Oscar Pistorius

[KZNSeagull]

We now have the National Commissioner for Correctional Services on the stand, who spoke to Parliament yesterday and flew back specifically to give evidence voluntarily to refute that presented by the Defence earlier in the week surrounding the state of SA prisons. This should be interesting

 

[Skylar]

We now have the National Commissioner for Correctional Services on the stand, who spoke to Parliament yesterday and flew back specifically to give evidence voluntarily to refute that presented by the Defence earlier in the week surrounding the state of SA prisons. This should be interesting

He comes across really well.

 

[KZNSeagull]

He comes across really well.

Indeed, which can be a bit of a novelty amongst SA officials! He has put a good case forward that they can accommodate OP - if they have convinced the UK courts that they can cater for Dewani, then they can certainly cater for OP.

 

[Surf's Up]

The gist of the defence's cross-examination of the National Commissioner seems to be that because OP is disabled he shouldn't be sent to prison. Yet he has proved himself able enough to be become an Olympic athlete and a killer thus overcoming his disability in far more demanding environments than the "hospital" (ie area specially designed for the disabled prisoner) section of a SA jail.

 

[Skylar]

Indeed, which can be a bit of a novelty amongst SA officials! He has put a good case forward that they can accommodate OP - if they have convinced the UK courts that they can cater for Dewani, then they can certainly cater for OP.

Hoping the correction officer can provide and prove that there's baths when court restarts. Really don't see the point the defence are trying to make about baths because I'd bet that Oscar hasn't had one for years.

 

[KZNSeagull]

The gist of the defence's cross-examination of the National Commissioner seems to be that because OP is disabled he shouldn't be sent to prison. Yet he has proved himself able enough to be become an Olympic athlete and a killer thus overcoming his disability in far more demanding environments than the "hospital" (ie area specially designed for the disabled prisoner) section of a SA jail.

Correct. His reputation is based upon competing against able-bodied athletes. Yet again he is being portrayed as poor Oscar, when he himself has been fighting against that portrayal his entire life.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Hoping the correction officer can provide and prove that there's baths when court restarts. Really don't see the point the defence are trying to make about baths because I'd bet that Oscar hasn't had one for years.

He sent someone to the jail yesterday and they have taken pictures. They are just refuting the allegation that if he is sent to the normal section of the jail, he will have to use showers with no hand rails and concrete floors.

The defence are also trying to claim that his life has been threatened from inside the jail already by the guy who stabbed Clive Derby-Lewis in jail (Derby-Lewis was involved in the assassination of Chris Hani in 1993), which it may well have. Personally, I would think that his life is being threatened outside of jail too.

 

[Surf's Up]

Correct. His reputation is based upon competing against able-bodied athletes. Yet again he is being portrayed as poor Oscar, when he himself has been fighting against that portrayal his entire life.

and fighting successfully .... also it seems reasonable to assume that if he was incarcerated in the "hospital", at the slightest hint of something wrong or a broken door or a threat from another prisoner etc etc etc, OP would have lawyers crawling all over the place and there would be a commensurate media frenzy. Why on earth is the judge allowing this concept (that OP is different and so much worse off than any other prisoner and therefore should be treated completely differently) to gain so much momentum?!! Is this the normal defence for a disabled person because if it isn't, and the judge allows it to sway her, it will set an almighty precedent for the future.

 

[KZNSeagull]

and fighting successfully .... also it seems reasonable to assume that if he was incarcerated in the "hospital", at the slightest hint of something wrong or a broken door or a threat from another prisoner etc etc etc, OP would have lawyers crawling all over the place and there would be a commensurate media frenzy. Why on earth is the judge allowing this concept (that OP is different and so much worse off than any other prisoner and therefore should be treated completely differently) to gain so much momentum?!! Is this the normal defence for a disabled person because if it isn't, and the judge allows it to sway her, it will set an almighty precedent for the future.

Yup. His incarceration will be closely monitored by everyone, particularly the media. If he does go to jail, the minister will have to ensure that there a no problems with it at all as any negatives will be splashed over the media worldwide. He is really putting his reputation on the line here and is a brave man for doing so.

The judge is letting this run so that she cannot be accused of bias - she has not intervened at any point in this trial as if she had, either side would appeal on the grounds that their case was unfairly heard. I am sure that she sat there during the trial thinking "this is totally irrelevant", but she resisted the temptation to intervene, which was the right thing to do.

 

[Surf's Up]

In avoiding being accused of bias and letting the evidence run it's course it feels as though the judge is actually demonstrating bias in favour of OP!!

 

[Skylar]

Is today the final day?

 

[KZNSeagull]

In avoiding being accused of bias and letting the evidence run it's course it feels as though the judge is actually demonstrating bias in favour of OP!!

Why? The defence witnesses for sentencing were crap - most of the time has been taken with cross-exams from Nel of those witnesses because they were so poor. And he pretty much destroyed them too, so he has done his job there.

Is today the final day?

Nope. It is unlikely to finish this week.

 

[KZNSeagull]

The intimidation of OP in the court continues - Bachelor, Mortimer and Sam Taylor and her mum are there. They have now been joined by Mikey Schultz, a self-confessed hitman!

 

[clippedgull]

I have just read on the Guardian Blog that sentencing could be dragged out to November because the Judge has 'other cases' for the next three weeks from Monday

Also that the Judge received applause from the Court Room as today is her 67th Birthday.

As someone posted recently, have they forgotten someone has been shot to death and that is why they are all there?

 

[Insel affe]

I have just read on the Guardian Blog that sentencing could be dragged out to November because the Judge has 'other cases' for the next three weeks from Monday

Also that the Judge received applause from the Court Room as today is her 67th Birthday.

As someone posted recently, have they forgotten someone has been shot to death and that is why they are all there?

And to think some people moan about our system.

 

[Da Man Clay]

I have just read on the Guardian Blog that sentencing could be dragged out to November because the Judge has 'other cases' for the next three weeks from Monday

Also that the Judge received applause from the Court Room as today is her 67th Birthday.

As someone posted recently, have they forgotten someone has been shot to death and that is why they are all there?

It really is a farce.

 

[KZNSeagull]

No more witnesses. Court adjourned for the day, again. Arguments will be completed tomorrow. O, they do like a good faff!

Apparently, there was an altercation during the lunch break between Mikey Shultz (the hitman) and the Pistorius family. I am getting more convinced that OP will be safer in prison!

Mikey Shultz: "The only spare seats in the courtroom were in the same row as the Pistorius family. One of the cops told us to sit there. We did not talk to them or look at them - they were string at us and then they started to complain that we were there. It's a public gallery, we did not know certain rows were reserved and the cops told us to sit there"
Interviewer: "Did you swear at one of the family"
Schultz: "No. We did not speak to or look at them. She is just a liar like her brother"

 

[Skylar]

Interviewer: "Did you swear at one of the family" Schultz: "No. We did not speak to or look at them. She is just a liar like her brother"

And there's no disputing that.

 

[Billy the Fish]

I think people need to remember this is an African court, not a UK one.

 

[Skylar]

I think people need to remember this is an African court, not a UK one.

Just as well as our prisons would be empty.