02-20-2013, 01:15 PM
The Defense (Attorney Rioux) definitely had a better day than the Prosecution/Police (Detective Botha) at the bail hearing today. The issue of bail wasn't decided today; the hearing will continue tomorrow.
Recap:
-Police (Botha) said that Pistorius didn't call them for help; they found two phones in the house and neither had been used for that purpose. But, Rioux said that Pistorius called the complex security guard at 3:19 am and then Netcare (like 911) a minute later on a phone that police didn't know about.
-Police said they found a couple of boxes of testosterone and syringes in the house, but Rioux said it's not testosterone but an herbal supplement that's perfectly legal.
-Police said they want Pistorius charged for having 38 caliber bullets in a home; a crime in that he doesn't have a license for the ammo and no 38, but Rioux said it was Pisotrius's dad's ammo.
-Police said that a witness heard a woman scream, saw light on, heard more shots; Rioux questioned how any neighbor could hear from so far away and pointed out the woman claimed to hear more shots than were fired.
-Police said Pisotrius's family were searching the house for docs and a memory stick related to offshore accounts and a house owned by Pistorius in Italy (increasing flight risk), but Rioux said there's no house in Italy and asked how Pistorius could be a flight risk given his physical condition and the fact that he is so easily recognized.
-Police said that Pisotrius had discharged a weapon in a South African restaurant in the past but had a friend take the fall; Rioux denied that it was Pistorius who fired that gun.
-Police said that Pistorius had been arrested before after a call from another girlfriend regarding domestic assault at the house; Rioux reminded them that no charges were filed and that Pistorius is suing for false allegations (Botha was the LE who responded to that call and believed Pistorius at the time).
-Rioux said that his forensics team had found a bullet in the toilet at Pistorius's house which was missed by police forensic investigators; Botha conceded that was true.
-When questioned, Botha admitted that while he believes the trajectory of bullets went downward so Pistorius had to be wearing his legs, he could be wrong.
-The cricket bat was used to bust open the bathroom door - both sides agree. (Looks like the story about crushed skull was false; autopsy showed no signs of a physical assault.)
-Autopsy showed empty bladder; Rioux claims that means Reeva had just used the toilet.
Based on today's hearing, looks like police haven't done their homework well. They really should have known that Pistorius called for help, but they say no one at the house volunteered info about another phone (that's dumb; they should have called the paramedic agency that came to the home and checked for all calls received related to the incident, imo). Also odd that they missed a bullet in the bathroom.
References:
http://www.citypress.co.za/news/state-vs...said-what/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb...ase-police-
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/world/....html?_r=0
Recap:
-Police (Botha) said that Pistorius didn't call them for help; they found two phones in the house and neither had been used for that purpose. But, Rioux said that Pistorius called the complex security guard at 3:19 am and then Netcare (like 911) a minute later on a phone that police didn't know about.
-Police said they found a couple of boxes of testosterone and syringes in the house, but Rioux said it's not testosterone but an herbal supplement that's perfectly legal.
-Police said they want Pistorius charged for having 38 caliber bullets in a home; a crime in that he doesn't have a license for the ammo and no 38, but Rioux said it was Pisotrius's dad's ammo.
-Police said that a witness heard a woman scream, saw light on, heard more shots; Rioux questioned how any neighbor could hear from so far away and pointed out the woman claimed to hear more shots than were fired.
-Police said Pisotrius's family were searching the house for docs and a memory stick related to offshore accounts and a house owned by Pistorius in Italy (increasing flight risk), but Rioux said there's no house in Italy and asked how Pistorius could be a flight risk given his physical condition and the fact that he is so easily recognized.
-Police said that Pisotrius had discharged a weapon in a South African restaurant in the past but had a friend take the fall; Rioux denied that it was Pistorius who fired that gun.
-Police said that Pistorius had been arrested before after a call from another girlfriend regarding domestic assault at the house; Rioux reminded them that no charges were filed and that Pistorius is suing for false allegations (Botha was the LE who responded to that call and believed Pistorius at the time).
-Rioux said that his forensics team had found a bullet in the toilet at Pistorius's house which was missed by police forensic investigators; Botha conceded that was true.
-When questioned, Botha admitted that while he believes the trajectory of bullets went downward so Pistorius had to be wearing his legs, he could be wrong.
-The cricket bat was used to bust open the bathroom door - both sides agree. (Looks like the story about crushed skull was false; autopsy showed no signs of a physical assault.)
-Autopsy showed empty bladder; Rioux claims that means Reeva had just used the toilet.
Based on today's hearing, looks like police haven't done their homework well. They really should have known that Pistorius called for help, but they say no one at the house volunteered info about another phone (that's dumb; they should have called the paramedic agency that came to the home and checked for all calls received related to the incident, imo). Also odd that they missed a bullet in the bathroom.
References:
http://www.citypress.co.za/news/state-vs...said-what/
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/feb...ase-police-
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/21/world/....html?_r=0