Indeed they confirm what I thought I heard--that the witness apparently is helping the translator!

In other words, translating for the translator.

Fascinating.

 

[nursebeeme]

Oh good! The lunch break fits with getting kids off to school here! Hahaha

 

[katydid23]

what's the defense going to say about this witnesses testimony? They have to try and make her seem unreliable and mistaken. But she is a college lecturer, so intelligent and responsible and her husband heard the same thing. This is a big hurdle for the defense. They must have some kind of answer ready for this because it is not a surprise.

 

[zwiebel]

An important matter--especially should there be Appeals as may be likely...

Numerous commenters at the news24.com site are saying how bad the translator is. Indeed they confirm what I thought I heard--that the witness apparently is helping the translator!

In other words, translating for the translator.

Fascinating.

I quoted where the translator said something about 'it's impossible to translate the chill the witness felt,' which I thought was odd. It will be a legal disaster if the translation is incorrect, I'd think. You can't put words in a witnesses mouth, or not translate what they say.....

 

[Interested Bystander]

Only slight problem with Michell Burger's testimony is that she alluded at first to thinking it may have been a break in. DT is going to make a big deal of that. Otherwise she was very convincing.

 

[shane13]

I quoted where the translator said something about 'it's impossible to translate the chill the witness felt,' which I thought was odd. It will be a legal disaster if the translation is incorrect, I'd think. You can't put words in a witnesses mouth, or not translate what they say.....

True that...
But this witness aparently helped the translator out by correcting her!
At least accoriding to people commenting at news24.com

Of course, this (if true) also implies this witness did NOT need a translator, and if I may, the conclusion apparently is that her testimony might have been more accurate if she testified in English without a translator!

 

[zwiebel]

Useful links as I have to go out.

Guardian live link and commentary
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/03/oscar-pistorius-trial

Daily Mirror live link and commentary
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/oscar-pistorius-trial-live-updates-3201648

wildabouttrial live link
http://new.livestream.com/wildabouttrial/events/2811169

sky live links and commentary
http://news.sky.com/story/1219991/pistorius-trial-transcripts-live-from-court

Barry Bateman twitter updates
https://mobile.twitter.com/barrybateman

General twitter updates
https://mobile.twitter.com/search/?q=#Pistorius&s=hash

 

[Interested Bystander]

I quoted where the translator said something about 'it's impossible to translate the chill the witness felt,' which I thought was odd. It will be a legal disaster if the translation is incorrect, I'd think. You can't put words in a witnesses mouth, or not translate what they say.....

As there is a recording of the court proceedings there should be no problem determining what the witness actually said. However, I think they would be wise to replace this interpreter ASAP. At first it was said the court was held up because the interpreter had not arrived - could it be that this interpreter is a stand-in?