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

[ColonelMustard]

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.

You're right.

So, if I'm JM and I care, I'd better STOP talking to/listening to the Holistic Honey, yes?

 

[kaos]

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?

I'm obviously no legal expert but in the UK if there's part of the sentence suspended, there are usually conditions applied and if they breach those conditions they can be whisked back into jail. Given OP's penchant for speeding, firing guns and generally his lack of giving a toss about human life - you can be pretty certain he'll offend again so I think a long suspension would be beneficial to the SA public as he'd more than likely end up serving a full sentence at some point. I just hope it's not at the cost of anybody else's life.

 

[lithgow1]

Vicious?? I don't think it's vicious, is it?

No I don't - you could say it is 'brutally honest' or just 'brutal' and that would be a better word choice IMO. 'Vicious' implies cruelty whereas 'brtual' can be tough but not necessarilly undeserved.

 

[zwiebel]

Thanks for all the helpful hints about where I could find a feed earlier, by the way guys. I wasn't ignoring them but trouble is, I have to listen on my ipad and write on another computer because my ipad's busted for typing. Even if I can get the youtube channels on there, it's too unreliable now. And trying to set up anything on the computer I type on seems to result in crashes every five mins.

Sigh. I'd get a new one. But this is new.

 

[K.T]

After my second to last post (Nel had been talking about the ammunition, circumstances and that defense was using "handicap" to "handicap the court) I had to go away.

Just came back for Nel's last comments before end of session.

I thought he was searing, impassioned and doing well before I left...did he cover all the legal points?

Thanks all, will try to catch up on what happened via tweets too.

 

[BritsKate]

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?

If I understand correctly, a suspended sentence allows for the full sentence to be implemented if the convicted individual re-offends during the length of their sentence. E.g. Convict is incarcerated for 10 years but commits another crime after his/her release - the court could theoretically revoke suspension, forcing the convict to serve the remainder of their original sentence.

 

[ColonelMustard]

" He has lost EVERYTHING My Lady...All of his sponsors are gone, ALL of his money gone, sold his last asset, his car, and cannot pay his legal bills..."

So there is SOME good News then....:wink:

Haaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!

 

[ColonelMustard]

Masipa, head on hand, looks positively ENTRANCED with Roux's oratory.

It's disgusting.

First requirement for all great judges: a poker face.

 

[Deleted member 102539]

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

Very, very seedy of the whole clan P!

 

[Deleted member 102539]

No I don't - you could say it is 'brutally honest' or just 'brutal' and that would be a better word choice IMO. 'Vicious' implies cruelty whereas 'brtual' can be tough but not necessarilly undeserved.

Only "honest", without "brutal", and fact, IMO.

 

[soozieqtips]

So OP keeps a little black book with a list of journalists who have been negative towards him. Did he keep one with past girlfriends' annoying habits? Like 'chewing gum', 'wearing hair in ponytail', 'dressing too casually', 'using annoying accents', 'talking to waiters for too long'. He's Uncle Fester.

 

[Deleted member 102539]

Oscar Trial Channel @OscarTrial199 · 9 Min. Vor 9 Minuten

Nel cites #Dewani extradition again as proof SA prisons are able to hold Pistorius. Follow @CBDewanitrial for more

 

[soozieqtips]

If I understand correctly, a suspended sentence allows for the full sentence to be implemented if the convicted individual re-offends during the length of their sentence. E.g. Convict is incarcerated for 10 years but commits another crime after his/her release - the court could theoretically revoke suspension, forcing the convict to serve the remainder of their original sentence.

The problem with that, in OP's case at least, is that who really believes his shenanigans would ever see the light of day? Uncle Arnold would make sure they didn't, and life would carry on as normal.

 

[Greater Than]

Nel asking for 10 years imprisonment.

Odd he said less than the maximum for CH would be acceptable when the state charged OP with premeditated murder, which carries a mandatory life sentence.

 

[newone]

I just loved the way he tore into the lazy report generated by the useless expert witness (v?) with using outdated data from 2002 and having only visited one prison once two years ago.

He emphasized that M felt it was important to fly in to correct misconceptions raised by the DT using V's inaccurate assessment

 

[ColonelMustard]

I don'tnormally dislike anybody with a passion but I do when it comes to Snotty & Roux

I'd have to add Oldwage to my list.

 

[Cherwell]

I was curious about that. Maybe she was planning to send OP to jail for a year or something, and wanted to know what Nel was after. She certainly seemed to be taking a lot of interest in what Nel was saying, but being cynical now, it could be because she wanted to be seen to be unbiased.

Bit late for that.

 

[Gbtaketwo]

Thanks for all the helpful hints about where I could find a feed earlier, by the way guys. I wasn't ignoring them but trouble is, I have to listen on my ipad and write on another computer because my ipad's busted for typing. Even if I can get the youtube channels on there, it's too unreliable now. And trying to set up anything on the computer I type on seems to result in crashes every five mins.

Sigh. I'd get a new one. But this is new.

You have done a great job thanks despite all your IT problems

 

[ColonelMustard]

Ooh, Masipa concerned about something Roux said about the media.

For a minute, I couldn't figure this out, then I think I did.

Masipa, her usual "on the ball" self, thought Roux was saying that SHE had been influenced by the media and she was being defensive about it. Finally, she got it.

Se gets mixed up a LOT.

 

[lithgow1]

Odd he said less than the maximum for CH would be acceptable when the state charged OP with premeditated murder, which carries a mandatory life sentence.

He did say a minimum of ten years and made the comment that he's not going to ask for 15 in the hopes of getting ten. We know he'd have thought life was the correct sentence but he is also probably aware that Pistorius would definitely appeal a ten year sentence and that could backfire. JMO