Pistorious’ trial starts this Monday, 3rd March, so I thought I’d resurrect this thread and briefly recap why he is on trial, and go through some limited updates/leaks. This trial will be SA’s version of the OJ trial, and is also attracting a lot of international attention. Firstly, a list of the players:
The Victim – Miss Reeva Steenkamp:
Miss Steenkamp was a 29 year old model from the city of Port Elizabeth, and was dating Mr Pistorious at the time of her death. She died as a result of sustaining multiple gunshot wounds on Valentines Day last year at Mr Pistorious’ luxury house in a gated estate in the capital city of Pretoria. She was locked in the toilet cubicle at the time, which was part of the larger en-suite bathroom.
The Defendant – Mr Oscar Pistorious:
Mr Pistorious is a 27 year old Olympic and Paralympic athlete. His legs were amputated just below the knee when he was 11 months old. He has achieved global fame due to his struggle to compete against able-bodied athletes. A struggle that was ultimately successful, and culminated in his participation in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. He is known as the “Blade Runner”. Mr Pistorious admits to firing multiple shots through a closed and locked toilet door, behind which Miss Steenkamp was crouching. He rejects the charge of murder and claims he believed at the time that an intruder had locked himself behind the door and he was filled with dread should the intruder emerge. This claim is rejected by the prosecution who has charged him with premeditated murder.
The Prosecutor – Mr Gerrie Nel
Mr Nel is South Africa’s best known prosecutor, and is highly respected for his integrity and abilities. He has obtained guilty verdicts in trials of several high profile defendants, including the one-time head of the SA Police Force and Interpol Head, Mr Jackie Selebi, as well as various high profile mafia type personalities. It is generally agreed that he is the most competent state prosecutor in the country, and was no doubt brought in due to the high profile nature of this case.
The Defence Team – Mssrs Roux, Weber and Fancett:
Can’t find too much info on his team. No doubt they have been working hard, and bleeding the extended Pistorious family dry over the last year.
The Judge – Ms Thokozile Matilda Masipa:
Not that much known about her. Commentators are highlighting the fact that in two previous cases she presided over where men were accused of murdering women she handed down the maximum sentence allowed. 252 years in one case and life in prison in the other.
The Circling Vultures – The Media
A judge recently ruled that the trial can be broadcast. Audio channel for the whole trial. Video for opening and closing arguments and all the prosecutors’ witnesses. No video for Pistorious’ testimony, or that of any of his witnesses. The local satellite TV operator, DSTV, has set up a dedicated 24/7 channel to cover the trial, which is expected to run from 3 – 20 March 2014. They are bringing in various experts in their field to discuss the case as it happens, including, somewhat bizarrely, OJ Simpson’s defence lawyer Robert Shapiro.
New Evidence:
Not much new evidence has emerged in public since the publicity around this case died down last year after Mr Pistorious was granted bail. Basically two things seem to have been leaked
1)Ballistics will show that Mr Pistorious was on his stumps when firing, not on his blades.
2)Mildly titillating is that Mr Pistorious was surfing porn on his phone the night he killed Miss Steenkamp. This has been determined through linking the phones SIM card to an ISP, who presumably supplied the police with logs of activity on that night. The police are also trying to get additional info from the phone and are enlisting Apple’s help in this cause.
So the trial begins Monday, and is likely to be quite a big media event, certainly in SA, and also around the world. People in the general public have already made up their mind. IMO Pistorious is toast, and he will be going to jail for 25 years after his entire extended family is bled dry by the lawyers and expert witnesses. I think his family is well off, but not really rich. This case will likely bankrupt both him and them.
Also, it should be noted that SA does not have jury trials. The judge decides guilt/innocence and also hands down the sentence. Pistorious, somewhat strangely, still seems to be spending money on publicists, which aren't going to affect the result of the trail one iota.