Trial Discussion Thread #22 - 14.04.10, Day 20

[BritsKate]

And I am still wondering about Reeva's meeting with ex-boy friend. She must have confided in him somewhat.

But he reveals in BBC Three’s documentary 'Oscar Pistorius…What really Happened?' - due to be aired at 9pm tonight - that the Paralympian known as the Blade Runner twice telephoned Miss Steenkamp within twenty minutes during their meeting.
Mr Lahoud, who lives near Johannesburg, said Pistorius knew about him and had even met him.
He said: 'I’ve met him twice and there was never anything negative out of it at all. (It was) fine…no problem at all.'
But he did ask her about Pistorius telephoning her twice on her mobile during their get together.
'I said is everything ok. "I mean he’s phoned twice already, every twenty minutes". I asked her that question. She said "there’s nothing wrong".'

Asked if she gave any indication that there may have been problems with her relationship with Pistorius, he said they did not discuss him.
'It was just random. She asked me how business was going, I asked her how her modelling was going, what she’s doing, where she’s at, how things are.
'It was that kind of friendly chat, it wasn’t anything specific we met for. Just a catch up of what’s going on, and how our families are. That kind of stuff. You know, nothing specifically intense or anything like that.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...eeva-Steenkamp-met-ex-just-2-days-killed.html

 

[jay-jay]

I've taken a screengrab of the part of the youtube clip where it shows the fan lead/speaker .. have zoomed into it and it doesn't look anything near as clear as the pic in BB's tweet. I have also put it through my own photo editing software to try and lighten that area in front of the speaker, change the contrast, etc, but I can't seem to make it look like BB's photo to no avail. I won't put a pic up here of what I've done because it could be just as easy for me to alter my own pic and then say that is what the original looks like .. you have to do it yourself really, in order to verify it.

OK, have just used a different photo editing application now, and I have been able to get it like BB's version .. so I can verify that pic is authentic :thumb: .. will be all ears tomorrow then, to see why Nel has raised this!

 

[steveml]

I've taken a screengrab of the part of the youtube clip where it shows the fan lead/speaker .. have zoomed into it and it doesn't look anything near as clear as the pic in BB's tweet. I have also put it through my own photo editing software to try and lighten that area in front of the speaker, change the contrast, etc, but I can't seem to make it look like BB's photo to no avail. I won't put a pic up here of what I've done because it could be just as easy for me to alter my own pic and then say that is what the original looks like .. you have to do it yourself really, in order to verify it.

I'm not sure where the pic originated from in the tweet, and I can't find anything clearer.

I just increased the size in Photoshop (and didn't do any tricks lol) and cropped the bottom left corner.

I hope that wasn't taken with the crime scene guys camera - it looks more like an older camera-phone pic.

 

[Gbtaketwo]

And I am still wondering about Reeva's meeting with ex-boy friend. She must have confided in him somewhat.

You would think so .
I get confused as to what evidence can be brought in because character witness's are not allowed .
I think that is why the state brought the other gun charges .
With regard to the ex if it were possible and he had something to add I am sure Nel would have questioned him . He was on the states list .
We may well here more as the trial progresses.

 

[AlexUK]

Also are athletes always that tired and sleepy ALL the time??
Nothing to do with the case really but I think I'll avoid dating one in future (in my dreams)

Given that he has often spoken about being on a restricted diet when in training I have wondered if he might be bulimic? Could explain the ease with which he throws up when things get awkward.

 

[jay-jay]

I only caught a snip of the interview and then it cut out, but I did find the old school sport coach talking about OP on whoopwhoop quite telling in a way and maybe relevant to what's happening now.

He explained about OP's nature of trying very hard, but also said OP's legs were a handicap because they were so heavy and forever coming off, and they made him slow.

Interestingly though, OP didn't seem to consider that reason. He told the coach it wasn't fair, the coach was being unfair to him, and asked when he'd be in the team. He reacted physically to being upset then too - putting his head on the coaches' shoulder.

And so, if I picked up the meaning correctly, the coach lied and said because OP was quite fast, he'd put him in the team. In order to give OP what he wanted. Op seemed to be happy to accept the delusion (if you are slower than others in sport, you must know), and did okay in the team. That's where the famous tackle/legs flying off event happened.

I just thought it has echoes of now - OP blamed the coaches' unfairness - not himself being slow - and 'asked for comfort' (head on shoulder). He also still needs and gets that comfort in court, with all the stroking etc. And still seems to be passing out blame to others too. I wish I'd had chance to hear it all.

I noticed that throughout his bail statement and/or plea explanation (can't remember which now, I think it was mainly the bail statement) that it was just a whole stream of (paraphrasing here) "it's so unfair .. it's so unfair" and I immediately thought of Harry Enfield as the teenager character 'Kevin' who always used to be saying "it's soooo unfair!" and sulking all the time.

 

[minor4th]

Legal Round Table discussing yesterday's cross examination:

http://oscartrial.dstv.com/video/508704/category/0

These are really good IMO and fairly objective

 

[Britlaws]

I recall OP being asked about what he wore to bed but has he been asked about what RS wore? I am dying to know his answer as to why she was apparently wearing the clothes she had been in all day, minus a bra but she might not have been wearing one earlier either. A beautiful woman in early stages of a relationship where she is sleeping with the partner, IMO, wouldn't be wearing clothes she'd been in half the day already to bed, probably wouldn't be wearing any clothes at all, or very little - if the relationship was how OP described it.

 

[Gbtaketwo]

Ditto and d'ya know if he'd conceded she may have gotten up while he was sleeping, it might have helped sway my opinion back a bit. But...how can he know she didn't get up while he was sleeping but magically poofed herself into the bathroom while he was awake? (While it was pitch dark enough to see jeans and Reeva's legs under the duvet that magically poofed itself on the floor.)

JMO

I dread to think what his defence team thought of all his testimony . I don't know what to make of it myself . Fighting hard on one hand and then shooting himself in the foot on the other ( no pun intended )
I have a feeling it is going to get worse for him .Nel might actually get him to confess as what really did happen .
Reeva's mum has said it is the truth that matters the most as nothing will bring Reeva back .
Hope he takes that on board .

 

[Carol70]

No worries. Yep, there may be something else, and it wasn't a wasted exercise.

Did you notice how Nel let the guy on the computer start to enlarge the pic, and didn't finish. This is because Nel was doing his own little test on OP to check how closely OP had been through the evidence photos.

Yesterday OP said he'd looked at all the photos many times but Nel wouldn't know if OP was just saying this, and whether it was true or not. As soon as OP mentioned he knew about the cable and said he'd seen it enlarged, that confirmed to Nel that OP had looked carefully at all the photos.

This could be useful later if Nel is deciding to try and catch OP out with photo evidence. Now he knows OP has seen them all, and seen them enlarged as well, he may not rely as much on the photo evidence and try a different line of questioning.

I think I missed it today and not really understanding. But what is the relevance of the cord being under or in front of the speaker?? It definitely looks like it's in front of it thou! TIA!

 

[AlexUK]

*mercenary post*

Does anyone have any idea how much Roux is likely to make from defending OP? I believe Nel is paid by the state so presumably he will be paid much less.

Has OP"s house sold yet?

 

[minor4th]

The ex has been interviewed before. He says OP called a couple of times and asked Reeva if everything was fine and says Reeva seemed perfectly fine and normal. So I don't really know how helpful or hurtful his testimony would have been. Reeva mentioned meeting him for coffee in the text and OP said nothing about it. Doesn't mean he wasn't jealous, just that it can't really be proven.

The text messages show that he was not jealous of the ex at all and there was testimony about it as well. OP knew that Reeva was going to visit her ex and they talked about it and OP was perfectly fine with it

 

[Gbtaketwo]

I noticed that throughout his bail statement and/or plea explanation (can't remember which now, I think it was mainly the bail statement) that it was just a whole stream of (paraphrasing here) "it's so unfair .. it's so unfair" and I immediately thought of Harry Enfield as the teenager character 'Kevin' who always used to be saying "it's soooo unfair!" and sulking all the time.

It is funny that you should say that but his behaviour on the stand is very much like that .He has the mature gun crazy macho exterior image but a child like immature side as well.

 

[jay-jay]

No worries. Yep, there may be something else, and it wasn't a wasted exercise.

Did you notice how Nel let the guy on the computer start to enlarge the pic, and didn't finish. This is because Nel was doing his own little test on OP to check how closely OP had been through the evidence photos.

Yesterday OP said he'd looked at all the photos many times but Nel wouldn't know if OP was just saying this, and whether it was true or not. As soon as OP mentioned he knew about the cable and said he'd seen it enlarged, that confirmed to Nel that OP had looked carefully at all the photos.

This could be useful later if Nel is deciding to try and catch OP out with photo evidence. Now he knows OP has seen them all, and seen them enlarged as well, he may not rely as much on the photo evidence and try a different line of questioning.

Ah right .. gotcha .. sounds like that's why he's done it then, thanks for that :thumb:

 

[DebinGA]

I happen to be illegal in SA to have ammo in your possession for a calibre you do not have a license for.

One of my favorite OP bits today was arguing the meaning of "illegal" with Nel. In OP World the recognized meaning of words is trumped by his personal interpretation of their meaning.

 

[whiterum]

I wondered if she was just a 'trophy" girlfriend - a good looking glamorous woman to be seen about with to boost his ego. Certainly didn't seem to be much genuine passion there.....

I don't think he would have genuine passion for anyone, except maybe for himself of course .

 

[whiterum]

When OP is not whining on cue, he speaks in a drab monotone voice, like an android responding with programmed information. As for Nel I could watch and listen to him from morning till night. He is totally fascinating and I love the way he keeps lifting his gown up at the shoulders and folding it across his chest. He could come to mine for a cup of tea anytime lol.

 

[sorrell skye]

Given that he has often spoken about being on a restricted diet when in training I have wondered if he might be bulimic? Could explain the ease with which he throws up when things get awkward.

I have several clients who are competitive athletes. They all adhere to strict diets when training for an event.

 

[Carol70]

*mercenary post*

Does anyone have any idea how much Roux is likely to make from defending OP? I believe Nel is paid by the state so presumably he will be paid much less.

Has OP"s house sold yet?

I heard roux charges R50k ZAR a day, that's a heck of a lot, and then I'm sure all the other fees as well, this is going to cost OP a small fortune.

 

[jay-jay]

I dread to think what his defence team thought of all his testimony . I don't know what to make of it myself . Fighting hard on one hand and then shooting himself in the foot on the other ( no pun intended )
I have a feeling it is going to get worse for him .Nel might actually get him to confess as what really did happen .
Reeva's mum has said it is the truth that matters the most as nothing will bring Reeva back .
Hope he takes that on board .

.. and you can bet that once he has told the truth, he will then say that he only made up his version so as not to upset Reeva's mother/family and friends. Even that he will pass the buck on, and even try to make out he was just doing it out of the kindness of his heart.