Dia on 12/9/2014 at 14:20
Quote Posted by henke
DID HE DO IT OR NOT?
The question isn't whether or not he did it; Pistorius already admitted that he shot Ms. Steenkamp. The question is did he intend to shoot and kill Ms. Steenkamp? Sorry, but given Pistorius' history of having a quick temper and a penchant for shooting his gun off when angry and/or drunk, as well as his prior record of domestic violence, I think the whole 'I thought it was an intruder in my home' claim was a blatant lie. And a very poor one at that. What kind of person, upon waking suddenly and thinking there is an intruder in his home, doesn't check to make sure his loved one is safe, first? And what kind of intruder would go into a bathroom that has only one entrance/exit even BEFORE said intruder was discovered to be in the house? Pistorius and Steenkamp had a history of fighting and arguing and witnesses claimed that they heard fighting/arguing just prior to the sound of gunshots. Can you honestly believe that Ms. Steenkamp didn't say a word while she was in the bathroom during the time it took Pistorius to run and get his gun? Why was the originally-reported fact that Steenkamp was found wearing street clothes suddenly hushed up; if she had been in bed with Pistorius just prior to the shooting as he claimed, then why was she found fully clothed as though she had intended to leave the house - or was that a lie perpetrated by a sensation-seeking journalist? Also, the neighbor whom Pistorius called (
before he called the police) claimed that Pistorius had dragged Steenkamp's body downstairs and that there was a black garbage bag lying on top of the poor woman's body (a fact that was reported once, then disappeared from all successive news articles - another lie by another sensation-seeking journalist?). All the crying, wailing, and puking that Pistorius did was, imo, just an act. I believe that he lost his temper during yet another domestic row and was further enraged when Ms. Steenkamp refused to come out of the bathroom. You can't tell me that she didn't scream when the first bullet hit her. Imo, YES; Pistorius is guilty as hell of murder in the first degree, he intended to shoot his girlfriend and his shots were aimed to kill.
I am thoroughly sick and tired of all these sports celebrities with self-entitlement issues. They seem to behave as though they're above the law and expect everyone to cater to them, as well as expecting all to believe their flimsy excuses and lies; Hernandez, Rice, and Simpson, just to name a few, and there are more popping up every week. There seems to be a spate of domestic violence committed by sports celebrities lately and it's quite disheartening. Quite a few commenters of news articles relating to the murder of Ms. Steenkamp have taken to referring to Pistorius as 'OJ' Pistorius. I say if the shoe fits, etc.
So, Pistorius has been found guilty of 'culpable homicide', huh? Oh big deal; there is no minimum sentence for that crime (in So. Africa) and the maximum sentence cannot exceed 15 years. Yeah, like he'll ever serve a day. Oh well, OJ certainly got bitch-slapped by his karma; we can only hope that Oscar gets what he deserves in the end, too.
P.S. If I wax a bit vitriolic, it's because I've had some
very bad experiences with an abusive male in my past and as a result, have ZERO tolerance for abusive men. After six years of therapy, I've learned to spot abusive males a mile away and believe me, Pistorius is as abusive as they come; textbook in fact. In my opinion, of course.
Renault on 12/9/2014 at 14:38
Agree with Dia, the guy is 100% guilty. All you have to do is put yourself in his shoes to realize how crazy what he did is. Can you imagine shooting a gun, multiple times, in your own house, not even knowing who you are shooting at? Oh, and incidentally, your wife is in your house somewhere, but you don't exactly where because you didn't bother to check. Ridiculous.
Oh yeah, and burglars often hide out in the bathroom with the door closed. How on earth did they let this guy off the hook?
Kolya on 12/9/2014 at 14:51
I read that the prosecutor tried to tickle his feet to make him confess but Pistorius just sat there - Cold as ice! :o
nickie on 12/9/2014 at 16:19
I tend not to believe most journalists and on balance, I find 'the press' as a whole to be rather despicable. I didn't follow the trial and I wasn't in court to hear the evidence myself. According to the judge, the state did not prove its case for murder. Witnesses contradicted each other. They disagreed about the number of shots fired, when there was screaming etc. etc. Did he plan in advance to kill her or an intruder or did he intend to kill in the heat of the moment? Apparently not. Did he shoot but without the intention to kill? Yes. Or at least that's what I gather. If the door had been open then I think it could have been a different verdict. It's also being suggested that a jury would also have reached a different verdict but the judge came to her conclusions purely on the law and without the emotion that jurors would inevitably have.
(
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29162620) Oscar Pistorius trial: Why culpable homicide, not murder
I've seen 2 competely different opinions on the likely sentence though: 1st is a fine, no jail and 2nd is 7-10 years.
henke on 12/9/2014 at 16:26
Quote Posted by Brethren
Can you imagine shooting a gun, multiple times, in your own house, not even knowing who you are shooting at?
No. But then again I don't live in South Africa, where there is a huge divide between the rich and the poor, and where home invasion is one of the biggest fears of those who have money. (this is based on what I've read. I'd love it if Shayde could swing by again and point out if I'm just talking shit right now.)
nickie on 12/9/2014 at 16:51
Agree - we need Shayde.
But whilst waiting I did just read (
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-29180769) this.
Quote:
There is a perception here in South Africa that most crime is committed by poor black people targeting the white middle classes or the wealthy elite.
Cue "white fear" - a phrase used to refer to the rich white haves in society who live behind high walls, afraid of the intruder who may come in the night. It was the threat of this intruder that apparently gripped Pistorius with fear on that tragic morning.
Jason Moyer on 13/9/2014 at 07:22
That perception isn't just a South African thing.
demagogue on 13/9/2014 at 08:58
They could be more on edge though, maybe. Like New York City in the 70s & 80s set people seriously on edge, but by the time I moved there in the 2000s it had been Disneyfied enough that I never felt unsafe there. Well, except when I lived a brief period in Washington Heights -- although that was more Dominican Republic than American -- where in fact a guy did bang on our door and scream with intention of harming us.
Also: Washington DC, SE Quarter, can set you on edge just walking down the street at night, even for other blacks. (My secret there was I regularly bought booze for a hobo and he put the word on the street that I's coo'.) Sorry, wandering OT.
If OP does turn out to have this dark side, then it reminds me most of Lance Armstrong, where having the entire world so sympathetic with their struggle and success over adversity goes to their heads maybe and it's irresistible to have this double life of nice-guy hero and flagrant bad-guy.
Tony_Tarantula on 14/9/2014 at 00:59
Quote:
their struggle and success over adversity goes to their heads maybe and it's irresistible to have this double life of nice-guy hero and flagrant bad-guy.
Or people like that are just excellent bullshitters who are also adept at playing the sympathy card.
Shayde on 15/9/2014 at 06:06
Quote Posted by henke
No. But then again I don't live in South Africa, where there is a huge divide between the rich and the poor, and where home invasion is one of the biggest fears of those who have money. (this is based on what I've read. I'd love it if Shayde could swing by again and point out if I'm just talking shit right now.)
In RSA (and Johannesburg particularly) there is a lot of violent crime, for obvious historical reasons. According to official SAPS sources violent crime is decreasing, though most doubt the validity of the research informing this claim. In my experience it is not only the rich that experience violent crime, rather that the crimes against the poor go unreported or don't make the news unless particularly bloody.
There is a lot of fear of home-invasion. I've experienced this twice in my life and it does leave a lot of psychological damage. I became hyper-vigilant, obsessed with situational awareness and completely lost my ability to sleep deeply. I can understand someone being blinded by that fear and accidentally hurting or killing a loved one.
I followed the case but can't make a call on whether or not this was a fear-fueled tragedy or a rage-fueled crime of passion. I respect the decision made by an experienced and well respected judge.
I do hope that he serves some jail time if only to set a precedent.
