So after reading that, a couple of things don't make sense to me:
1. He hears a noise in the bathroom and automatically assumes it's an intruder. Surely the first thing you would do would be to check the person in the toilet was your girlfriend. He fires shots, shouts for the police to be called, and only after that does he check the bed and turn the light on.
2. Even if it was true and she had gone to the toilet, why would she lock the door?
3. His defence appears to be based on the premise that it would have been acceptable/excusable to shoot an intruder dead.
You'd have thought that having woken up at 3AM and then strapping on his legs (which presumably takes a minute or so) that he would have noticed that the gf who was lying next to him in bed a few hours earlier was no longer there and that perhaps the noise was caused by her? Also, why didn't he phone the police or security if he thought that there was an intruder(s) in his house? An invalid with a gf in the house faced by at least one or more intruders and he does nothing?
Why not turn on the lights as well rather than stumble around in the dark?
Then there's the police reports of domestic trouble and shouting etc that they had been called out previously to investigate and the blood on the cricket bat...
At best they had an argument she storms off to the bathroom and locks the door, in a fit of rage and he tries to shoot the lock out and somehow he kills her in the process.
Botha: "We have a statement from a neighbour saying she heard two people talking loudly at each other, it might have been a fight, from 2am to 3am. We also have a statement from a person who said that the lights at the house were on. He heard the gunshots and went to the balcony."
He pauses before delivering the final line: "He said he heard a female screaming, and then another couple of shots"
They don't have jury trials in South Africa for criminal offences. I can't see any professional magistrate believing Pistorious's cock and bull defence.
I'd sack the brief. Can't believe this is the best they have come up with. There are already so many holes in his statement you could drain your washing through it.
I'd sack the brief. Can't believe this is the best they have come up with. There are already so many holes in his statement you could drain your washing through it.
And this is why you must hear both sides of the stroy his defence is smashing in this as we speak.
The neighbour who heard arguing and see the light on lives 600m away.
The drugs are herbal and legal and it quite possible he did shoot without his legs on
Regardless of the drugs and the arguing I am still stuck on how it's dark enough to not notice someone in bed with you but not too dark that you can't get out on the balcony, put your legs on, get a gun, get from one side of the room to another, etc.
andrew harding @BBCAndrewH "We're in terrible trouble" says junior prosecution official leaving court.
Interesting comment to be making in a public arena full of journos!
Have to say I am really surprised how the SA officials have played it, it's been out of control since that dozy woman copper opened the whole can of worms from the start, the Yanks couldn't have done it any more Hollywood.
Agree the case is fascinating. However the amount of information that is already appearing in the public domain is amazing. There seems no way to me this should be available at this early stage, does not fill me with confidence that justice will be done in this case (in whatever direction)
Regardless of the drugs and the arguing I am still stuck on how it's dark enough to not notice someone in bed with you but not too dark that you can't get out on the balcony, put your legs on, get a gun, get from one side of the room to another, etc.
Its was very dark though. Apparently he couldnt see two feet in front of him !!!
Agree the case is fascinating. However the amount of information that is already appearing in the public domain is amazing. There seems no way to me this should be available at this early stage, does not fill me with confidence that justice will be done in this case (in whatever direction)
The statements are from evidence in court from the preliminary hearing rather than hearsay/gossip.
Agree the case is fascinating. However the amount of information that is already appearing in the public domain is amazing. There seems no way to me this should be available at this early stage, does not fill me with confidence that justice will be done in this case (in whatever direction)
No jury though is there? I know a magistrate can obviously still be "influenced" but I'm sure they're "trained" to ignore all the media spouting.
Regardless of the drugs and the arguing I am still stuck on how it's dark enough to not notice someone in bed with you but not too dark that you can't get out on the balcony, put your legs on, get a gun, get from one side of the room to another, etc.
Its was very dark though. Apparently he couldnt see two feet in front of him !!!
Regardless of whether he thought it was his girlfriend or an intruder, he still shot a defenceless person dead.
Not sure what the legal system is over there but there are many countries where shooting an intruder is not an offence, taking the view that they shouldn't be there in the first place and anything that happens to them is their own fault.
Comments
However to say a man is guilty because his missus likes to lock a door when she does her business is not right
Don't think it was hers.
Just been confirmed on the news.
1. He hears a noise in the bathroom and automatically assumes it's an intruder. Surely the first thing you would do would be to check the person in the toilet was your girlfriend. He fires shots, shouts for the police to be called, and only after that does he check the bed and turn the light on.
2. Even if it was true and she had gone to the toilet, why would she lock the door?
3. His defence appears to be based on the premise that it would have been acceptable/excusable to shoot an intruder dead.
You'd have thought that having woken up at 3AM and then strapping on his legs (which presumably takes a minute or so) that he would have noticed that the gf who was lying next to him in bed a few hours earlier was no longer there and that perhaps the noise was caused by her? Also, why didn't he phone the police or security if he thought that there was an intruder(s) in his house? An invalid with a gf in the house faced by at least one or more intruders and he does nothing?
Why not turn on the lights as well rather than stumble around in the dark?
Then there's the police reports of domestic trouble and shouting etc that they had been called out previously to investigate and the blood on the cricket bat...
At best they had an argument she storms off to the bathroom and locks the door, in a fit of rage and he tries to shoot the lock out and somehow he kills her in the process.
Botha: "We have a statement from a neighbour saying she heard two people talking loudly at each other, it might have been a fight, from 2am to 3am. We also have a statement from a person who said that the lights at the house were on. He heard the gunshots and went to the balcony."
He pauses before delivering the final line: "He said he heard a female screaming, and then another couple of shots"
How can you not notice your gf is no longer next to you in bed.
If i heard someone in the house the first thing i would do is wake the missus to tell her.......to go check it out.
The neighbour who heard arguing and see the light on lives 600m away.
The drugs are herbal and legal and it quite possible he did shoot without his legs on
"We're in terrible trouble" says junior prosecution official leaving court.
Interesting comment to be making in a public arena full of journos!
Have to say I am really surprised how the SA officials have played it, it's been out of control since that dozy woman copper opened the whole can of worms from the start, the Yanks couldn't have done it any more Hollywood.
Pistorious says he didn't have his legs on at that time.
Regardless of whether he thought it was his girlfriend or an intruder, he still shot a defenceless person dead.
However, in view of the OJ case, plus his defence slaughtering the copper this morning, i wouldn't be surprised if he did get off.