Pistorius

Below the belt comments anniebach about a murdered woman's family.

I have always thought it was murder, even if he really thought ( rather far fetched) that a burglar had locked himself in the loo, he then intended to kill the said burglar by blasting that kind of a powerful gun through the door several times.

This is a good article and explanation on the new verdict - and it says that far from the SA judicial system being a mess, praise is due for the way this case was handled:

theconversation.com/oscar-pistorius-verdict-raises-the-bar-for-south-african-judiciary-51770

The article quite rightly too is sympathetic to Judge Masipa because of the legal complexities of the trial - and in a trial that was played out in full view of millions of people. She by the way now has to pass sentence again, the case goes back to her.

I think we have to bear in mind that Riva's family will probably have been plagued by journalists for months and months. And we should not judge people who have been victims of such awful tragedy and all the publicity involved.

Its too simplistic to just call it murder. Apart from anything else it wasn't premeditated. There are many mitigating circumstances that a straight murder charge doesn't take into consideration.
The desperate fear of break ins was quite shocking to me when I was in SA. Armed guards at hotels, razor wire round walls, iron bars across bedroom doors etc. I am not exaggerating. I experienced all of these. A great fear, especially of women is rape and infection with HIV. There are security firms which will attend alarms with guns. Unless the person employing them calls out the correct password they can be shot too. Its just not like here. It was a relief to return. All this underpins Oscar's instinctive behaviour on that dark night. Those absolutely were not crocodile tears. He's devastated and life as he knows it is at an end. No winners.

I appreciate what you say about the fear of crime in South Africa Jane10 as my niece is married to a South African and lived there for some years. She always slept with a gun under her pillow if her husband was away. Thankfully they now live in the UK.

I would feel more sympathy for Oscar Pistorius if he had owned up to what he did instead of giving differing versions in court. As Judge Masipa and the appeal Judges said, he was an unreliable witness. As the only living witness, that must cast doubt on his story.

The key factor for me is that regardless of who was in that locked toilet, Reeva or an intruder, he must have known that firing four high velocity bullets into it would result in their death. He is the author of his own fate and my sympathies are with Reeva's parents.

Below the belt for speaking the truth? So we must be selective when it comes to speaking the truth . Double standards again

Do not say the parents took payments from the man who killed their daughter but do say I know what happened that night even if I was in another country not in the same room

This is a good article and explanation on the new verdict - and it says that far from the SA judicial system being a mess, praise is due for the way this case was handled:

But only having a judge deciding an outcome. I call that awful justice as a whole.

Personally I agree with Anniebach about it being ok to say what she posted.

I am not saying whether they were right or wrong to do it. Up to them, and nothing normal about a situation like this. Who knows what their reason for doing it was.

I dont see why a poster cannot post their opinion though.

I'm not usually one for Hello-type interviews but can understand the parents participating - I doubt if it was for money.

They obviously were aggrieved at his light sentence and wanted to put across how devastated they were and maybe to keep the case in the public eye. They must have been very troubled at the unfairness of scant justice for their dead daughter.

As for taking money from Pistorius - why not? It's not as though it was 'blood money' (money paid to get off the hook) more some sort of recompense and punishment. Better the money with them than to cushion his future life IMO.

Any money they gained could have been intended for lawyers fees for example a private prosecution if the state failed to act or if he gets out early again.

soon it is wrong to assume that the decision is down to one person (the judge). Supreme Court judges in South Africa always have assessors who assist and advise them in arriving at a verdict. The assessors are also senior members of the Bench.

I think it is a normal part of the justice system in SA for the victims to be offered reparation from the perpetrator.
Why should they not accept it for all the costs they may have had to incur? Who knows whether or not they donated it to a charity for victims of domestic violence?

I think the system of justice strange whereby if the verdict doesn't suit they go back for another attempt. Who could feel safe under such a code?

teacher any decent justice system includes an appeal process. In this instance, the appeal was raised by the State as they were dissatisfied with the legal interpretation made Judge Masipa. It is not a willy-nilly-go-back-for-another-attempt matter.

But the fact that the judge who is presumably high up, together with her advisors, seem to have interpreted the law wrongly, is concerning in itself for the legal system of SA.
What about lesser judges? And what if cases are not so much about legality, but about discernment and facts, or lack of them.
I am very glad that this country has the jury system it has.

I wondered about the case at the time I'm relived it has been revisited no one should be above the law I feel let's hope justice is served and those who deserve it get it .on all sides.

This feels like the right verdict for all the reasons given above.

I don't feel anyone is in a position to criticise Reeva's parents. Money for loss of earning is the norm in SA and it's clear they depended on Reeva to help support them financially. As for the Hello mag I'm sure they were under siege from reporters and I find it distasteful to criticise them .

He didn't for one moment look above the law. He was plainly beyond devastated. His actual time in jail seemed a bit short but the terms of his house arrest were very restricting. Its clear that his whole life as he knew it is over. I must say I'm a bit surprised at the concrete thinking of some of the respondents on this thread. Life isn't that straightforward and especially not in SA. Check how many burglars get shot and homeowners attacked.

I have close friends in SA, and can't think of a single family member who hasn't either been seriously attacked, car jacked, burgled, held hostage. You name it, they've experienced it. None of them support Oscar's reactions and each of them feel it's clear, he knew Reeva was in the bathroom.

Poor old Oscar is just plain unpopular with other South Africans. Tall poppy syndrome? What sentences do others who shoot intruders get? Many get off Scott free. Its a really messy case.

Mollie

He can appeal to the highest court in SA but not about the verdict and sentence but as you say about human rights especially as this was the first trail televised in SA. So I think there will be another chapter.

We have no idea what happened that night, did they row? Raised voices were heard. I don't know if he fired the gun with the intention of killing her, of frightening her, in trying to stop her leaving him, only he knows, we know he fired the gun and she died . No one can look at him crying and say they were crocodile tears, they can choose to think they were but do not know.

One life is taken and one life is broken

Agreed Anniebach

I must say I'm a bit surprised at the concrete thinking of some of the respondents on this thread

All one can do is read/hear the evidence as presented and form an opinion which is what a jury would have done.
I wonder what the verdict would have been if they had the jury system in SA?