03-04-2014, 10:15 AM
Prosecution Witnesses Day 2 (continued)
I watched this portion of the trial as it occured via streaming.
Prosecution Witness 3 - Mr. Johnson (Ms. Burger's husband).
Ms. Burger's husband, Mr. Johnson, testified about what he heard early Valentine's morning 2013 and the aftermath.
He heard what he thought was a home invasion because there was screaming of both a woman and a man and gun shots. He originally thought there were 5 or 6 gunshots, but understands that it was actually 4 shots.
He first heard a woman screaming "help", then gunshots, then a man screaming "help, help, help".
In his mind, he thought that a burglar had forced a man to watch his wife being shot.
His wife heard the incident as well -- Mr. Johnson called the estate's security to report the incident.
Turns out, he called the security for the estates where he and his wife had previously lived as she hadn't changed the security number in her cell phone. (HOTD: hope like hell that prosecutors have that call verified, recorded would be even better).
Neither he nor his wife called the Silverwood or Silverlake (adjacent) security - they were processing what they'd heard and very disturbed; also thought they heard security approaching the incident at this time. They assumed that nearer neighbors had called and would be giving witness statements.
Mr. Johnson couldn't sleep. He was worried about his safety and his wife's -- believing that if a home invasion could happen to another couple in the highly secure complex, it could happen to them. He was contemplating enhanced security for their home. He went to work early, around 6:30 a.m. He called a friend and told him what he'd heard and asked the friend if he'd heard about the incident (I believe the friend works in some kind of security or legal capacity - no sure), then he told several colleagues what he'd heard. (HOTD: wouldn't be surprised if some of these colleagues are among the 107 witnesses expected to be called during the trial.)
The friend called back and told him that there was a rumor that Oscar Pistorius had shot his girlfriend in the adjacent estates. Mr. Johnson had a hard time matching that with what he and his wife had heard because they heard both a female and male screaming for help during the incident. He called his wife, who was surprised as well. At this point, the shooting was hitting the internet and television news in a big way.
Mr. Johnson talked to a couple of neighbors. Neither of them heard the screaming, but one heard the final gunshots. These neighbors had air conditioning running and/or ceiling fans, filtering out noises.
Burger and Johnson assumed neighbors nearer to Pistorius' home would have heard the whole thing and given witness statements, plus they did not want to subject to what they knew would be huge worldwide exposure. They did not call police and headed off for a planned weekend away.
On the way to their destination, they listened to the Pistorius pre-trial hearing/bail application on the radio and were shocked to hear the defense attorney state that there was one neighbor who heard something, but wasn't sure what she heard (which the defense attorney claimed was Pistorius screaming, not Reeva). At this point, they knew they had to come forward, out of moral obligation.
Mr. Johnson will face cross-examination by Roux tomorrow. I expect fireworks - Mr. Johnson seems less steely than his wife, but confident in what he heard.
I watched this portion of the trial as it occured via streaming.
Prosecution Witness 3 - Mr. Johnson (Ms. Burger's husband).
Ms. Burger's husband, Mr. Johnson, testified about what he heard early Valentine's morning 2013 and the aftermath.
He heard what he thought was a home invasion because there was screaming of both a woman and a man and gun shots. He originally thought there were 5 or 6 gunshots, but understands that it was actually 4 shots.
He first heard a woman screaming "help", then gunshots, then a man screaming "help, help, help".
In his mind, he thought that a burglar had forced a man to watch his wife being shot.
His wife heard the incident as well -- Mr. Johnson called the estate's security to report the incident.
Turns out, he called the security for the estates where he and his wife had previously lived as she hadn't changed the security number in her cell phone. (HOTD: hope like hell that prosecutors have that call verified, recorded would be even better).
Neither he nor his wife called the Silverwood or Silverlake (adjacent) security - they were processing what they'd heard and very disturbed; also thought they heard security approaching the incident at this time. They assumed that nearer neighbors had called and would be giving witness statements.
Mr. Johnson couldn't sleep. He was worried about his safety and his wife's -- believing that if a home invasion could happen to another couple in the highly secure complex, it could happen to them. He was contemplating enhanced security for their home. He went to work early, around 6:30 a.m. He called a friend and told him what he'd heard and asked the friend if he'd heard about the incident (I believe the friend works in some kind of security or legal capacity - no sure), then he told several colleagues what he'd heard. (HOTD: wouldn't be surprised if some of these colleagues are among the 107 witnesses expected to be called during the trial.)
The friend called back and told him that there was a rumor that Oscar Pistorius had shot his girlfriend in the adjacent estates. Mr. Johnson had a hard time matching that with what he and his wife had heard because they heard both a female and male screaming for help during the incident. He called his wife, who was surprised as well. At this point, the shooting was hitting the internet and television news in a big way.
Mr. Johnson talked to a couple of neighbors. Neither of them heard the screaming, but one heard the final gunshots. These neighbors had air conditioning running and/or ceiling fans, filtering out noises.
Burger and Johnson assumed neighbors nearer to Pistorius' home would have heard the whole thing and given witness statements, plus they did not want to subject to what they knew would be huge worldwide exposure. They did not call police and headed off for a planned weekend away.
On the way to their destination, they listened to the Pistorius pre-trial hearing/bail application on the radio and were shocked to hear the defense attorney state that there was one neighbor who heard something, but wasn't sure what she heard (which the defense attorney claimed was Pistorius screaming, not Reeva). At this point, they knew they had to come forward, out of moral obligation.
Mr. Johnson will face cross-examination by Roux tomorrow. I expect fireworks - Mr. Johnson seems less steely than his wife, but confident in what he heard.