General Discussion Thread #5

[Estelle]

OP' lawyers will appeal the today's judge decision.

This could delay the trial start :banghead:

I'm rather sure it will but we will see....

You're right, pisto_lius!


Studying the judgement -

Pistorius's legal team was fiercely opposed to the trial being broadcast, saying it would infringe on the athlete's rights and distort proceedings.

It was not immediately clear if the defence would appeal the ruling, a decision which could delay the start of the trial.

"We are still studying the judgement," Pistorius's lawyer Brian Webber told AFP.

The ruling is a landmark for South Africa's legal system, where only a handful of trials -- including the not guilty verdict in President Jacob Zuma's trial for rape -- have been televised

http://news.yahoo.com/pistorius-trial-partly-televised-court-103350919.html

 

[Pisto_lius]

@ Estelle

Just when I've answered your question, I saw that you found the announcement. I deleted my previous answer

Want to bet they will do it ?

 

[Inge Jones]

Evidence given by Pistorius and his witnesses will also be exempt from the ruling, the judge said

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/oscar-pistorius-trial-murder-reeva-3181393#ixzz2uKgKUKPf

What a pity! That was the part I was most interested in.

But you'll still be able to hear it, just not see it. It won't be that hard to work out when he is speaking.

 

[Pisto_lius]

I was wrong in saying that the testimony of OP will not broadcast in radio. I apologise for this misinformation :blushing:

The first reports were rather unclear and this sentence I've read several times

The athlete’s testimony could not be broadcast.

led me to believe that every live broadcast of the testimony of OP (and his witnesses) is forbidden.

It is now also clear for myself that only a TV broadcast of the testimony of OP (and his witnesses) is forbidden.

I don't know, whether foreign radio stations will broadcast the trial but I also hope for live streaming

For most of us it will be stressful to follow the trial by a TV live stream and simultaneous by a radio live stream so we don't miss anything....
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[Pisto_lius]

Oscar Pistorius’ lawyers waiting for copy of broadcast ruling before acting

Paralympian Oscar Pistorius’ attorney is waiting for a copy of yesterday’s court ruling, that media houses could partially broadcast his murder trial, before deciding what to do.

"We are still waiting for the judgment. The judge indicated yesterday that he was going to circulate the order but he didn't. At 6pm, we still did not receive it," Brian Webber told Sapa today.

"So we are waiting for it and we can go through it and decide what to do. Only then can we comment."

He said there were lots of possibilities but he could not disclose any of those until the judgment was analysed.

Read more: http://www.citypress.co.za/news/oscar-pistorius-lawyers-waiting-copy-broadcast-ruling-acting/

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[Inge Jones]

The best thing would be that it's on TV all the way through but the picture just goes to the seal or some other pretty picture while the not-on-camera stuff is going on.

 

[Cherry]

I'm so excited. When I heard that they were airing the case in South Africa; on TV I wrote to the station and said; wow there is a huge group of American's very interested in watching their judicial system at work and I advised that possibly it would be great if they could provide us a live stream since a camera pool was in the court rooom.....They wrote back 5 days later and said no; only if you are in South Africa. Then, the other day I heard all the hoopla about Skynews.com carrying this LIVE; I'm so exicted! Not only do I want true justice for this beautiful woman; I truly DO want to see their judicial system in action. I'm really excited, and still trying to figure out how on earth I will watch it live, or if I will just do HLN or if wildabout will also carry an archive of the days testimony.....
I mean, how often do we get to see another country's judicial system at work?

Yay; on the stations all getting together and understanding that there IS a huge viewer base for Civics, ie Trials in any way shape or form.

 

[Interested Bystander]

129 members have visited the poll that I asked our Mod to set up a few months ago on another thread.

On 26 February, 2014, these are the results:

View Poll Results: What do you think?

Innocent 10 7.75%
Guilty of premeditated murder 41 31.78%
Guilty of murder 38 29.46%
Guilty of culpable homicide 18 13.95%
Guilty of grevious bodily harm 3 2.33%
Guilty of gross negligence 10 7.75%
Not sure and/or other... 9 6.98%

About 76% believe that OP is guilty of premeditated/murder or culpable homicide. The other 24% are either not sure, think he is innocent, or he is simply guilty of gross negligence.

Do you from your reading of the comments after some articles, believe that this sample could be representative of the general population? Or do you think that these results are skewed due to our membership of a websleuths site where may of us have followed many other murder cases so we are more savvy than others?

Even though I think OP is guilty of murder, I did have strong feelings (given the state of the SA legal system) that somehow he would get off with Culpable Homicide, especially after the Bail Hearing bulldozing of the PT. With the case now being widely heard I think there is much more chance that he will get a murder charge. I am hopeful there will be some compelling extra evidence from Apple but time will tell.

 

[kittychi]

I'm so excited. When I heard that they were airing the case in South Africa; on TV I wrote to the station and said; wow there is a huge group of American's very interested in watching their judicial system at work and I advised that possibly it would be great if they could provide us a live stream since a camera pool was in the court rooom.....They wrote back 5 days later and said no; only if you are in South Africa. Then, the other day I heard all the hoopla about Skynews.com carrying this LIVE; I'm so exicted! Not only do I want true justice for this beautiful woman; I truly DO want to see their judicial system in action. I'm really excited, and still trying to figure out how on earth I will watch it live, or if I will just do HLN or if wildabout will also carry an archive of the days testimony.....
I mean, how often do we get to see another country's judicial system at work?

Yay; on the stations all getting together and understanding that there IS a huge viewer base for Civics, ie Trials in any way shape or form.

I thought you had to have a subscription to get the stream from Skynews. If you do, this is another option: http://oscartrial.dstv.com

 

[katiecoolady]

Hi all! Just a quick flyby to see if any South African WSers are on board following this trial. Could you please pm if so? Gracias!

 

[Estelle]

KCL, To my knowledge, we have only ever had one poster on this thread from South Africa and her name was Carol who was convinced of OP's innocence. But she has not posted here for many months now.

AFIK, the only countries represented on this thread are from USA, UK, Germany and Australia. Is anyone here from any other country?

I expect the numbers of posters will increase next Monday again.

 

[Interested Bystander]

With all the news about OPs lack of judgement/angry disposition being aired at the moment, I took a look at some of the past reporting about his disposition, in particular when his room mate at the Olympics asked to be moved. This young man has very real anger problems. Here is the article.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...74684/Oscar-Pistorius-Not-the-boy-I-knew.html

"At the London Games, I was chatting to Oscar’s roommate in the Athletes’ Village, Arnu Fourie, who had just won the bronze medal in the 100m, edging his good friend Oscar out of the medals. Oscar was genuinely elated at his mate’s success. They were obviously very close and I asked Fourie what it was like rooming with Oscar. He told me he had been forced to move out, because Oscar was constantly screaming in anger at people on the phone. I thought Fourie was joking and waited for him to smile. But he was serious. I was taken aback. I had never thought of Oscar behaving like that.
I realised he was more complex than I had thought."

 

[kittychi]

]KCL, To my knowledge, we have only ever had one poster on this thread from South Africa and her name was Carol who was convinced of OP's innocence. But she has not posted here for many months now.[/B]

AFIK, the only countries represented on this thread are from USA, UK, Germany and Australia. Is anyone here from any other country?

I expect the numbers of posters will increase next Monday again.

Yes, i believe you are correct, Estelle. I do hope that Carol will come back and post. She contributed an important perspective to the discussions.

 

[kittychi]

First time I have seen this:-

Dressed to Die? Clothes Are Key Evidence in Pistorius Case

"It cannot be explained as of now," he said Steenkamp's attire, "until such time the accused can actually take up a stand and say, 'She decided to put on clothes to go to the bathroom' or 'She decided to say, "I'm gonna sleep in clothes. I'm not gonna put my nighties on."'"

Another prosecution spokesman, Nathi Mcnube, told "Dateline" that what Steenkamp wore will be central to the government's case when the trial opens Monday.

"There is a piece of evidence around the clothes that could suggest what happened there," he said. "To disclose it now would be to disclose a lot of our thinking around the case before the time."

http://www.nbcnews.com/#/storyline/...lothes-are-key-evidence-pistorius-case-n39071

This will be interesting. I have read several statements about what she was wearing and have seen no confirmation of any of them.

When the story first broke, the first day or so, it was stated that she was in her night gown. The next I read was that she was wearing her own shorts and top. Just recently I read in a recent link (sorry I don't remember which one) that she was wearing Oscar's shorts and tee shirt!

The one that has been most believable to me was that she was in her own shorts and tank top, the same one she was wearing in the video when she was going through the gates to OP's house. If she was wearing this, it most certainly shows that she never was in bed, and shows that OP likely knew exactly where she was.

 

[Pisto_lius]

No special favours for Oscar

A reliable source said one of Pistorius’s close family members was at court on Thursday, scouting logistics. She asked an official whether it was possible to bring Pistorius directly into court through the underground holding cells.

If this was allowed, it would mean Pistorius would avoid the media frenzy awaiting him when he entered the court building through the main entrance.

But National Prosecuting Authority spokesman Medupi Simasiku said Pistorius would be treated like any other accused on bail and would not receive preferential treatment. He denied an office would be made available to Pistorius during breaks or lunchtime.

Read more: http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/no-special-favours-for-oscar-1.1654258#.UxEoeON5OSo

The poor guy is so shy Gone are the days when he loved the flurry of photographers' flashlights and TV cameras so much.

He should enjoy it because it could be the last time for a very long while.... :jail:
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[Mountain Misst]

Despite being a double amputee, OP still has an Achilles heel. What could it be?

 

[Mysti88c]

I watched the Dateline coverage last night, and during the part where they mentioned problems with the case (i.e. crime scene contamination), they did not mention the bathroom door being in the police office out of the evidence room. To me this was a big problem for the prosecution. Or at least it would be here in the USA. It will be interesting to see how the justice system in South Africa handles these evidence issues.

 

[Interested Bystander]

Report - today's date

http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/pistorius-family-focus-trial-22729868


"His Entire Life Story is on Trial"

 

[Estelle]

Is South Africa's legal system reliable?

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-21535387

 

[Feynman]

KCL, To my knowledge, we have only ever had one poster on this thread from South Africa and her name was Carol who was convinced of OP's innocence.

I don't recall Carol being convinced of OP's innocence. I recall her bringing up badly needed counterpoints to some of the arguments made here.