Oscar Pistorious

[rosemary]

Watching that TV documentary last night about this tragic killing reminded me forcibly yet again that the real 'culprit' - if such a word can be applied - is the state of the country itself, where fear is paramount and guns are an essential requirement to everyday living in wealthy or simply middle class home.
The first instinct any man or woman has who lives under this constant regime of fear is to shoot first and think later. There are countless stories of tragic accidents happening in many countries around the world where guns are kept close to hand. And these events are propounded when people are woken either from dozing or sleeping.
I believe Oscar is innocent of murder, but guilty of accidental manslaughter. The fact that he is also so severly physically handicapped and rendered impotent (both physically and psychologically) by his own situation will be an essential part of his defence IMO. Psychologists will be advising in this case.
I know both South Africa and Jamaica, another tragic country of great beauty and enormous division of wealth, much the same climate of fear exists here and guns are part of every homeowners possessions. Shoot first, think later is not what either the military or the police recommend of course, but even the chief of Police in Kingston Jamaica shot and killed his own wife one night when he himself was woken by her shutting their bedroom window. Food for thought folks.

[Margaretta]

Rosemary, the situation is very sad. Our American friends have several guns (he used to hunt) and says too that although they don't want guns at all now they are too afraid to get rid of them.
The news this week featured the forensic scientists who are trying to establish whether Oscar was standing or 'on his stumps.' They are working out the distance from the angle and depth of the bullet in the door.
The evidence stated by neighbours about huge arguments heard and from Steeva's mother that her daughter stated on the phone that they were quarrelling a lot, plus the fact that the police had been called to the house before, does not bode well for the reason for and the outcome of the crime.

[rosemary]

Margaretta I also heard that too about them quarrelling and it does ring true. I think personally Oscar was probably deeply in love with Steeva and consequently in an even more fragile state of mind considering his own very conflicting feelings of self worth. I doubt very much he could ever have believed that such a lovely girl, both in charaacter and in looks, could really ever possibly feel the same way about him. But to kill her? No way Margaretta, not in my book. I still maintain it was a tragic accident of epic proportions, just waiting to happen. Whatever transpires in the trial Oscar is a truly broken man. And a suicidal one.

[Sundowner]

I would like to know why if he was so frightened........... did he sleep with the patio doors open?
No doubt the truth will come out at his trial!

Have a read of this article.........http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/06/oscar-pistorius-murder

[rosemary]

Yes I have read what Botha has to say. No comment on him from me. He has already been discredited by his superiors in SA Police Dept.
As to why did he sleep with the window open , one might also ask why didn't the window doors onto the balcony also have security grills. I don't know why. It was hot. The fan on the outside drew in some cool air possibly. An intruder would most likely have used the bathroom window so as not to be heard.
But it has not been mentioned in the VF article that forensics discovered that Reeva's bladder was completely empty at the point of her death. Which is unusual for any human being at that time of night 3am and is strong evidence that she had just emptied her bladder.

A lot more will be brought out at the trial I'm sure.