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Pistorius trial

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 12:31 pm
by David Johnson
Related in a kind of way to the Peaches Geldof story in the sense that it illustrates 24 hour news TV's voracious appetite to fill its time as cheaply as possible.

Now I know Pistorius is one of the most famous disabled athletes in the world, but it would appear BBC News has wall-to-wall coverage of his giving evidence in his murder trial. The evidence seemed to be mind numbingly repetitive in that it was a trawl through endless messages between himself and his girlfriend. Paint drying channel, anyone?

On a separate tack, can you see Pistorius getting off a murder charge?

The basic question I haven't heard answered yet is "Mr Pistorius, given you knew Ms Steenkamp was in the flat and that you went to bed with her, why did you not check to see whether she was in bed or not or shout "Is that you, Reena" when you heard noises from the bathroom before you started firing four bullets designed to cause the maximum damage to soft tissue into that locked bathroom?"

Re: Pistorius trial

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 1:27 pm
by Arginald Valleywater
I along with most of my friends and colleagues are bored to death (no pun intened) by this. Why is a single murder in another country headline news and getting special progs on SKY? Far worse things happen every day.

Re: Pistorius trial

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 1:33 pm
by Sam Slater
They argued a lot too, apparently.

Ok, we all argue with our partners but they'd only been dating 3 months. Who has such blazing rows in the first 3 months of a relationship?

Methinks Mr. Pistorius might have anger-management issues.

As I've said before, we humans are social animals. The first sign of fear from a supposed intruder would be to seek out Reeva......either for support, conformation she's hearing the same noises he is, or just to at least put himself between this intruder and his girlfriend. He'd do those things without thinking

No, "Can you hear that?"

No, "You stay here while I check!"

No, "Is that you, Reeva?"

Not even, "You better fuck off, I've got a gun!"

Nothing.

As for the rolling coverage.......well, it's easy news. Him having no legs and her being extremely attractive plays a part too. It's a little more unusual than your regular murder.


Sam

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 1:38 pm
by David Johnson
Either way, it is another overpowering endorsement for tight gun control.

If you believe Pistorious's testimony he was terrified of his own shadow. If you believe the prosecution, he was a gun freak with big anger management issues as you say.

Re: Sam

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 2:38 pm
by Sam Slater
A man that's had to overcome the loss of his legs and travel the world to compete against other athletes in front of crowds of tens of thousands with millions watching on tv.

He's confident and strong-minded, brave and used to high-pressure situations. That's not to say performing in a race and tackling an intruder in your home are the same types of pressure situations, but he's no meek, shrinking violet in my view.

'Frozen with fear', my arse.


Re: Sam

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 3:21 pm
by David Johnson
Either way it looks like murder to my untutored legal eye. Unless in South Africa you are allowed to fire four bullets into the bathroom without any warnings being issued, when you allegedly hear some noises.

Re: Pistorius trial

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 3:35 pm
by steve56
Hes taking the PISS

Re: Sam

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 4:54 pm
by andy at handiwork
'...Unless in South Africa you are allowed to fire four bullets into the bathroom without any warnings being issued, when you allegedly hear some noises...'

Dont know about SA, but in Florida and soon probably other southern states of the US, 'Stand your ground' laws make it legal to shoot someone if you feel threatened.

Re: Pistorius trial

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 5:08 pm
by number 6
If he somehow gets off it will be a bigger surprise than OJ. He is so obviously guilty as sin even Henry Fonda in 12 angry men would have sent him down in 5 minutes. As for the tears in court,i have seen better acting in neighbours.

Andy

Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2014 5:52 pm
by David Johnson
"but in Florida and soon probably other southern states of the US, 'Stand your ground' laws make it legal to shoot someone if you feel threatened."

I don't know about SA either, but have there been any cases in the States where the person was shot without warning, had not been seen by the shooter, had not spoken and wasn't in fact an intruder?

If so, then the "I am just popping into the shower, darling" could have a whole new meaning/opportunity for disgruntled husbands/boyfriends!