Oscar Pistorius case

[hilariousandco]

Oooh can't believe I missed this thread. This case has captivated me since I heard about it last year. It is really really weird. I do think it was on accident, but he should still go to jail at least for a couple of years. This reminds of that Fruitvale station shooting, where the cop killed a man by shooting him - he obviously did not intend to kill him (he said he thought he was taking out his taser) but that still doesn't excuse such gross incompetence. So I think the correct solution for the Pistorious case is the middle ground - make him do some time in prison for involuntary manslaughter, but not as much as for actual premeditated murder.

Having said that though, I'm looking forward to seeing more details come about the case. But my personal opinion is that it was just a very, very bad mistake on Pistorius' part, because it doesn't make any sense for him to do this out of malice.

Under what circumstances could it have possibly been an accident? How does it not make sense out of malice? Men can easily get pretty murderous over women for various reasons.

[dreamspark]

I wouldnt expect the trial to finish any time soon. He's clearly guilty of shooting someone through a closed door without ascertaining who it was, bearing in mind his gf was no longer lying next to him. If it was anyone else they would be in jail by now. I will wait to see what the court says before passing a final judgment but his arguments are moronic.

[sana8410]

I wouldnt expect the trial to finish any time soon. He's clearly guilty of shooting someone through a closed door without ascertaining who it was, bearing in mind his gf was no longer lying next to him. If it was anyone else they would be in jail by now. I will wait to see what the court says before passing a final judgment but his arguments are moronic.

Looks like a history of abuse, and there's a girlfriend in a locked bathroom, and a guy explaining that his logic was, "Hey, who's in the bathroom? Better fire off a few shots." Not looking good for the guy.

[bryant.coleman]

I wouldnt expect the trial to finish any time soon.

The dates have been already extended once, to May 16th. Yes.... since he is quite influential, the defence team will get it further extended a number of times. Still... it can't go on like that indefinitely.

[hilariousandco]

I wouldnt expect the trial to finish any time soon. He's clearly guilty of shooting someone through a closed door without ascertaining who it was, bearing in mind his gf was no longer lying next to him. If it was anyone else they would be in jail by now. I will wait to see what the court says before passing a final judgment but his arguments are moronic.

Looks like a history of abuse, and there's a girlfriend in a locked bathroom, and a guy explaining that his logic was, "Hey, who's in the bathroom? Better fire off a few shots." Not looking good for the guy.

Not to mention he seems to be a gun nut with an itchy trigger finger who just loves any excuse to use it. I can't comprehend or understand how anyone could buy his bullshit story. I mean, even if there was an intruder (or a suspected one), you'd wait till he at least attempts to open the door and not just blindly firing through it.

[sana8410]

I wouldnt expect the trial to finish any time soon. He's clearly guilty of shooting someone through a closed door without ascertaining who it was, bearing in mind his gf was no longer lying next to him. If it was anyone else they would be in jail by now. I will wait to see what the court says before passing a final judgment but his arguments are moronic.

Looks like a history of abuse, and there's a girlfriend in a locked bathroom, and a guy explaining that his logic was, "Hey, who's in the bathroom? Better fire off a few shots." Not looking good for the guy.

Not to mention he seems to be a gun nut with an itchy trigger finger who just loves any excuse to use it. I can't comprehend or understand how anyone could buy his bullshit story. I mean, even if there was an intruder (or a suspected one), you'd wait till he at least attempts to open the door and not just blidnly firing through it.

Exacly!And it makes no sense :why would a girlfriend who you are intimate with lock herself into a bathroom to use the toilet. Why would you lock it! Most mature couples would even sit on the toilet with the door open. Too much variance on his testimony and too emotional for it to be real.

[boumalo]

I wouldnt expect the trial to finish any time soon. He's clearly guilty of shooting someone through a closed door without ascertaining who it was, bearing in mind his gf was no longer lying next to him. If it was anyone else they would be in jail by now. I will wait to see what the court says before passing a final judgment but his arguments are moronic.

Looks like a history of abuse, and there's a girlfriend in a locked bathroom, and a guy explaining that his logic was, "Hey, who's in the bathroom? Better fire off a few shots." Not looking good for the guy.

The defence has a few arguments but his actions defy the standard logic when he fired without knowing who was behind the door

[hilariousandco]

I wouldnt expect the trial to finish any time soon. He's clearly guilty of shooting someone through a closed door without ascertaining who it was, bearing in mind his gf was no longer lying next to him. If it was anyone else they would be in jail by now. I will wait to see what the court says before passing a final judgment but his arguments are moronic.

Looks like a history of abuse, and there's a girlfriend in a locked bathroom, and a guy explaining that his logic was, "Hey, who's in the bathroom? Better fire off a few shots." Not looking good for the guy.

The defence has a few arguments but his actions defy the standard logic when he fired without knowing who was behind the door

Lawyers are always going to come up with a defence no matter how illogical, but they have to work with what little they've got. I'm not sure the judge or jury will buy into it anyway, but obviously he needs to be allowed time to put forward his side of the story and everyone involved be cross-examined. As much as I think he's guilty everyone deserves a fair trial.

[dreamspark]

Lawyers are always going to come up with a defence no matter how illogical, but they have to work with what little they've got. I'm not sure the judge or jury will buy into it anyway, but obviously he needs to be allowed time to put forward his side of the story and everyone involved be cross-examined. As much as I think he's guilty everyone deserves a fair trial.

Yes everyone deserves a fair trial. However, do you think that the case would have been allowed to drag on for this long if he wasnt a high profile person?

[hilariousandco]

Lawyers are always going to come up with a defence no matter how illogical, but they have to work with what little they've got. I'm not sure the judge or jury will buy into it anyway, but obviously he needs to be allowed time to put forward his side of the story and everyone involved be cross-examined. As much as I think he's guilty everyone deserves a fair trial.

Yes everyone deserves a fair trial. However, do you think that the case would have been allowed to drag on for this long if he wasnt a high profile person?

I don't know. That depends on a number of factors. He can afford good lawyers for a start so they're obviously going to do whatever they can to try wrangle him out of it which will obviously elongate the whole process.

[dreamspark]

Yup I agree with that, I'm just interested to see if anyone thinks that it would have been as long if he wasnt famous. Personally I think even with money and good lawyers for the average Joe this case would have been laughed out some time ago.

[boumalo]

Yup I agree with that, I'm just interested to see if anyone thinks that it would have been as long if he wasnt famous. Personally I think even with money and good lawyers for the average Joe this case would have been laughed out some time ago.

I don't know because it would still be a murder trial so they would want to do it right; on the other hand I don't know enough about South Africa to answer precisely

He could have argue he "wasn't himself" when he shot because of drugs or because he was sleeping

[bryant.coleman]

More tricks from the defence team:

Oscar Pistorius: 'heartbroken' athlete took up art therapy

http://www.theweek.co.uk/world-news/oscar-pistorius/53387/oscar-pistorius-denies-sinister-remark-reeva-s-friend

Yvette Van Schalkwyk, who was asked to give Pistorius emotional support and assess his mental state following the shooting, said that he had cried 80 per cent of the time. “From the first second, I saw a man who was heartbroken about the loss, he cried, he was in mourning,” she said. “He suffered emotionally. He loved her.”

[hilariousandco]

More tricks from the defence team:

Oscar Pistorius: 'heartbroken' athlete took up art therapy

http://www.theweek.co.uk/world-news/oscar-pistorius/53387/oscar-pistorius-denies-sinister-remark-reeva-s-friend

Yvette Van Schalkwyk, who was asked to give Pistorius emotional support and assess his mental state following the shooting, said that he had cried 80 per cent of the time. “From the first second, I saw a man who was heartbroken about the loss, he cried, he was in mourning,” she said. “He suffered emotionally. He loved her.”

All that may or may not be true, or maybe now he's not in the heat of the moment he is constantly aware and overcome with the guilt of what his temper and anger and reckless actions have caused; to commit a regrettable murder of someone he did love and care about. This would weigh on the majority of sane people like a tonne of bricks regardless of his genuine intent.

[Emill]

Only he knows , someone should give him an Academy Award for best actor though 

[guybrushthreepwood]

Only he knows , someone should give him an Academy Award for best actor though 

I think he probably genuinely is upset or distressed about what he has done, but that doesn't excuse his behavior or change the fact that he murdered a women for no reason.

[hilariousandco]

Only he knows , someone should give him an Academy Award for best actor though 

I think he probably genuinely is upset or distressed about what he has done, but that doesn't excuse his behavior or change the fact that he murdered a women for no reason.

It's probably damage limitation at this point. He's doing what he can to survive or limit his punishment. If he sits there emotionless and without remorse, when it comes to sentencing the judge will usually bring this up to justify a harsher sentence.

[Nathonas]

Only he knows , someone should give him an Academy Award for best actor though 

I see a lot of people with this attitude, but is there any actual evidence that he shot her on purpose? It is really impossible that it may have been a horrible, horrible mistake? People are not perfect. Like the example I gave with the Fruitvale shooting where a cop shot a man without meaning to kill him because he thought he was pulling out his tazer. Not saying he should be completely let go, but involuntary manslaughter is very different from premeditated murder.

[guybrushthreepwood]

Only he knows , someone should give him an Academy Award for best actor though 

I see a lot of people with this attitude, but is there any actual evidence that he shot her on purpose? It is really impossible that it may have been a horrible, horrible mistake? People are not perfect. Like the example I gave with the Fruitvale shooting where a cop shot a man without meaning to kill him because he thought he was pulling out his tazer. Not saying he should be completely let go, but involuntary manslaughter is very different from premeditated murder.

Of course it's possible, but unlikely. What scenario would shooting through a locked door be realistical, because the one he has given certainly isnt. I'm not aware of the fruitvale station case but I relaise theres a movie about it.

[noviapriani]

This guy is a classic sociopath....its everybody's fault but his....all the witnesses must be lying or mistaken (including the security guard who spoke to him after the shooting and was told 'everything is fine')....or his Lawyer has not advised him properly or the Police have tampered with evidence.....and if none of the above work lets resort to bursting into tears......I just hope the Judge see's through it all..