Oscar Pistorius Trial part 9

[JillJ72]

Starting a new thread as part 8 is nearly full, here - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/in_the_news/2080468-Oscar-Pistorius-Trial-Part-8

Thank you for this thread, I really wanted to watch the coverage but have to work. Twitter is just so unreliable, I love MN, it's so much better.

The judge is now considering Fresco and his indemnity from prosecution foe giving evidence.

Sentencing is rarely same week, definitely not same day.

I think she's talking about the sunroof.
He lied about OP speeding on the way there, it was actually him.

Judge says he acted negligently but in the genuine belief there was a intruder. CH apparently has a max sentence of 15 years but also can be no jail time depending on various factors the judge can take into consideration, his mental state, op remorse, logistical factors and whether she believes him a real risk.
Now looking at a witness.

Oh no, she is talking about restaurant. I'm a bit confused now.

Didn't know he was even being tried for the restaurant incident.

member: "I think she is shutting down grounds for appeal as much as possible i.e cautious but safe verdict."

That was my thought too - if she'd found him guilty of murder there'd have been an appeal.

I found the judge's reasoning in her summing up yesterday to be quite perverse. Obviously she has listened to all the evidence and I haven't, I realise that. But she just hasn't allowed for shades of grey in any of the evidence - how could she say that Reeva's text messages talking about being frightened of Pistorius were irrelevant?

Given that op did kill her even though as they have ruled he didn't intend to, CH was really the 'best' op could hope for. He is sitting very still apparently not looked at his family yet.
Lots of tweets asking people to respect the decision, saying nothing to do with the judge she can only deal with the facts presented to her, the prosecution failed to prove anything more.

She is saying that Fresco was a liar about the sunroof, but told the truth about the restaurant. And so therefore he should be protected from prosecution for a firearms offence because he was standing as a witness for the state, and effectively had to incriminate himself for possession.

Expert on radio says appeal by the prosecution is very unusual in SA, but many believe that in this case it may happen.

Fresco is granted immunity from prosecution.

Saying F had no choice but to incriminate himself in the pursuit of justice and giving evidence so should possibly be exempt from a charge himself.

I think I can agree with her that the text messages were irrelevant. Out of hundreds, maybe thousands of messages, they found one that could support the idea she was scared of him. I think she was judging that this could happen in any relationship, and it is just not enough to support a conviction of intent.

5 minute break. What more does the judge have to say though if sentencing is not today? Bail issue?

From radio - bail possibly to be strongly contested by ths prosecution, on grounds OP at risk of self harm?
Bail application will be today.

I think Masipa has been very solid in her reasoning
I think that if she gives OP any time to serve he will appeal and appeal and appeal
I don't think he'll ever serve time

Very depressing.

Radio commentators now discussing the possibility of the Steenkamp family taking out a civil case re their pain,loss and also financial loss because Reeva had been supporting her family.
Far lower level burden of proof needed for such a case.

According to bbc reporting an appeal against any jail time will is very likely. Given his remorse and the fact he did not mean to kill her.

so he shouldn't serve time because it'll be appealed? that's perverse thinking....

If you were remorseful, would you not want to serve time and take your punishment for your wrongdoing?

Oh I completely agree with you that he should serve time, I was just repeating what the news was saying. That given those two apparent factors then appeal is supposedly likely.

Yy they exhaust appeals before putting him inside I think.
He gets to mitigate now. More weeping I'd assume.
It feels as though OP is the victim ATM...my weird mind

I felt that Masipa would hand down a decent custodial sentence for CH and that she was being canny in steering away from the appeals of a murder conviction.
According to TV pundits it seems I was wrong and he may be given a non custodial sentence as he will have to live with what he has done

I think he should have/must have known firing 4 rounds into that toilet would likely end in another's death.
He killed Ms Steenkamp
For that I believe he should serve time in prison

If he is even given jail.

scrapping in nightclubs whilst on bail, ffs.