OSCAR PISTORIUS MURDER TRIAL: the blade runner oscar pistorius shoots girlfriend

[NightOwl]

Away we go........I couldn't believe an Oscar Pistorius Movie is being planned they even have the actors' chosen already. I'm disgusted about it! My gosh the Steenkamp's aren't even allowed to grieve.

I do like the actors' they chose!


Taken from The Sun wednesday 27^th March 2013

Ryan Gosling and Charlize Theron lined up to play Oscar Pistorius and Reeva Steenkamp

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/sho...z2OhXeu2l6

[Duchess]

Jesus Christ

Oscar Pistorius will be allowed to travel abroad to compete after winning an appeal against his bail conditions.

A judge in South Africa said Pistorius, who is charged with murdering girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, can now leave the country to compete in international competitions.

[HairOfTheDog]

"Jesus Christ" is right.

Looks like probation officers have to announce visits to his residence as well, and that the ban on alcohol and drugs was lifted. Well, at least he's still prohibited from carrying guns and visiting his old neighbors/witnesses, as far as I know.

Here's the link to the High Court's (Judge Bam) rationale; from local SA paper, City Press.
http://www.citypress.co.za/news/pistoriu...an-lifted/

I think Pistorius would be rather a fool to travel far, inside or outside of SA, being that he's so recognizable and not too popular these days.

Considering he felt so vulnerable and frightened when armed and faced with what he believed was a stranger trapped in a small space , imagine the panic of being unarmed and facing a crowd of angry DV protestors.

[Duchess]

I feel like that is a slap in the face to her family & all those who cared about her.

[HairOfTheDog]

I feel like that is a slap in the face to her family & all those who cared about her.

Her loved ones are keeping a very low profile about all of this. Hard to gauge where they stand on the matter. For those of them who don't believe Pistorius's story, it's gotta sting.

It's really a slap in the face to the judge who issued the bail conditions too. Bam stated that some of them were issued in error. I don't know who's right or wrong in relation to SA laws or if this is politics in play, but it really reflects poorly on Nair.

Hoping the prosecution has its ducks in a tight row and the judge and his consulting judges are all extremely professional and by-the-book when this case goes to trial.

[BlueTiki]

Considering he felt so vulnerable and frightened when armed and faced with what he believed was a stranger trapped in a small space , imagine the panic of being unarmed and facing a crowd of angry DV protestors.

[NightOwl]

I feel like that is a slap in the face to her family & all those who cared about her.

It is a slap in the face! I was disgusted yesterday with the whole damn thing! where did Judge Nair go? what is it rotating Judges' there? now this Judge Bam found errors with Judge Nair.

I've no faith in the Court down there in SA.

[HairOfTheDog]

I feel like that is a slap in the face to her family & all those who cared about her.

It is a slap in the face! I was disgusted yesterday with the whole damn thing! where did Judge Nair go? what is it rotating Judges' there? now this Judge Bam found errors with Judge Nair.

I've no faith in the Court down there in SA.

I read that Bam also lifted the bail ban on Pistorius going to his home in Silverwood Estates. I guess because he's accused and not convicted, he has a right to go there. I wish the home had stayed designated as a crime scene until trial.

Not sure whether he is still prohibited from speaking with neighbors other than the Sanders. That worries me due to possible witness tampering. Pistorius had friends/witnesses lie for him when he shot the gun off in the restaurant back in January; no reason to believe he wouldn't do it again.

I think the only bail condition that wasn't lifted was the one regarding gun ownership/carry?

[HairOfTheDog]

^ Corrections, need more caffeine:

Pistorius's friends/neighbors at the "Silverlake" (not "Silverwood") estates are the "Standers" (I'll avoid the obvious joke there) not the "Sanders".

Here's Reeva's Uncle Mike's statement to the press after the ruling (he seems to be the family spokesperson):

"I am not thinking about him. I just think about Reeva". "She's the most important thing to remember."

Full story here:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/...es-1788900

[HairOfTheDog]

There's an in-depth article about the case in the June 2013 Vanity Fair. The writer interviewed Reeva's parents and Hilton Botha for the piece. Interesting read. Full article here.

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/0...ius-murder

A couple of snips.

REEVA'S PARENTS


June and Barry Steenkamp

June was still outraged over the fact that she had received flowers with a note reading something like From the Office of Oscar Pistorius, and that Oscar had had the gall to hold his own private memorial service for Reeva. Soon after the killing, she said, she had received a call from Arnold Pistorius. “I said, ‘I’ve got nothing to say to you, and I don’t want to hear anything that you’ve got to say,’ ” she told me. “And he said, ‘I’m very sorry that I’ve troubled you then.’ And I just put the phone down.... Maybe he wanted to invite me to their memorial, which I think was really out of line.” Reeva’s father, Barry, 69, a burly, bearded former racehorse trainer, remained outside, unable to speak without crying. “He’s actually much more emotional than me,” said June.

WHAT'S NEXT?:

Pistorius’s statement, which he disclosed to obtain bail, will be key in his upcoming trial, for which a date has not been set. “This whole case is going to turn on ballistics and cell-phone evidence,” the Johannesburg attorney told me. “Oscar says, ‘I was walking around on my stumps in a dark house, and I pumped a few rounds through the bathroom door.’ So now they’re going to start looking ballistically. At what angle was Oscar standing? Was he upright on prosthetic legs or down on stumps? The bullets’ point of entry and exit in the door is going to show the truth. He’s opened the door on conviction: did he lie about being on his stumps?

“Also, Reeva’s cell phone was found in the bathroom. She may have been texting someone just before she died,” the attorney continued. “Cell-phone records can remain on the network for 30 days. Oscar’s version of events could also be contradicted by what went out on text messages or on telephone conversations.

“The general view is that Oscar’s in trouble. I think they’re going to run a trial and try to show that Oscar wanted to kill Reeva. Oscar’s affidavit is going to be crucial to destroy his credibility. Is Oscar going to try to make a plea agreement? Everybody expects that. Is he going to be successful? We doubt it.”

Hilton Botha feels confident that justice will be done. “They sacrificed me like a pawn on the chessboard, but now the king is in check,” he said.

Pistorius and his team are not conceding anything. “I’ll survive,” Oscar was reported by the BBC as saying upon his arrest, though his family categorically denied it. “I always win.”

[Duchess]

Those poor parents :(

[Cynical Ninja]

Why did Pistorius assume it was an intruder in the bathroom when he KNEW his girlfriend was in the house? If you knew for a fact someone else was staying with you in your house and you heard activity in the house wouldn't just naturally assume it was them and not an intruder? If he genuinely wasn't sure who it was in the bathroom why didn't he say “who's there?” Instead of just blazing away?

I hope his celebrity status and expensive lawyers don't have an effect on the process of getting to the truth.

[HairOfTheDog]

^ Oscar's story's got more holes in it than his bathroom door, IMO.

News reporting today that Pistorius was audited after he declared his assets at his bond hearing; he was fined for unpaid taxes.

He did not declare a second home that he owns in Johannesburg (when he bought it is unclear, however).

I don't think he'll be able to buy his way out of killing Reeva; he's already had to sell off assets to mount his legal defense and there's a strong network of organized domestic violence protestors who continue to be vocal and keep the heat up.

IMO, South African authorities aren't gonna let him skate. I too hope that the truth and justice prevails.

What's Next?

Prosecutors say Pistorius' June 4 court hearing, the first since bail proceedings and his first public appearance in nearly four months, will likely take less than 10 minutes and the case will be postponed until a date in August while police continue to gather and analyze evidence and identify and interview witnesses.

http://www.wdbj7.com/sports/sns-ap-oly-p...4400.story

[ZEROSPHERES]

He was standing tall for a while propped up on those bionic legs. It all went to his head and he never dealt with that insecure little boy with control issues.

[HairOfTheDog]

Crime scene photos just released, 5/31/13





The images show a panel missing from the toilet door - and two police markers below the handle which indicate bullet holes.

Whether the bullet holes are considered too low for Pistorius to have been on his blades (defense claim) or too high for him to been on stumps (prosecution claim) is likely to be a major point of contention in the case.

Also, two police officers are reportedly under investigation amidst claims that one of P's watches was stolen from the scene. Hope that's not true.

Next up:
There's a hearing on Tuesday, June 4^th. It's expected that a trial date in August will be established.

Sky News will be streaming that hearing, I believe.

Ref:
http://news.sky.com/story/1097557/pistor...of-killing

[NightOwl]

Crime scene photos just released, 5/31/13





The images show a panel missing from the toilet door - and two police markers below the handle which indicate bullet holes.

Whether the bullet holes are considered too low for Pistorius to have been on his blades (defense claim) or too high for him to been on stumps (prosecution claim) is likely to be a major point of contention in the case.

Also, two police officers are reportedly under investigation amidst claims that one of P's watches was stolen from the scene. Hope that's not true.

Next up:
There's a hearing on Tuesday, June 4^th. It's expected that a trial date in August will be established.

Sky News will be streaming that hearing, I believe.

Ref:
http://news.sky.com/story/1097557/pistor...of-killing

I disagree with the Prosecution, they will say anything to get their boy off! those bullet holes did the job that's what. As we can see the Valentine Gift was never opened isn't that a giveaway? most everyone would be thrilled and want to open a gift right away. Something went wrong that evening, maybe Lahood sent a text wishing Reeva happy V Day and Oscar he cannot take anymore of this and he went crazy!

These pictures will be unbearable for Reeva's mum and dad. Reeva's dad was right he didn't want her to take off to Johannesburg SA, she was 4 years with Warren Lahoud and 4 months with Oscar - Warren still cared and this made Oscar fume.

I think the Vanity Fair article and now these photographs are very damning!!!!

Cannot wait to find out who Reeva was talking to on phone!

Thanks! HairOfTheDog

[NightOwl]

Taken from The Independant News June 2^nd 2013

A documentary is scheduled to be aired to-night on Channel 5, I hope some of it will be available for us in the USA. I've copied an excerpt from the documentary. The link to The Independant for full article is below.
_____________________________________________________________

Oscar Pistorius murder trial: Documentary set to undermine evidence on row on night Reeva Steenkamp was killed
Barristers will pick over the evidence against the athlete accused of murdering Reeva Steenkamp

Two barristers, Estelle Kilian acting for the prosecution and Marius Du Toit for the defence, agree this witness evidence is likely to be undermined. But, the documentary says, unsubstantiated claims that the pair had sent texts to others could still provide a motive.

It has been alleged that Pistorius sent texts to another woman of a "flirtatious nature" after he had begun his four-month relationship with Ms Steenkamp, which might provide a motive, while Ms Steenkamp, 29, is said to have been trading messages with a previous boyfriend. Why she took her mobile phone to the bathroom – where it was found by police – in the middle of the night is also under scrutiny.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/...40799.html

[NightOwl]

I didn't realize things were so grim in South Africa for Senior Citizens there is no Social Security? Welfare? Medical Care?

Taken from NY Daily Mail.

Reeva Steenkamp’s heartbroken parents: Not suing Oscar Pistorius for ‘blood money’ but need
‘Our hearts just feel broken. But we have no choice but to sue. Pistorius has placed us in this position,’ says mother June Stennkamp.

Comments (9)
BY NINA GOLGOWSKI / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

SUNDAY, JUNE 30, 2013, 3:56 PM

Excerpt from the article "Since her untimely death, her parents say it was Reeva, their youngest child, who had been keeping them financially afloat these last several years amid their ailing health and no government welfare program for support.
"On the night she died, when she was on her way to Oscar's house, we talked about her sending us money to pay our cable television bill. I was fretting because I thought I was going to miss her first TV appearance," Mrs. Steenkamp said. "She told me not to worry, she would send money the next day. She regularly helped us with food and utility bills."


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/re...z2XvB6fJD1

_____________________________________________________________
Attached to the same article above some new semi-nude pictures of Reeva. Before hooking up with Pistorius, Steenkamp dated South African rugby player Francois Hougaard.

Hougaard reportedly exchanged text messages with Steenkamp on the day she died - Valentine's Day.

It sounds like the photographs were taken for Hougaard? got an opinion on this anyone? Reeva continued to be friendly to all her ex-boyfriends Pistorious would not like that one bit.

_____________________________________________________________

Oscar Pistorius' slain girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, posed semi-nude for photos
The blond bikini model is seen sprawled across a bed in a photo shoot intended for another man.

Comments (14)
BY BILL HUTCHINSON / NEW YORK DAILY NEWS

PUBLISHED: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2013, 1:11 PM
UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2013, 1:11 PM


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/os...z2XvNtP3FV

[Duchess]

It sounds like the photographs were taken for Hougaard? got an opinion on this anyone? Reeva continued to be friendly to all her ex-boyfriends Pistorious would not like that one bit.

I looked at the pix, they are lovely, tasteful photographs. I think it's a testament to Reeva that she was able to remain friends with former boyfriends. I can see those pix pushin' Oscar's buttons.

Earlier today I told myself I wasn't going to get drawn into another court case/trial, no way, no how and then I saw this thread updated...

[HairOfTheDog]

Police Investigation Complete

From today's LA Times:

South African authorities have completed their investigation into the shooting death of Oscar Pistorius' girlfriend and expect the famed sprinter -- known as "Blade Runner" -- to be served with an indictment early next week.

Lt. Gen. Solomon Makgale, a police spokesman, told the Associated Press that investigators were convinced Pistorius has a charge to answer.

The double-amputee, who competed for his country at the 2012 London Olympics, faces allegations that he shot and killed Reeva Steenkamp at his home on Feb. 14.

Freed on bail since late February, Pistorius has claimed that he accidentally shot Steenkamp after mistaking her for an intruder in the early morning hours.

Reports suggest the couple may have been arguing. Pistorius could face 25 years to life in prison if convicted of premeditated murder.

His next court appearance was scheduled for Monday (Aug 19^th) in Pretoria. Officials could serve an indictment and set a trial date at that time.