Trial Discussion Thread #6 - 14.03.13-14, Day 9-10

[zwiebel]

Crime scene graphics shown in court March 13, 2014
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-court-shown-photographs-Reeva-Steenkamp.html


1. Where Reeva's body lay dead in the entrance hall (blurred shadow)




2. Another view of the place where Reeva's body lay




3. The blood trail across the floor and up the staircase




4. Blood stains on the staircase near to where Reeva's body was found





Please compare Oscar's face in the courtroom and outside the court (photos in the source's link)
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Ah, thank you so much for posting these. Seeing which side the stair rail is on, and a blood trail beside it, does makes sense of the blood on OP's shorts now, to me.

He carried Reeva down with her head hanging over the rail on his left, as he descended. That would put her right hip and arm closest to his body. Her shattered hip bleeding down the right hand side of his shorts does add up.

That reminds me; in the pathologist's statement, he said that Reeva arrived naked at his facilities and her clothes were in a bag. Does anyone know if that's normal protocol? I always thought victims of crime - with their clothing and even things around them - were put into a body bag that isn't opened until the coroner/pathologist conducts the autopsy, so fibre/dna or even bullets aren't lost?

Had Reeva already been examined by a coroner before the pathologist and I've missed it, and that's why she was undressed?

 

[Madeleine74]

None of these various games & maneuvers are doing anything to change the underlying question and what appears to be the answer: did OP know Reeva was in the loo & did he shoot her, knowing it was her in there?

And based on the evidence I've seen so far, I think he did know it was her. I believe there was a fight that night & it escalated to murder.

 

[zwiebel]

Oscar outside the courtroom. Actually looking quite pleased with all the attention, with his mouth turned up just a fraction in the corners, imo.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-court-shown-photographs-Reeva-Steenkamp.html

 

[zwiebel]

Oscar inside the courtroom, almost purple with distress. His mouth and eyes aren't visible, coincidentally.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-court-shown-photographs-Reeva-Steenkamp.html

 

[Interested Bystander]

I had a friend with white patches almost exactly like OP's. His was from a childhood infection with ringworm. I have always thought OP's was the result of the same thing, I had no idea there were so many different causes, since my friends looked so much like OP's.

Thanks for that. That is not one I have heard of but I won't have heard of all causes.

 

[Dmacky]

Why would there be blood stains on the "watch box" I just find it ODD that a watch was missing, and there was blood on the box they were in.

Pictures of the bedroom showed a cabinet with multiple sets of slick sunglasses and a box of expensive-looking watches as well as blood stains on the carpets and even
across a mirror on the watch box.

source taken from the article above posted with the pictures by Pisto_lius

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...Steenkamp.html

 

[foxbluff]

Crime scene graphics shown in court March 13, 2014
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-court-shown-photographs-Reeva-Steenkamp.html


1. Where Reeva's body lay dead in the entrance hall (blurred shadow)




2. Another view of the place where Reeva's body lay




3. The blood trail across the floor and up the staircase




4. Blood stains on the staircase near to where Reeva's body was found





Please compare Oscar's face in the courtroom and outside the court (photos in the source's link)
.
.

Thanks for link. Looking at the photos... it's just so sad and upsetting... I don't know which to do first: cry or ask for green bucket

I'm curious abt the photo showing OP's blood-stained prosthetic legs used by def. atty to show that OP was wearing them when he broke down the door w/bat.

He may have had them on when he broke down the door, I don't know. But all the photo tells me is that he most likely had them on when he carried her downstairs. The blood on the "legs" simply looks like blood dripping from her body when being carried.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-court-shown-photographs-Reeva-Steenkamp.html

 

[Interested Bystander]

I didn't notice a medical patch on OP's shoulder as was claimed by Roux at the BH.

Yep, Roux did say that and that there was one on the previous day. I am assuming he has photos to prove this but more than a bit odd that there is no sign of it on his left shoulder, though VonR did say he could see something. I have assumed the red on his upper left arm is blood but maybe it is not. However I would not refer to that as his shoulder.

 

[zwiebel]

Why would there be blood stains on the "watch box" I just find it ODD that a watch was missing, and there was blood on the box they were in.

Pictures of the bedroom showed a cabinet with multiple sets of slick sunglasses and a box of expensive-looking watches as well as blood stains on the carpets and even
across a mirror on the watch box.

source taken from the article above posted with the pictures by Pisto_lius

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...Steenkamp.html

And by coincidence, OP had asked his sister to urgently retrieve one watch? I am guessing he asked her to get it, and she didn't just decide to get it on her own.

 

[Cherry]

The blood on the watch box only shows me again; my most humble opinion ONLY:
The blood trail totally doesn't match OP story and he is lying. The blood on that watch box? He must hv been chasing her with the cricket bat and she ran into the bathroom and locked the door, I think he hit her with it. I do; I really do....OP has left a blood trail that belies every single word his defense team has uttered. to date. JMO

 

[zwiebel]

Thanks for link. Looking at the photos... it's just so sad and upsetting... I don't know which to do first: cry or ask for green bucket

I'm curious abt the photo showing OP's blood-stained prosthetic legs used by def. atty to show that OP was wearing them when he broke down the door w/bat.

He may have had them on when he broke down the door, I don't know. But all the photo tells me is that he most likely had them on when he carried her downstairs. The blood on the "legs" simply looks like blood dripping from her body when being carried.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-court-shown-photographs-Reeva-Steenkamp.html

I agree. I think I can see the drips, circled. They are on his right leg too, the side where his shorts above were soaked with blood. I think that was all from Reeva's hip wound - as he carried her, I guess her right hip was resting on his right hip.

 

[Dmacky]

Snipped by me from zwiebel's post


That reminds me; in the pathologist's statement, he said that Reeva arrived naked at his facilities and her clothes were in a bag. Does anyone know if that's normal protocol? I always thought victims of crime - with their clothing and even things around them - were put into a body bag that isn't opened until the coroner/pathologist conducts the autopsy, so fibre/dna or even bullets aren't lost?

Had Reeva already been examined by a coroner before the pathologist and I've missed it, and that's why she was undressed?

Great question!!! I have no idea, and didn't even know she arrived without clothes. I hope someone see's this that can answer this!

BTW zwiebel , thank you so much for all the trial updates! They have been my eyes and ears through out this trial and you have been extremely appreciated!

 

[zwiebel]

Is it possible OP had given Reeva a very expensive watch for Valentine's Day, and took it off her wrist and put it back in the box after she died, hence the blood smear?

Or had he brought her another gift?

 

[zwiebel]

Snipped by me from zwiebel's post


That reminds me; in the pathologist's statement, he said that Reeva arrived naked at his facilities and her clothes were in a bag. Does anyone know if that's normal protocol? I always thought victims of crime - with their clothing and even things around them - were put into a body bag that isn't opened until the coroner/pathologist conducts the autopsy, so fibre/dna or even bullets aren't lost?

Had Reeva already been examined by a coroner before the pathologist and I've missed it, and that's why she was undressed?

Great question!!! I have no idea, and didn't even know she arrived without clothes. I hope someone see's this that can answer this!

BTW zwiebel , thank you so much for all the trial updates! They have been my eyes and ears through out this trial and you have been extremely appreciated!

Aww, thank you. I was feeling guilty over my tardiness due to dog demands and strange computer problems, but that's cheered me up. Now there is nothing urgent, the dog is sleeping sloundly, of course.....

 

[zwiebel]

I definitely heard him say she arrived without clothes, and his testimony also mentioned how the 'defect' in her shorts he later found was a bullet hole that matched her hip wound. That's the kind of mistake that is avoided if a victim is clothed upon first examination, I think. He also said he found a bullet 'tangled' in her clothes.

 

[canny]

That is exactly what I expect Roux to do. But the State has first claim on him I guess.

Originally, I suspected that OP could have bribed Botha with cash secretly (or his brother did it on his behalf) so that he would make the so-called mistakes that he did.

Nel’s line of questioning to ex Commander Van Rensberg where he even asked him to detail Botha’s activities at the crime scene was a clear indication, that the State has washed its hand over Botha.

Botha is not corrupt but unfortunately for the case he made some hasty conclusions deliberately chose to ignore OP's celebrity status he dropped his guard and rushed to judgement overconfident that they had their man who murdered Reeva without scientific proof of the methodology used by OP to execute Reeva. Four years ago he had arrested OP over a fight he had with another woman during which Oscar had threatened to bodily harm his victim. Botha’s lackadaisical approach is solely responsible for excuses the prosecution has to come up with today to explain away his subordinates handling of the crime scene investigation.

 

[FrancesB]

The blood on the watch box only shows me again; my most humble opinion ONLY:
The blood trail totally doesn't match OP story and he is lying. The blood on that watch box? He must hv been chasing her with the cricket bat and she ran into the bathroom and locked the door, I think he hit her with it. I do; I really do....OP has left a blood trail that belies every single word his defense team has uttered. to date. JMO

I don't agree, the blood trail is consistent with him carrying her from bathroom to downstairs. They seems to be droplets rather than spatter showing direction due to momentum of being beaten. She may well have been beaten by the bat, it wouldn't surprise me at all, but I have not seen anything other than a blood trail (blood drops) from carrying her downstairs.

 

[Madeleine74]

Is it possible OP had given Reeva a very expensive watch for Valentine's Day, and took it off her wrist and put it back in the box after she died, hence the blood smear?

Or had he brought her another gift?

There's been no evidence that he bought her anything for V-day, not even a card.

 

[zwiebel]

The forensic examiner mentioned 'the sock' was missing, from OP's leg when it arrived at the lab. I notice he did not mention the other leg, or sock. This is a bit worrying too, for the defence.

Roux says their forensics man found sock fibres in a dent in the door. But if the socks OP was wearing have both disappeared, it will hard to prove where the material came from. I really cannot recall if anyone mentioned a sock being preserved in the chain of evidence, just one going missing.

 

[canny]

that cocked loaded and ready to fire gun!!.. wasn't Oscar LUCKY he didn't step on the trigger when carrying Reeva's dead body out of the bathroom!!


then we would NEVER know what happened..

(not that we ever will know the crucial details re Oscar and Reeva.. one 's dead, the other will maintain the image to the grave. )

Only attorney’s will insist OP fires his gun unintentionally, yada yada !!! He is meticulous with his guns and only fires shots when required. Psychologically speaking any trained marksman who had accidentally killed his beloved girlfriend would immediately unload his gun and throw it away in horror and disgust. OP deliberately choosing to keep it armed and ready to fire meant he was proud of his shooting skills and his gun gave him a tremendous sense of satisfaction of a job well done, therefore he did not feel the need to disarm his gun.