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

[Duchess]

I think the bullets went completely through her and exploded on the way ripping very large and bleeding exit wounds on her left side. The entry side would not have as much trauma or or resultant blood and organ discharge.

Thanks, Zero, that makes sense after seeing those bullets, which are called cop killers btw. Poor Reeva :(

[HairOfTheDog]

I'd like to hear some explanation in regards to the coroner's report about the food in Reeva's stomach given Oscar said they were in bed at 10 PM. Also, I think there was an unopened Valentine's gift, I'd like to know about that too simply because most women wouldn't leave something like that wrapped after being presented with it. I say that thinking it was for Reeva and not Oscar AND Oscar stating he was fine when asked by security if everything was alright (or words to that effect).

Curious about those things too.

The coroner testified that his estimates of last eat time (based on Reeva's stomach content) were based on experience and reading medical journals. Roux produced some journals to suggest that digestion time could vary greatly based on a number of factors. IIRC, the coroner then conceded that his estimate that Reeva had eaten "2 hours before death" could be off by an hour, but not more - in his opinion.

Not sure Nel would wanna push the issue much further. I could see Roux countering that since (according to his client) Reeva got up to use the toilet without Pistorius hearing her, she could have also gotten up earlier and snacked.

As for the gift (assuming there was one in the house) wondering if Nel will touch that. Pistorius could say that he was planning on Reeva opening it the next day when they awoke, Valentine's Day. It might backfire and create some sympathy for Pistorius and work against the notion that the couple was having problems/arguments.

I might be totally off - just thinking out loud. Next week should be an interesting one. Anxious to see what Nel focuses upon as the trial winds down. Really hoping he's got something in addition to the screams neighbors heard to back-up the "row" contention. Maybe Nel has phone records and/or friends of the couple who can testify as to discord between the two and he's saving those things for last? Hope so.

[HairOfTheDog]

Trial Day 11 - 17 March 2014

Reeva's mom June Steenkamp attended court today. She and Pistorius had a brief exchange of words and she spoke with Pistorius' sister Aimee during the proceedings.

More photos of the crime scene were shown to the court (no barfing today) - they included bloody towels, an iPhone found under the towels, cracked tiles by the toilet seat, etc..

The bloody cricket bat was among the crime scene photos displayed for the court.


Crime scene photographer Van Staden testified that he arrived at the scene at 4:50 a.m. and others arrived later. Roux argued that he didn't get there til 5:00 or 5:05, but Van Staden told Roux he was wrong.

Van Staden says he took 9 photos of Pistorius. Roux argued that he took a lot more. Van Staden told Roux he was wrong; he took 9 photos of the defendant, though only 4 of them may have been used.

There were some photos where the date marked seemed to be incorrect.

Roux is pushing hard for the court to believe that the investigation was faulty and that the crime scene processing was compromised and sloppy.

[HairOfTheDog]

Trial Day 11 - 17 MARCH 2014 (cont'd)

Sean Rens, a firearms expert from the International Firearm Training Academy, testified today.

He administered the test for Pistorius' license.

The gun used to shoot Reeva was shown in court.


Rens told the court that Pistorius answered "no" on a test question as to whether he would fire if he suspected an intruder was in his house.

Pistorius answered "yes" to the question as to whether he would fire if an armed intruder advanced on him.

To a question about when lethal force can be used, Pistorius anwsered "the attack must be against you, must be unlawful, it must be against the person."

Rens acknowledged that Pistorius bought several guns from his organization and that Pistorius had a "great love and enthusiasm for guns". He said that Pistorius cancelled a pending order for the following after Reeva's death: semi-automatic assault rifle, pump-action shot gun, a pistol grip shot gun and .38 special revolver.

Pistorius got a 30 out of 32 on his test.

Nel wants to show the court that Pistorius was well aware of the laws and knew better than to just start shooting if he suspected an intruder (so, presumably, he must not have suspected an intruder and instead knew who was behind the door -- those are the dots that I think Nel is trying to connect anyway).

[HairOfTheDog]

-------------REFERENCES, TRIAL DAY 11: 17 MARCH 2014--------------







Live Tweets from the Courtroom
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/Oscar_...1-20140317

[HairOfTheDog]

The Ballistics

Police Capt. Christian Mangena said the nature of Steenkamp's wounds indicates she was covering to protect herself.

He testified that Reeva Steenkamp was seated on a magazine rack in a defensive position when he fired through a door killing her, a police ballistics expert said Wednesday in the Olympian's murder trial.

He described Tuesday how he used lasers to track the path of the bullets that Pistorius fired through a door, coming to the conclusion that "the shooter was most likely not wearing prosthetic legs."

The height of the four bullet holes in the door ranged from 93.5 centimeters (3 feet) to 104.3 centimeters (almost 3.5 feet) above the floor. Without his prosthetic legs on, the double amputee runner's elbow height is 96 centimeters (just over 3 feet), Mangena said.

Mangena said Wednesday that he analyzed three possible shooting position and determined that firing without the prosthesis was most probable. Less likely was that Pistorius was on his prosthetic legs, but holding the gun lower. He deemed it impossible that Pistorius was lying on the ground, holding the gun above his head.

The runner maintains that he was not wearing his prosthetics when he killed Steenkamp, and after suggesting at his bail hearing last year that he was wearing them, the prosecution conceded last week that he was not.

That he was not wearing his prosthetics is a vital part of his defense. He argues he was justified in shooting through a toilet room door because he is particularly vulnerable when he is on the stumps of his legs.

http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/19/world/afri...ius-trial/

[HairOfTheDog]

More Ballistics Testimony - Bad Day for Pistorius Defense


Police Capt. Chris Mangena ^ testified that Reeva Steenkamp was likely shot first in the hip, then cowered behind a toilet in the locked bathroom with her head covered as she was hit by three bullets that followed.

Mangena testified that Reeva Steenkamp was standing behind the bathroom door when Oscar Pistorius began blasting. The first shot shattered Steenkamp’s hip and sent her sprawling on the magazine rack by the toilet. Acting on instinct, she buried her head in her arms and tried to take cover. But there was no escape from the next three shots that left her slumped on the floor.

Defense attorney Barry Roux tried to get Mangena to contradict himself and suggested Steenkamp was sitting on the toilet when she died.

Mangena stuck to his story. He also said ballistics data confirms that Pistorius was not wearing his prosthetic legs when he fired the fatal shots.

Mangena testified that contrary to Team Pistorius’ claims, the first shot hit Steenkamp in the hip, not in the head.

“It caused her to fall down and move backwards,” he said. “That was the importance of the magazine rack, if she fell down to the floor she would be too low, but if she was positioned on top of the magazine rack, it would bring her body in line with the bullet holes in the door.” It was the fourth shot that shattered her skull.

“She was facing down,” the expert said. “I’m of the opinion that when the bullet hit her head she dropped completely. She was in a seated position, her head ended on the toilet seat, and her body was between the toilet and the magazine rack, still seated on the magazine rack."

Roux suggested Steenkamp was hit with two “double-tap” bursts of bullets that would not have given her time to scream. “I disagree,” Mangena replied. (HOTD: Roux really needs a credible expert to dispute Mangena on this when the defense presents its case in chief; Mangena's testimony lends credence to the "blood curdling" scream neighbors reported.)

The state's next witness, police Col. Ian van der Nest, said the blood spatter found on the toilet seat confirmed she was already down when the fourth shot hit her.

Col. Michael Sale then took the stand. He is the state's expert who downloaded the two iPads found at the crime scene and confirmed earlier reports that on the afternoon before the shooting, Pistorius had surfed several websites, including a porn site. (HOTD: Meh, he surfed a porn site earlier that day -- not seeing that as related.)

Prosecutors expect to wrap up their case next week. The trial is now expected to continue through mid-April.

Ref:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/ba...z2wVww9WDs

[Duchess]

I want Oscar to feel the same kind of fear that Reeva felt. She must have been out of her mind with terror knowing he was shooting at her.

[Duchess]

Text messages between Oscar & Reeva were read in court today. In one Reeva tells him she is afraid of him. He's such a POS.

Reeva Steenkamp told Oscar Pistorius she was afraid of him and his temper less than three weeks before he shot and killed her, the judge in his murder trial was told Monday.

"I'm scared of you sometimes, of how you snap at me," the South African model told Pistorius in a long chat message.

"You have picked on me incessantly," she wrote, calling Pistorius "nasty" after he apparently accused her of flirting with someone at a party.

"I was not flirting with anyone today and I feel sick that you suggested that," she told him via WhatsApp, according to the police officer who downloaded their chats after Pistorius shot and killed her.

"You do everything to throw tantrums," she said, concluding the message: "I'm certainly very unhappy and sad."

Police Capt. Francois Moller, who downloaded the messages from Steenkamp's iPhone, said that 90% of the chats between the two were normal and loving.

But there were several that accused Pistorius of jealousy and possessiveness.

Less than a week before he killed her, she wrote him another long message after he apparently lost his temper with her as they left a public event together.

She reached the exit before he did, she wrote, adding: "I didn't think you would criticize me for doing that, especially so loudly that others could hear.... I regard myself as a lady and I didn't feel like one after we left."


Story

[HairOfTheDog]

I'm glad that evidence of conflict in the relationship was presented; the prosecution really needed it to support their case and "row" theory.

Today, Mrs. Annette Stipp testified as well. Her husband is Dr. Johan Stipp -- he is the doctor who first tended to Reeva and testified earlier in the trial.

Mrs. Stipp said she heard a man and woman yelling; the woman's screams sounded like a family murder. She heard three loud bangs and then three more before the screaming ended.

In cross-examination, Roux jumped on inconsistencies between the Stipps' eye/ear witness accounts -- she said she saw lights on in the bathroom, he said he saw lights on in both the bathroom and the toilet. Roux said the toilet light wasn't working at the time.

The trial is now expected to go until mid May.

[HairOfTheDog]

PROSECUTION RESTS ITS CASE

Nel called Col. Vermuelen back to the stand today as his final witness in the prosecution's case.

I think Nel was hoping to reinforce that the holes and the marks on the toilet door fit the prosecution's version of events.

But, IMO, Vermuelen helped the defense more than the prosecution today. On cross, Roux asked Vermuelen again why he didn't analyze height issues in examining the door. Vermuelen said he wasn't asked to do so. When asked by Roux why he didn't examine the footprints on the door after the defense investigators pointed them out (supporting Pistorius' contention that he tried to kick the door down while on his prosthetics), Vermuelen responded that he wasn't asked to do so.

Those weren't minor details that were overlooked and I think it really worked against the credibility of the state's experts. JMO.

Personally, I believe that Pistorius shot Reeva in a rage through the door. Did he mean to kill her? I don't know. But, he took the time to grab a gun and shoot it 4 times in her direction (works towards premeditation, whether he put on his prosethetics or not). To me, the neighbors hearing the female's terrified screams, along with the electronic messages from Reeva expressing fear of Pistorius, were the most compelling evidence in support of the prosecution's case. Mangena's testimony about Reeva being shot in the head last and therefore being able to scream after the first shots was critical too.

Court is in recess until Friday to allow the defense time to get all of its ducks in a row to present its case in chief. Interested to see if Roux has anything more than he threw out in the cross-examinations to counter the "female" screaming and support the "bat bangs". I bet he does. Surely, he'll present all of the loving messages between the couple. Pistorius is expected to testify.

[crash]

I'm sure I heard something last night on the news here about some texts from Reeva Steenkamp's phone being introduced as proof that there was turmoil in the relationship?

Never mind, just read it up thread in that unmissable bright red writing I didn't seem to notice the first time *facepalm*

[HairOfTheDog]

I'm sure I heard something last night on the news here about some texts from Reeva Steenkamp's phone being introduced as proof that there was turmoil in the relationship?

It was good to see those electronic messages Duchess posted presented to the court.The prosecution has rested its case and that was the only evidence to suggest discord between the couple and a history of Pistorius losing his shit with Reeva.

Sure wish there had been something retrieved from his or her phone from the night/morning of the incident to support that the couple were in the midst of a row, but doesn't look like investigators found anything of value. Roux will undoubtedly introduce mounds of electronic messages to counter the few that Nel presented. The ones that Roux presents to the court in the defense case will paint a picture of two young people in love and Roux will likely suggest that most couples have incidents of jealousy and tiffs, "meh". Roux will probably also present a gallery of "happy couple" photos.

I'm at least glad there's no opportunity for the defense to bash the victim and drag her character through the mud in this case. Pistorius and team can't do that while claiming he didn't even know it was Reeva, the love of his life, that he was shooting at.

I read that Prosecutor Nel has a kind of reputation for end game surprises. Hope he's got a smoking gun he's holding onto in this one.

It's Roux's turn at bat starting on Friday. I think things are gonna really heat up in the court room.

[HairOfTheDog]

Trial Delayed

Damn it. Was looking forward to Pistorius' testimony today, but one of the two consulting judges (assessors) appointed by Judge Masipa is ill.

The trial is scheduled to resume on April 7^th.

[Duchess]

Trial resumes tomorrow. I'm hoping Oscar takes the stand. I'm interested in hearing what he has to say. Please don't let him sob & gag all the way through his testimony.

[JsMom]

I doubt he's gonna take the stand.

heave away ya lil bastard!

[Teacher]

Don't think his testimony is going to be televised. Plus there is testimony from someone else before Oscar's from what I've read.

[Duchess]

Don't think his testimony is going to be televised.

Bummer. Was any reasoning behind that decision reported? I ask because that seems like a courtesy to me and I don't think he's entitled to one. Of course I also think he's guilty as sin so...

[crash]

I'd love to see his slimy ass squirming on the stand. I doubt it will happen though. It would give me great pleasure to see him as terrified as that poor woman was for an extended period of time in the future also.

[HairOfTheDog]

He will testify -- that's been confirmed.

Whether or not his testimony will be televised will depend on whether he and Roux object or not (same is true for the witnesses who are testifying).

Even if the defense objects to Pistorius' testimony being televised, I believe that audio broadcast will still take place and (hopefully) the live tweets from the courtroom will still be permitted.

This is the first live broadcast trial for South Africa, so it's a little unclear what will and won't be shown and the judge has sometimes addressed it during the trial itself (like how to handle the autopsy testimony and photos, etc...).

It is customary in South Africa that the defendant take the stand first if he/she is going to testify during the defense's case in chief, but Roux has asked that a pathologist go ahead of Pistorius due to scheduling issues -- I think the judge is considering the request.

Very interested in hearing what Pistorius has to say in his own words and to see if Nel trips him up or has new evidence ready to bring forth should Pistorius open the door for it with his testimony.