Trial Discussion Thread #56 - 14.15.10, Day 45 ~ sentencing~

[Aika]

#OscarTrial @reevasteenkamp's mother June talks to @samraytay, an ex-girlfriend of #OscarPistorius, and her mother as they exit the bathroom
https://twitter.com/erinmarisabates/status/522314594946408448

 

[newone]

zerosixsix
2 minutes ago




@PhilyTaylor If OP goes to jail, everyone will be to scared to go to the toilet

 

[patCee]

I think Nel is going on far too long with this. They're going over the same things, over and over, round and round in circles .. it all just sounds very messy now. He should've been a lot clearer, and kept it a lot tighter. I'm really quite cross with him.

Agreed, I suspect that AV is intent on defending herself and the longer Nel keeps challenging her the more fixed she becomes in her position in order to justify herself. She can't let go of it now, so he needs to. That's apart from the fact that she's wrong on so many aspects.

 

[04009margaret]

Is Jerry black and poor?

Depends on what Tom has done to him lol

 

[Mr Fossil]

Did I hear the term "severe suspended sentence" mentioned?!

 

[lithgow1]

Yes, am watching from the UK on the Telegraph feed. Don't know who it it, but asked co-worker why she didn't wear 'cheap ' shoes, obviously commenting on a by-stander's choice of foot wear. Big up, eh? Oh! he's on now. Think his name is David? Not David Smith from Guardian.

David Dadic maybe?

 

[sorrell skye]

Oh, I've lost my feed. But with the amount she laughs, she enjoys the court, it's her playground, her stage. She likes the attention from the court, from the examination by Nel. I see a similar self absorption as in Pistorius.

How else could she confidently keep telling countless dead victim's families that the person who is probably their worst nightmare, deserves time and again to have no prison, some hours of community service etc. and that they show remorse and will lead a worthwhile life.

The's something emotionally missing here, in my opinion.

Or she's empathising far too much with the felon...opening up whole other level of stomach turning psychology.

BBM

Based on her past recommendations, as well as her current one, I think she has a thing for felons. It wouldn't surprise me if she makes regular visits to the prisons to visit her favorite inmates. I suspect she likes the "bad boys" and views herself as their dame in shining armor (dame being the female equivalent of a knight).

IMO, she has no business making recommendations to the High Court. She's a danger to society because she obviously doesn't make informed, intelligent recommendations that put the interests of society first. She's clearly obsessed, in my view, with making sure her bad boy crushes don't serve any time - so much so that her judgment is clouded, if not altogether absent.

 

[kaos]

If OP gets community service, that should mean that he'd still have to report in to some probation office which would mean having to travel back and forth to it. He's going to have to shell out an awful lot of money to keep using bodyguards for even the simplest of journeys and having community service for even the 3 years that these jokers were recommending, that's an awful long time that he'll have to stay in and around South Africa for. It wouldn't surprise me though if he kept applying for changes to their calendar to suit his upcoming events.

 

[Deleted member 102539]

I have to agree. Nel is great at digging into a witness, but sometimes he doesn't know when to let go. Thus, his cross examination ends up becoming an exercise in badgering, and not constructive to his case.

To me it seems as Nel would let go always too early, always exact at the wrong spot.

 

[SurfDiva]

David Dadic maybe?

Not Dadic.

 

[G.bng]

Are we back anyone or is my feed no more?

 

[LemonMousse]

IMO that is a really bad comparison to say her recommendation would have been the same for murder on the basis of the physical conditions. Sentence recommendations also must account for the severity of the crime and murder is clearly much more serious than CH since it includes intention, i.e. malice aforethought or dolus, and the judge will know that. And her judgement was that he made a mistake or however you want to call it, not that he purposefully wanted to commit a crime.

He was talking about the aspects of her report which specifically say that he should not go to prison because he is disabled and vulnerable.

Since he would still be disabled and vulnerable if he'd committed murder, and the prison system would still be the same, would she still not want him to go to prison if he'd been convicted of murder?

Would he have to just suck it up and deal with the difficulties of prison life if his conviction were more serious? Why?

That was the point.

 

[SurfDiva]

BBM

Based on her past recommendations, as well as her current one, I think she has a thing for felons. It wouldn't surprise me if she makes regular visits to the prisons to visit her favorite inmates. I suspect she likes the "bad boys" and views herself as their dame in shining armor (dame being the female equivalent of a knight).

IMO, she has no business making recommendations to the High Court. She's a danger to society because she obviously doesn't make informed, intelligent recommendations that put the interests of society first. She's clearly obsessed, in my view, with making sure her bad boy crushes don't serve any time - so much so that her judgment is clouded, if not altogether absent.

When is her book out then? Am hoping her Facebook page is a hack. If it's real, then it explains an awful lot.

 

[lithgow1]

BBM

Based on her past recommendations, as well as her current one, I think she has a thing for felons. It wouldn't surprise me if she makes regular visits to the prisons to visit her favorite inmates. I suspect she likes the "bad boys" and views herself as their dame in shining armor (dame being the female equivalent of a knight).

IMO, she has no business making recommendations to the High Court. She's a danger to society because she obviously doesn't make informed, intelligent recommendations that put the interests of society first. She's clearly obsessed, in my view, with making sure her bad boy crushes don't serve any time - so much so that her judgment is clouded, if not altogether absent.

I tend to think it is more a wishy-washy bleeding heart attitude but you may well be right. We'd need to get a look at her previous chaps to see if they look like James Dean or not. Note that I didn't include the word 'liberal' after bleeding heart as I'm liberal on most issues, but not crime and punishment. The mild sentences often handed out for violent crimes and defences such as 'affluenza' rile me up. Years ago someone I knew was assaulted in a road rage type thing where his jaw was broken and his car door kicked in and the offender got a heavier fine for the car damage than the physical assault. That kind of thing, where property is of more value than people, really p's me off.

 

[zwiebel]

A lot of what AV said made sense. A probation/social worker should take into account factors such as the crime itself, character, previous criminal history, remorse etc. But, in my opinion, all those factors seem to indicate OP should got to jail in this case.

The trouble is, I think, AV, like other people, has compromised her integrity for the sake of Oscar Pistorius. Her attempts to twist the logical conclusion of her own report, to arrive at a recommendation of no jailtime, has made her appear incompetent.

 

[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.

 

[sorrell skye]

Are we back anyone or is my feed no more?

I think we're still on break, although it's been 15 minutes already hasn't it?

 

[LaLaw2000]

:gaah:

What is going on? I thought Masipa said 15 minutes! Then as soon as they get back it will be lunch break.

 

[Onlyamum]

Are they having tea break and lunch time all rolled into one?

 

[WilliamMunter]

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.