Oscar Pistorius trial part 2

[JillJ72]

To continue from previous thread

I think June Steenkamp's behaviour has been exemplary throughout. I only hope I would have her dignity, sense of fairness and justice if I were in her place.

I'm amazed by June steenkamps strength

I wonder if some of the vitriol is because people either didn't like Oscar to begin with, or because he was a symbol of hope and triumph over adversity and he has "let them down". There does seem to be a sense of taking this very personally in some areas on the net.

How we react is a very personal thing, as has been described today on here. I certainly don't think anything unkind about Reeva's mother's expression; equally I don't think anything unkind about Oscar's siblings' expressions.

I certainly, upon hearing the news that morning last year, could feel myself shaking my head, feel the sense of disappointment, and then growing horror as the day went on. And then explaining to DS how this man I admired had done something so terrible, but we don't know why, and that sometimes life coasts along nicely, but other times it all pivots and you have to reevaluate your thoughts, preconceived ideas, because the unimaginable happens.

I agree with Andrew Harding - this isn't whodunnit, it's why-dunnit.

I also think she is beautiful and composed, but bears the expression of a stricken mother bereaved of her beautiful daughter.

June Steenkamp has said she will not take her eyes off OP for the whole trial, she wants to see his face, to see his expressions.

None of us can say how we'd be, how can we have any idea of how she's feeling?

Louise that is one of the reasons I read journalists twitter but give a body swerve to the rest.

Some of the comments about Reeva, some of the comments about what people want to happen to Oscar, just vile, vile, vile

I've now relistened to today and I will buck the trend and say I don't think Gerrie Nel did as good a job today as he did yesterday. I actually thought OP stood up to him today and pointed out a few of his mistakes.

I did have an inappropriate snigger when Nel told OP he clearly wasn't too tired to point out Nel's errors.

My swing is swinging back to thinking he might be telling the truth. For me it's the things that don't help his case, that he has stuck to. I really don't think he is that clever.

Unless it's part of Roux's masterplan

Being thumped isn't the only indication you're in a relationship with an abuser.

There are many many other red flags.

I hope I never do.

JillJ72 I too wonder at some of the vitriol. Some of it, I'm sure, is the fact that he was so famous and he's good looking and rich (or was rich). He'd risen so high and fallen so far and there are people who really like to kick someone when they're down.

I've also seen some comments about his disability which make me sick to my stomach.

AmIthatSpringy I am reading The Telegraph and Sky's live feed and occasionally looking at one or two other "serious" papers. I won't look at the tabloids at all about this case (or any other high profile one actually) but having said that, I read the Vanity Fair article (from last year) online recently and some of the comments posted on there were really shocking, about OP and about Reeva and her parents. VF is the only magazine I buy and I truly thought (until then) that its readers were a bit more educated. Obviously I was wrong but I just wonder WTF is the matter with people.

I really like it here because there's none of that and we respect each other's opinions, even if we disagree.

I don't think Oscar is that clever either. I don't think he's stupid but I'd say sports was a good career move for him I do wonder, if he were really bright, just how Nel would be doing?

As an aside, did anyone see the end of the Sky special. When he was leaving court, someone from the crowd gave him a bouquet of flowers and hugged him

And that is why this thread has stood out for me as somewhere sensible to come to discuss, because we are respectful of each other's opinions, whatever they may be, allowing for honest debate, question and answer, critique.... It conveys a lot about us (just as the spiteful maliciousness elsewhere on the net conveys a lot about them).

MN has more spectacular arguments about children eating grapes in supermarkets.

V impressed by this thread - very few threads have a genuine, respectful platform for all viewpoints.

I see the reason he still has supporters is because he's good looking, a paraolympian who had conquered his disability with determination and spirit.

I think the vitriol is because he's lying about a brutal murder. But could also be because people feel duped by his previous marketing / brand.

The whole thing is so bloody sad.

I read that Reeva's mother gave an interview this week in which she said she is able to hold her emotions in check during court, as she feels she's representing Reeva.
When she gets back to the hotel, it all comes out. She must be going through hell everyday.

"I think the vitriol is because he's lying about a brutal murder. But could also be because people feel duped by his previous marketing / brand."

SaucefortheGander I don't. I think the vitriol is because there are some total nutters out there, hiding behind a computer. If it was because of that, then why are there some vile comments not just about OP, but also Reeva and her parents?

I've seen less revolting comments, incidentally, (than about OP I mean) about worse murderers - serial killers, child rapist/murderers etc. Also, what kind of person makes comments gloating about what might happen to a disabled man in an SA prison just because they were duped by his "brand"? Somebody unbalanced I'd say.

You should look at the Support for Oscar Tumblr page. It's utterly bemusing.
I get that everyone is innocent until proven guilty but in this case at best (if he is innocent) he has gunned down an innocent person. He is not a victim!

Yes louise I agree with that too - I've seen some terrible comments on twitter as well. Some men agreeing with DV because women are shit.

It has given the disablist and the sexist an opportunity to vent their vile prejudices.

I'm probably not expressing myself well

3 x

anonacfr - I have no idea what Tumblr is. Although I have at least heard of it, which is something I suppose

I don't know what the outcome will be, but I do trust the judge to deliver whatever is right.

Unlike a lot of other people I know, to whom he will always be guilty. I have a lot of respect for the SA judicial system thus far, and this judge has been painstakingly fair and unbiased.

That's a thought actually - to those who think he is guilty, would you accept a not guilty verdict? And vice versa?

SaucefortheGander

Large or small? I've had about the same.

Yes, although I think he is innocent of premeditated murder, I would accept that because the Judge has heard all the evidence, unlike the rest of us. Also, I am watching/reading as much as I can but even if I sat in front of the tv all day every day, I'm not a legal professional and the Judge will know better than me that some testimony is more important than others.

HowAboutNo - the point is he killed Reeva, and for that he should be punished, he must be punished. What message does it send otherwise? And I agree with previous comments, he needs to be punished to move forward.

Sauce it's Friday night. I am on my second glass of prosecco. I might make even less sense than usual soon

Oh, and How I too have utter faith in the judge. I truly believe that whatever the verdict, it will be the right one.

And Louise yy to the tweets, I think I posted before, but for some are taking genuine delight in the fact that OP will be repeatedly raped and "hopefully" will contract AIDS. This kind of attitude I find really hard to understand.

It kind of goes back to the fallen hero stuff, some people are delighted that this man has fallen so spectacularly. Why would people take such delight. It's so hard to understand