Judges double Oscar Pistorius' sentence to 13 years, 5 months - 24. Nov. 2017

[mrjitty]

June Steenkamp said she "shook with anger" after the BBC released a trailer for a new Oscar documentary series which failed to name her daughter, Reeva. The BBC removed the trailer after it received a barrage of criticism on social media for this appalling omission and said it regretted not referring to her by name and would replace the trailer with "something more representative of the series".

June said, "Where was the respect for Reeva, a talented, brave compassionate woman whose life Pistorius snuffed out in its prime?"

Mother of Steenkamp "shook with anger" at Pistorius documentary trailer

Yes - disgusting

Unfortunately many of these crime documentaries like to generate drama by walking the line between guilt and innocence. I find the creation of Knox as a celebrity is distasteful in the same way given the various court judgements, including the final judgement that found it likely she was at the crime scene. Her appeal as a celebrity is based on the idea she may have done it OR she is a huge victim, and Kercher is forgotten

Pistorius is exploited the same way. It is the possibility that he intentionally gunned Reeva down, which is integral to "his trials".

I do wonder what goes through these people's heads sometimes.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

I didn't closely follow case at time, except for news reports etc. but after the recent BBC doc I took to reading Wiener & Bateman's very detailed Behind The Door.

Points that stuck out for me, and wondering if anyone has more info on:

OP stated he and Reeva are around 7pm, having dinner, after which he went upstairs whilst Reeva made some drinks (coffee or tea) for both of them. He goes on to say, that he took his drink from her "and put it on the bedside table". They then watched TV, were texting, on internet, he made call to cousin, she did yoga, then both brushed teeth in bathroom and went to bed.

Q. There is no mention of either going downstairs again to return used cups to kitchen, so what happened to those? I don't see in pictures or referred to anywhere as being in room with all the other mentionables like watches, overnight bag, etc. If they weren't in room then it means one of them left the room between late evening on 13th and the events of just after 3am of 14th.

OP states both were asleep and not woken until the just after 3am approx time on 14th.

Q. If that is case - and was this ever brought up and questioned? - why was OP's private mobile connecting to the internet at 1.48am when allegedly he was asleep? This 5min15 sec activity - email checking? news checking? - surely shows he at least was awake. This would also concur with the witnesses who said they heard raised voices around that time coming from OP's house, which was later dismissed.

That TV doc showed a very sanitised, pro OP slant, compared to the book which shows a man prone to outbursts of unreasonanle anger, jealousy, and possessiveness.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

South Africa's department of correctional services said in a statement they were talking about setting up a meeting between the Steenkamp family and Pistorius, as part of his "restorative justice" process.

The statement also says that offenders must "acknowledge and take responsibility for their actions" and that part of the restorative justice process is "an opportunity for parties to reconcile or an apology".

Tania Koen, a lawyer for Steenkamps' parents June and Barry, told SABC that they "would like to participate in the victim-offender dialogue".
Pistorius set to meet Reeva’s parents in parole bid after half his sentence

 

[Gardenista]

Oscar Pistorius is up for parole, but parents of slain girlfriend want a face-to-face meeting first

 

[Gardenista]

Trying to refresh my memory on this case I just tried to watch the ESPN series about OP. I was completely disgusted and had to shut it off.

 

[mrjitty]

Elements of the Sun article above appear to be incorrect

OP has already served more than 7 years according to my calculations (oct '14 to nov 21) though he was not actually in jail all of that time - but i assume it counts?

So under SA law, i presume his eligibility for parole kicks in now or soon ..

 

[MsMarple]

Elements of the Sun article above appear to be incorrect

OP has already served more than 7 years according to my calculations (oct '14 to nov 21) though he was not actually in jail all of that time - but i assume it counts?

So under SA law, i presume his eligibility for parole kicks in now or soon ..

I think some of the confusion is because OP had served some time before his conviction was changed to murder by the Supreme Court of Appeal :

At one point, Mr. Pistorius was not deemed eligible for parole until March 2023, but his lawyer asked South Africa’s Supreme Court of Appeal to take into account the more than 500 days the athlete had already served in prison after his initial conviction for manslaughter.
...
Ms. Steenkamp has publicly said her Christian faith compels her to forgive Mr. Pistorius. Her husband was described as not having found the same closure.

“He’s always said he wants that meeting, because he’s got questions,” said Tania Koen, the Steenkamps’ lawyer.​

Oscar Pistorius, Olympic Runner Convicted of Murder, Is Up for Parole

 

[BeachSky]

Oscar Pistorius is up for parole, but parents of slain girlfriend want a face-to-face meeting first

One’s heart goes out because they thought dealing with this was to happen in 2023.
I’m sure it’s the most “painful pain” to relive all the horror.
The floated out term -closure- is confusing.
In my opinion the -beginning- of basic human decency would be if the murdered persons family got to question the perp on the stand at the actual murder trial.
Yes. Victim impact statements at sentencing is great. But they don’t get to question...to be that questioning voice for their murdered loved one.

My good friend’s son was murdered. I went to the trial. Guilty. Perp is incarcerated. She has begged to have a one on one with this person that killed her son. Refused(he is appealing) . I think for her own life to be just basically - functional , she needs questions answered.
I hope this happens for Reeva’s family. God speed.
MOO

 

[mrjitty]

He'll never admit the truth of it.

 

[BeachSky]

Is Oscar Pistorius the boyfriend from hell?
You wish you could reach back in time and have her move on without him. Forever.

MOO

 

[JudgeJudi]

Was MB rumoured to move in criminal circles?

Hi J. I replied in #133 on previous page but you may have missed it.

“Yes”

Marc Batchelor linked to R1bn stash of cocaine "hidden in a tractor"

He was a huge crook. That's one person he won't have to worry about when he's finally released.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Elements of the Sun article above appear to be incorrect

OP has already served more than 7 years according to my calculations (oct '14 to nov 21) though he was not actually in jail all of that time - but i assume it counts?

So under SA law, i presume his eligibility for parole kicks in now or soon ..

He is eligible for parole but he must meet with Reeva’s parents before he has a chance of being freed.

He was ultimately sentenced to 13 years and 5 months in prison and became eligible for parole in July after serving half his sentence.

A parole hearing was scheduled for last month and then cancelled partly because a meeting between OP and the Steenkamps hadn't been arranged, lawyers for both parties said on Monday. His lawyer said that another hearing was scheduled for October but was called off because a full report on his time in prison wasn’t available and another hearing date hadn’t been set.

The Steenkamps will be allowed to make recommendations to the parole board, although Ms Koen wouldn't say if they would oppose his release. Parole boards do consider the opinion of victims' families when deciding whether to release an offender.

Ms Koen said it was a "huge surprise" for the Steenkamps when corrections officials contacted them last month to say he was eligible for parole. They believed he would first be eligible in 2023.

The confusion over when he would be eligible emanated from his long and protracted murder trial and two subsequent appeals by prosecutors.

The time he had served since he was convicted for culpable homicide counted towards his parole eligibility.

Oscar Pistorius up for parole but must meet parents of murdered Reva Steenkamp

I was surprised too because it was reported back in May 2020 that he was eligible to apply in 2023. (last para. of article)

Do prisoners Oscar Pistorius and Janusz Waluś qualify for release?

 

[mrjitty]

Incredible he could be out soon - how the time has flown!

 

[JudgeJudi]

Incredible he could be out soon - how the time has flown!

“This Court determined that the respondent, Mr Pistorius, should have been sentenced to 15 years’ imprisonment but took into account the sentence he served prior to being sentenced on the 6th of July 2016.The respondent had already served a period of 12 months’ imprisonment and correctional supervision [house arrest] for a period of 7 months and he was given credit for that”.
…
The respondent is sentenced to imprisonment for a period of 13 years and 5 months”.

He's eligible to apply for parole after serving half his sentence.

He could be taken from Atteridgeville Correctional Centre for the victim-offender meeting as Barry Steenkamp is unable to travel due to his health.

 

[JudgeJudi]

The clearly irritated Department of Correctional Services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo, dismissed DM168’s queries about the potential parole of Pistorius. Since News24 reported last week that he was eligible for parole much earlier than anyone had guessed, the department has been bombarded by local and international media demanding clarity on the matter.

It was originally calculated that the he would only come up for parole in 2023, but it has now emerged that this failed to take into account the time already served in jail – 503 days – by the time the Supreme Court of Appeal handed him an extended sentence of 13 years and five months in 2017.

Read how he faces an uncertain future plus some unfortunate news re the Steenkamps.

REEVA STEENKAMP MURDER: What does the future hold for convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius after talk of parole eligibility?

 

[mrjitty]

The clearly irritated Department of Correctional Services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo, dismissed DM168’s queries about the potential parole of Pistorius. Since News24 reported last week that he was eligible for parole much earlier than anyone had guessed, the department has been bombarded by local and international media demanding clarity on the matter.

It was originally calculated that the he would only come up for parole in 2023, but it has now emerged that this failed to take into account the time already served in jail – 503 days – by the time the Supreme Court of Appeal handed him an extended sentence of 13 years and five months in 2017.

Read how he faces an uncertain future plus some unfortunate news re the Steenkamps.

REEVA STEENKAMP MURDER: What does the future hold for convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius after talk of parole eligibility?

You should publish at that work you did on this!

 

[BeachSky]

The clearly irritated Department of Correctional Services spokesperson, Singabakho Nxumalo, dismissed DM168’s queries about the potential parole of Pistorius. Since News24 reported last week that he was eligible for parole much earlier than anyone had guessed, the department has been bombarded by local and international media demanding clarity on the matter.

It was originally calculated that the he would only come up for parole in 2023, but it has now emerged that this failed to take into account the time already served in jail – 503 days – by the time the Supreme Court of Appeal handed him an extended sentence of 13 years and five months in 2017.

Read how he faces an uncertain future plus some unfortunate news re the Steenkamps.

REEVA STEENKAMP MURDER: What does the future hold for convicted murderer Oscar Pistorius after talk of parole eligibility?

He took up smoking?
Wow yeah, no ....of course his career is over. I don’t care how much of that rebuilding trust thing is done. Pfttt...
So now he’ll live off (&with) rich uncle & is allowed to profit from a crime via a (his side) book in that country.
I just hope Karma is right there riding shotgun no matter where he
thinks he fits.


Sad about the Steenkamps .
MOO

 

[JudgeJudi]

RSBM

Q. There is no mention of either going downstairs again to return used cups to kitchen, so what happened to those? I don't see in pictures or referred to anywhere as being in room with all the other mentionables like watches, overnight bag, etc. If they weren't in room then it means one of them left the room between late evening on 13th and the events of just after 3am of 14th.

OP never said either of them went downstairs for any reason.

After dinner Reeva asked him if he wanted anything else to drink and he said yes. He went upstairs and she joined him a few minutes later. Here are the mugs after she was murdered.



Prof. Saayman conducted the autopsy and testified for the State. OP said they had a chicken stir fry that night at approx. 7-8pm.

Saayman said that he found her last meal consisted of vegetables and a small amount of white substance that looked like cheese. Based on the stomach contents and quantity, he estimated that she ate approx. 2 hours prior to death which was estimated at 3:15am-3:20am. Therefore she would have likely eaten after midnight, but OP claimed in his statement that they went to sleep at 10pm.

 

[JudgeJudi]

RSBM

Q. If that is case - and was this ever brought up and questioned? - why was OP's private mobile connecting to the internet at 1.48am when allegedly he was asleep? This 5min15 sec activity - email checking? news checking? - surely shows he at least was awake.

Capt. Moller, stationed at the technology investigation support centre for detective services, revealed that the last call from OP’s phone before the incident was at 8:25pm, lasting around 30 minutes.

The defence established that cellphone applications can continue making internet connections even when the phone isn't in use by the owner.

He used this to explain how OP's phone connected to the internet at 1:48 am when he claimed to have been asleep.

 

[mrjitty]

RSBM

Capt. Moller, stationed at the technology investigation support centre for detective services, revealed that the last call from OP’s phone before the incident was at 8:25pm, lasting around 30 minutes.

The defence established that cellphone applications can continue making internet connections even when the phone isn't in use by the owner.

He used this to explain how OP's phone connected to the internet at 1:48 am when he claimed to have been asleep.

I only dimly recall the details now, but I think this was the biggest mistake in the prosecution case

It's true that apps can connect automatically to the internet if the phone is not in airplane mode or turned off. But IMO it was clear that the phone was in airplane mode, and thus human intervention was required

Which leads back to the elephant in the room. How the phone was removed from the crime scene, locked, and then denied to the prosecution.

I don't understand how that wasn't a bigger deal.

Especially I don't understand why the prosecution accepted that it was automatic activity. IIRC in discussions with Mr Fossil, it was clear that it was almost certainly human activity.