Trial Discussion Thread #58 - 14.17.10, Day 47 ~ sentencing~

[K.T]

Nel's up to say: "It’s a fact Milady, there are no rails in the shower and the bath then if you can get by with a bench than you could get a bench to any prison.”

Both counsel are finished -

Masipa thanks the counsel and says she is “very impressed in the way” they “assisted this court.”*

Back on Tuesday for sentencing.

*Really? Masipa disregarded 90% of the State's findings....that's an awesome backhanded compliment.

 

[SurfDiva]

I don't recall, from the photos of OP's house, seeing hand rails in any of the rooms. Except for on the stairs.

I only remember seeing a fold-up shower seat.

Wow! wonder if Nel and Barry's team had a look? Seems the Judge is in one hot seat!

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Part of his 'life skills' course in prison could be to build his own bench - win win situation for prison again!

aahhh yes, woodwork, nice handy little trade to have. I actually think that would be good therapy for him too. Kill two birds with one stone.

 

[newone]

Lol. "We can take a bench to any prison".

and any cell within general populations :scared:

 

[ColonelMustard]

R: It's not what their evidence was,that he can sit at home and do nothing - they do something constructive.

Roux asks if anything else he can assist court with in sentence? She says no.

Nel up, talking about shower: This bench issomething new. 'It's a fact Milady there are no rails in the bath or shower. If a little bench will do, a bench can be taken into any prison.'

But a bench could be taken away from him in prison, so I suggest they glue that onto him, along with his legs.

 

[Gbtaketwo]

Thanks to everyone for the running commentary . I prefer to read than listen live as it tends to raise my blood pressure some what .

 

[soozieqtips]

Roux said "The money offered to the Steenkamps was done privately and not in expectation of a lesser sentence".

If it was done in private, and expected to stay private, then why was it made public? It was Roux's witness who disclosed it while giving evidence. Please don't tell me that was a mistake. It was clear the details about the money weren't going to stay private.

 

[Deleted member 102539]

Lol. "We can take a bench to any prison".

We buy it at IKEA!

 

[JudgeJudi]

The very best article I’ve read since the beginning of this farce. It was originally posted on the last thread and earlier on this one but it's an absolute must read.

He projected himself as a figure of moral virtue, while firing guns in public places, and asked others to lie for him about it. He abused his friends, abused the court system and abused our tolerance. He thrived on his megalomania and believes now that the world wronged him, rather than that taking a human life comes with consequences.

http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/arti...-privilege-the-farce-the-insult/#.VEC-AyxxnBy

 

[Jake18]

That was a great summary by Nel. Although it would have been even better if he'd also referenced a goat.

 

[newone]

R: It's not what their evidence was,that he can sit at home and do nothing - they do something constructive.

Roux asks if anything else he can assist court with in sentence? She says no.

Nel up, talking about shower: This bench issomething new. 'It's a fact Milady there are no rails in the bath or shower. If a little bench will do, a bench can be taken into any prison.'

I swear I could hear a collective ""yes"" echoing around the world!

 

[LemonMousse]

Yes...MASSIVE thank you to Zwiebel (and others) for a consistently brilliant running commentary. Sometimes I either cannot bear to watch, or work won't let me, so I read here instead...and never miss a thing.

Thanks Zwiebel

 

[kaos]

A little note to whoopwhoop tv - when you're at a crucial point of a trial (like the sentencing phase) don't interfere with your webpage! It can't be a coincidence that loads of us here now can't listen to it so it has to be something they've added to it. Such a pity as I loved listening to them.

 

[jay-jay]

Roux saying there's a bench in the shower. Masipa saying not same thing as rails.

Well, here is a golden opportunity for OP to do something for the disabled community .. the disabled community in prisons, I mean .. he can campaign, from his prison cell, for rails to be installed in all showers in SA prisons and meanwhile use the bench that Nel will bring in for him. Tough.

 

[BritsKate]

Roux said "The money offered to the Steenkamps was done privately and not in expectation of a lesser sentence".

If it was done in private, and expected to stay private, then why was it made public? It was Roux's witness who disclosed it while giving evidence. Please don't tell me that was a mistake. It was clear the details about the money weren't going to stay private.

I agree - how better to 'devictimise' victims than to paint a picture that the Steenkamps were more concerned with money than justice for their daughter. Like they wouldn't give their own life's blood to hold her just one more time. A cheap trick to change the narrative, in my opinion, for the PR campaign that's been running this whole trial.

JMO

 

[soozieqtips]

Why didn't OP use his giant handkerchief?



Another thing kaos mentioned earlier, was why Nel didn't point out how much money Reeva could have made in her lifetime? She was helping out her family and was doing well financially, but OP put a stop to that.

 

[ColonelMustard]

Can someone explain suspended sentences to me?

If you're given 20 years, shouldn't it be 20?

If it's 20 with 10 suspended, why not just give the person 10 that's actually 10?

 

[ColonelMustard]

That was a great summary by Nel. Although it would have been even better if he'd also referenced a goat.

I thought he did mention Oscar?

 

[jay-jay]

Well, at the end of all of this, all I've got to say is that I wholeheartedly agreed with what Col. Mustard said here:

How does Roux look himself in the mirror every day?

I know defense attorneys' jobs are to defend their clients

BUT they don't have to defend every client that comes to them.

Roux & Co. had a choice!!

I don't respect Roux for that reason.

I think Roux is vile, quite honestly.

 

[lithgow1]

I don't trust the female assessor, I think Masipa relies on her too much

Me neither but I think this stage is a bit different. We discuss the assessor and her influence here but Masipa has to wear the legal and public reaction to her sentence all by herself. The assessor might say 'oh don't send him to prison' but it is Masipa who will suffer the backlash that a weak sentence will provoke and we can be pretty confident it will loud and sustained. Also, it will be her judgement that is put under the microscope if the state decides to appeal a lenient sentence. So personally I'm not too concerned about her influence now.