05-12-2014, 09:25 AM
DEFENSE CLOSE TO RESTING ITS CASE -- ALL BASES COVERED
Not surprising that Pistorius would toss the family under the bus (mostly mom and she's dead; the rest of the family probably doesn't care anyway if such claims get Oscar set free, IMO).
The defense case is all but over. Pistorious, via Rioux, has challenged the state's claims of premeditated killing, intentional shooting, and unreasonable use of deadly force.
This is Oscar Pistorius' story presented at trial:
-Oscar did not intend to shoot or kill Reeva; he was in reasonable fear for his life and thought he was shooting at an intruder (if the judge believes this was proven beyond reasonable doubt, premeditation is out).
-Oscar did not intend to pull the trigger at all when he shot through the bathroom door four times; it was reflexive survival instinct in what he thought was a self-defense situation (if the judge believes this was proven beyond reasonable doubt, culpable homicide may be out or a very light sentence for it could be handed down).
-Oscar should not be held to the same standard of what constitutes "reasonable fear" and "reasonable response" as other South African citizens would be when claiming a self-defense mindset. He has an anxiety disorder resulting from childhood trauma, his mom's influence, and his disability. This makes him more vulnerable than others -- that's what the psychiatrist said today (this is the icing on the cake for the defense, essentially -- "I didn't act irresponsibly when I killed Reeva, but if you think that I did, it wasn't my fault").
Closing arguments will likely begin tomorrow or Wednesday; they should be very impassioned and interesting. I'll post the videos as soon as they're available.
Not surprising that Pistorius would toss the family under the bus (mostly mom and she's dead; the rest of the family probably doesn't care anyway if such claims get Oscar set free, IMO).
The defense case is all but over. Pistorious, via Rioux, has challenged the state's claims of premeditated killing, intentional shooting, and unreasonable use of deadly force.
This is Oscar Pistorius' story presented at trial:
-Oscar did not intend to shoot or kill Reeva; he was in reasonable fear for his life and thought he was shooting at an intruder (if the judge believes this was proven beyond reasonable doubt, premeditation is out).
-Oscar did not intend to pull the trigger at all when he shot through the bathroom door four times; it was reflexive survival instinct in what he thought was a self-defense situation (if the judge believes this was proven beyond reasonable doubt, culpable homicide may be out or a very light sentence for it could be handed down).
-Oscar should not be held to the same standard of what constitutes "reasonable fear" and "reasonable response" as other South African citizens would be when claiming a self-defense mindset. He has an anxiety disorder resulting from childhood trauma, his mom's influence, and his disability. This makes him more vulnerable than others -- that's what the psychiatrist said today (this is the icing on the cake for the defense, essentially -- "I didn't act irresponsibly when I killed Reeva, but if you think that I did, it wasn't my fault").
Closing arguments will likely begin tomorrow or Wednesday; they should be very impassioned and interesting. I'll post the videos as soon as they're available.