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

[Duchess]

A South Africa judge has ruled that television stations can broadcast parts of Oscar Pistorius' murder trial live, but with restrictions on witness testimonies.

Gauteng High Court Judge Dunstan Mlambo ruled Tuesday that South African media houses will be allowed to install three remote controlled cameras in court for the Olympic athlete's trial starting next week to capture images that likely will be seen by millions around the world.

Pistorius' defense lawyers had opposed any of the trial being broadcast saying it would harm his chances of a fair trial.

Mlambo said some witnesses could object to their specific testimony being shown on TV. There will also be restrictions on broadcasting confidential discussions between Pistorius and his lawyers.

The judge will allow two mounted cameras to take photographs inside court.

Story

[HairOfTheDog]

I'm glad media will be able to report information from the courthouse on this one.

Some of the court docs have been leaked.

It's being reported that Pistorius was surfing graphic porn sites on his phone just before the shooting.

Also according to the leaked docs, when security guards asked Pistorius if everything was alright after gun shot reports, he told them that everything was "fine". Circumstantial evidence.

Anxious to hear the whole story from the prosecution's viewpoint and what other evidence it has to weave together a cohesive case supporting its allegation that Pistorius killed Reeva following a domestic dispute.

I think it's gonna be an interesting trial and hope it results in the right justice for Reeva Steenkamp.

Ref:
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/...48838.html

[Cynical Ninja]

It's being reported that Pistorius was surfing graphic porn sites on his phone just before the shooting.

Hmmmmm.

That seems to imply that Reeva wasn't putting out for Oscar that night.

Why else would you be surfing for porn when you've got a catwalk model in your house?

Could be one of the reasons why he killed her, no woman refuses the sexual advances of the world famous bladerunner Oscar Pistorious!

[HairOfTheDog]

It's being reported that Pistorius was surfing graphic porn sites on his phone just before the shooting.

Hmmmmm.

That seems to imply that Reeva wasn't putting out for Oscar that night.

Why else would you be surfing for porn when you've got a catwalk model in your house?

Could be one of the reasons why he killed her, no woman refuses the sexual advances of the world famous bladerunner Oscar Pistorious!

If it's true, it could help prosecutors support a convincing version of events leading up to a frustrated rage shooting, if not a premeditated murder, I agree. But, the defense will probably counter that the couple sometimes watched graphic porn together before going to bed.

I think the phone activity is going to play a big part in the prosecution's case. IMO, "what was going on with this couple?" is a more significant question than "was Pistorius wearing his legs?"

[Duchess]

I'm going to try & go back and read this thread again before the trial starts so I can refresh my memory. Without taking time to look does anyone recall if she was on the phone in the bathroom? I think she might have locked herself in there because she was frightened. Regardless, I believe he knew it was her in there.

[HairOfTheDog]

Reeva's phone was in the toilet, Pistorius's was on the mat outside of it.

This news report just released; within the hour.

SNIP:
The South African Police Service has been struggling for months to access text and Whatsapp messages on the iPhone 5 they found lying on the bathmat outside the lavatory where Miss Steenkamp was shot in the early hours of St Valentine's Day morning last year.

Mr Pistorius told detectives that he could not remember the Apple ID code needed to log in to the phone. The South African authorities claimed earlier this month that America's FBI was dragging its heels on authorising Apple to disclose the encrypted information.

Three senior police officers including Lt Gen Vineshkumar Moonoo and Captain Francois Moller, who is listed as a state expert witness on mobile phone analysis, flew to the US on Monday and are due to visit Apple headquarters today. They are due back in South Africa on Sunday, the day before the high-profile trial is due to begin at Pretoria's high court.

"With or without this evidence, the trial will still continue on Monday and we feel that we have more than enough evidence regardless, but any evidence we can lay our hands on is critical."

Pistorius denies murdering Steenkamp, 29, an FHM model and law graduate who he had been dating for four months, claiming instead he believed she was an intruder. The state says he shot her following a row.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnew...sages.html

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Damn, I wish all these ducks had been put in a row before this late in the game.

Without Pistorius's phone content (and assuming Reeva's phone content doesn't paint a terrible picture of him that night), I'd bet on Pistorius being convicted of a lesser murder charge than premeditated, along with the illegal weapons possession charges -- based on what's been presented publicly to date. I don't think the judge will buy the "perceived intruder" defense, but IMO the prosecution hasn't shown any cards that prove premeditated killing over recklessly shooting and causing death.

But, if they can get those phone records for Pistorius from that night and they paint a picture of a frustrated man in the midst of a row with his girlfriend, I think prosecutors have a decent chance of convincing a judge it was a premeditated murder - especially if Reeva's phone records also lend credence to the "row" theory.

The physical evidence doesn't clearly support the prosecution's charges on its own -- it's open to interpretation in this case, IMO. I think the prosecution is publicly downplaying how significant the phone records are to supporting its charges; they need those records badly.

[Duchess]

What the hell is wrong with those people! They've had a fricken year to get their shit together.

Ugh!

[HairOfTheDog]

It's frustrating.

Reminds me of what a sloppy job the prosecution did with Casey Anthony's computer searches, and they had much longer to pull that shit together. Having to retract some of what they presented to the jury, right before deliberations, hurt their case, IMO.

Then, months after trial ended, it was announced there was more incriminating info there that they'd never found and never presented.

Hate to see that kinda thing happen in this case. Hoping the lead detectives can access Pistorius's phone content with the help of Apple experts here in California this week and that it includes what they expect to find.

[aussiefriend]

She took her phone into the toilet because he was threatening her and she was trying to get help. She must have been screaming. He knew it was her.

[HairOfTheDog]

PISTORIUS MURDER TRIAL - THE LEGAL EAGLES


Prosecutor Gerrie Nel ------Defense Attorney Barry Roux

Prosecution Theory vs. Defense Claim
Nel will be presenting the prosecution case that Pistorius intentionally shot and killed Reeva Steenkamp through his toilet door on Valentine's morning 2013 because the couple was arguing.

Roux will not be arguing self-defense for his client; he will instead be arguing that Pistorius was mistaken about his need for self-defense. He is denying that his client intentionally unlawfully killed Steenkamp.

I believe Roux is also asking for special consideration of Pistorius' disability from the court when evaluating whether Pisotrius' actions were those of what "a reasonable South African citizen" would do in the same situation.



Judge Thokozile Masipa ^, a former newspaper crime reporter who later became a lawyer at 43, was only the second black woman to be appointed a high court judge in South Africa. She's been on the bench for over 15 years and has a track record of handing down stiff penalties in crimes against women and has given life terms to rapists.


Possible Rulings/Outcomes

---GUILTY AS CHARGED: If the court believes that Pisotrius did kill his girlfriend intentionally, a mandatory life sentence for murder would be handed down and a minimum of 25 years must be served.

---GUILTY OF LESSER CHARGE: If the court were to rule that Pistorius did not intentionally shoot or kill his girlfriend, but that his mistake was unreasonable -- based on what an objective, ordinary South African would do in the circumstances of the accused -- he would be found guilty of culpable homicide and could do up to 15 years.

There may be other lesser charges possible for Reeva's death - not sure. Since Pistorius is still denying any argument with the victim or anger towards her and hasn't wavered from his mistaken identity claim, it may well boil down to either Premeditated Murder or Culpable Homicide as the only two "guilty" options for the court.

---NOT GUILTY: If the court believes that Pisotrius' claimed mindset and actions were those of a reasonable citizen under the circumstances and the prosecution fails to dispute his claims sufficiently, Pistorius will walk.

(I'm not sure of the possible sentencing on the weapons charges yet.)

[HairOfTheDog]

-----------TRIAL STARTS MONDAY, 3/3/14------------------

LINK - LIVE TRIAL BROADCAST:
http://www.wildabouttrial.com/one_off/os...ve-stream/


HLN in the US will also be covering the trial on their television station and website.
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2014/02/28/...ade-runner

HOTD Edit: replaced link

[Duchess]

Awesome! Tomorrow will be a snow day for me so I'll get to tune in.

[HairOfTheDog]

Awesome! Tomorrow will be a snow day for me so I'll get to tune in.

It should be a really interesting trial with a lot of viewers in South Africa, Great Britain, Australia, the US, Canada...all across the globe.

I hope you and others post updates, opinions, questions, etc...here.

ETA: Lurkers near and far, that includes you! Register and weigh in on the Pistorius case.

[HairOfTheDog]

TIME ZONE CONVERSION FOR LIVE TRIAL WATCHERS

Johannesburg, South Africa is on SAST (UTC+2HRS)
Trial starts Monday, March 3^rd at 10:00 a.m. in Johannesburg.

10:00 a.m. Monday Johannesburg time -- converted for North America
-PST (UTC-8HRS) Sunday at midnight.
-MST (UTC-7HRS) Monday at 1:00 a.m.
-CST (UTC-6HRS) Monday at 2:00 a.m.
-EST (UTC-5HRS) Monday at 3:00 a.m.

10:00 a.m. Monday Johannesburg time -- converted for England
-GMT (UTC) Monday at 8:00 a.m.

10:00 a.m. Monday Johannesburg time -- converted for Australia
-AWST (UTC+8 hours) Monday at 4:00 p.m.
-ACST (UTC+9:30 hours) Monday at 5:30 p.m.
-AEST (UTC+10 hours) Monday at 6:00 p.m.
-ACDT (UTC+10:30 hours) Monday at 6:30 p.m.
-AEDT (UTC+11 hours) Monday at 7:00 p.m.


LINK - LIVE TRIAL BROADCAST:
http://www.wildabouttrial.com/one_off/os...ve-stream/

World Clock Time Zone Converter:
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/co...805&p8=159

HOTD Edit: replaced link

[Duchess]

I'm interested in watching their legal system in motion, it appears to be quite different than ours. I'm also looking forward to seeing the evidence and listening to the witnesses. This feels like it has taken so long to get this far but I guess in the grand scheme it was a relatively short time, only little more than a year. Unlike the time spent waiting for that twat Jodi to get what she deserves.

[HairOfTheDog]

I'm also looking forward to seeing the evidence and listening to the witnesses.

I'm anxious to hear all of the evidence as well.

Really curious to find out whether US Apple experts were able to extract Pistorius' password-locked iPhone activity this week and what, if any, picture it paints of the goings-on between the couple prior to the shooting. If the lead detective and the phone experts left the US empty handed right on the heels of the trial, I think it's a big blow to the prosecution's case. Actually, even if they were able to retrieve the data, it's a big blow for the prosecution if it doesn't include anything incriminating other than Pistorius surfing graphic porn sites, IMO.

Pistorius claimed he couldn't remember the password to access his phone when police seized it as evidence (bullshit, IMO) and is standing by his story that it was a lovey-dovey non eventful evening.

Would he continue with such a story if it weren't true and the phone communications prove otherwise? I think he might if he thought he had the pull to get it permanently erased before it could be accessed, or if he didn't think it could be accessed at all.

P.s. you're right - a year from arraignment to trial is really quite speedy for a charge of premeditated murder.

[HairOfTheDog]

Live Link Updated
http://www.wildabouttrial.com/one_off/os...ve-stream/

Some faces of witnesses will not be shown - but there is audio (with an Afrikaans translation behind it).

Messy start. Judge was late. Translator didn't know she would be working on Pistorius case and left crying.

PLEADING:
Pistorius pleaded not guilty to all charges.


DEFENDANT OPENING STATEMENT:
Roux read opening the statement from Pistorius; declaring Pistorius devastated by tragic accident. Pistorius claims original lead detective, Botha, was prejudiced against him and lied about him fighting with Reeva, plus allowed evidence to be tainted at the scene.

FIRST WITNESS - NEIGHBOR HEARD SCREAMS:
Michelle Burger is a neighbor who reported hearing a woman's blood curdling screams followed by four gun shots. She is a university lecturer who knew Pistorius lived in the complex, but didn't know him personally.

She says she was traumatized by the petrified screams she heard that night. She is trying to avoid answering about her husband's account (he will testify later), but Roux is dogging her about the fact that her husband's witness statement reflects that he heard 4, 5 or 6 shots.

Roux is an effin' pitbull. Very very aggressive defense attorney. He's cross-examining her now.


Live Twitter from the court (read from bottom up for sequential account):
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnew...-live.html

[Duchess]

Messy start. Judge was late. Translator didn't know she would be working on Pistorius case and left crying.

That's somewhat disappointing to read. This is probably one of the biggest trials they've had in recent memory and you'd think they would be prepared, they are on a world stage right now.

[HairOfTheDog]

Barry Roux is a complete MOFO.

He's one of the most aggressive defense attorneys I've ever heard.

He's battling semantics, challenging translations of Afrikaans witness police reports vs. her English testimony in court, beating the witness over what wasn't included in the police officer's written account (she keeps telling Roux that he should question the cop and he'll verify what she told him at the time)...and he's doing so with a very condescending relentless demeanor.

All of which is probably very beneficial to Oscar Pistorius.

[HairOfTheDog]

Messy start. Judge was late. Translator didn't know she would be working on Pistorius case and left crying.

That's somewhat disappointing to read. This is probably one of the biggest trials they've had in recent memory and you'd think they would be prepared, they are on a world stage right now.

Yeah; it's their first televised trial. Hopefully, now that the trial has kicked-off and in process, it'll get smoother.


P.s. Glad that Wild About Trial is carrying the Pistorius trial - the stream is pretty good. Some of the other previously published links were changed/broken and the South African station is charging US $20 for the live stream.