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

[jassy writer]

Maluleke might have just got the timing of his statement wrong? Plus it is clear his English is not so good and this might also lead to his statement being misinterpreted in terms of going upstairs first.

 

[zwiebel]

R now showing photo of the sealed door. R asks if that was the type of tape V used. V says yes, and he locked the door after sealing.

R shows another photo. 496. Same day. V says that was how he left it, yes.

R: How do you feel about your ability to observe?

 

[sorrell skye]

Roux: How do you feel about your ability to observe?

Von: It's average.

 

[zwiebel]

R says it's 'quite remarkable' he can be assured just from photos that that is how he left the scene.

 

[sorrell skye]

Yep - Roux pointed out that the sealing of the doors between the 2 pics was different.

I saw that right away.

Von initially said they were the same.

I don't think Von is very observant at all.

 

[zwiebel]

R: What you did not pick up that there was a difference in sealing between the two pics - I can take you back - see the big crosses?

V: It is different. I can see that. I did not pick it up....

Ouch.! Direct hit from Roux again.

Witness complains screen moving too quickly, he doesn't have time to compare. Judge agrees.

R: We'll get back to that...

 

[zwiebel]

Keys

R: Can you remember your evidence about the keys...did you observe the locking? (of door)

R: Look at 515. How many keys do you see there?....can you remember which keys they were, for which doors?

V: No.

 

[zwiebel]

Pic 856 now. Only R can't find it. Adjourned. 5 mins only.

 

[zwiebel]

If only that witness had conceded he might have made mistakes, might have missed something, might have let someone on the crime scene. He has backed himself into a corner and Roux is scoring hit after hit. V has no room to maneouvre now....

 

[Really?]

R: What you did not pick up that there was a difference in sealing between the two pics - I can take you back - see the big crosses?

V: It is different. I can see that. I did not pick it up....

Ouch.! Direct hit from Roux again.

Witness complains screen moving too quickly, he doesn't have time to compare. Judge agrees.

R: We'll get back to that...

What do we know of the time lapse between those 2 door sealing pics ?

They had to re-enter and reseal on the 15th as well,.......I imagine

 

[zwiebel]

Bedside table in photo.

R: Was it in that one you found the magazine?

V: Warrant officer?? handed it to me.

 

[zwiebel]

R wants to know if pic shows bedroom scene as it was, V says no. Fan has been moved.

 

[zwiebel]

Back to keys. Pic 515

R: How many keys do you see?

V: One in lock, one at back

R: Basically two

V: Two that I can see

R: What for?

V: I don't know.

R: It's not a trick question. I see you don't want to answer anymore.

 

[zwiebel]

Pic 514

R: How many keys do you see there....same bunch of keys but there are more keys...I'm trying to find out how keys were preserved.

V: They were sealed in evidence bags and taken to station, first day.

After, he put them in his own safe.

 

[zwiebel]

I'm on audio only, so don't know if pics of keys show some missing from bunch at times.

 

[zwiebel]

Cricket bat now

V: When I picked it up, I saw the black signatures on the back.

 

[sorrell skye]

I don't understand why Von was dancing around answering the question about the pic of the key in the door. When Roux asked him what key it was, Von kept saying he didn't know.

It looked like the front door key - the sealing tape was obvious in the photo, so it must have been the front door.

 

[zwiebel]

Col; We depend on your eyes to seee what you saw on the scene that first time....what you describe is what you observed...a cricket bat on right hand side of basin, laying on the floor.

 

[zwiebel]

V: The cricket bat was lying on the tiled floor next to the basin. It was not lying with the flat side and sigs up.

 

[sorrell skye]

Question from me: Didn't Von take notes as he walked through the crime scene?

It doesn't appear that he did. It seems that he relied solely on his memory when he wrote his statement.