Oscar Pistorius - Murderer

[Craig]

Barry Steenkamp's appearance in court was a difficult watch. I doubt Pistorius is half as broken as that man.

 

[mowgli]

Barry Steenkamp's appearance in court was a difficult watch. I doubt Pistorius is half as broken as that man.

That was heartbreaking to watch with everything he said was full of sincerity where as Pistorius did nothing but shed crocodile tears which was embarrassing and shameful.

 

[Pagnell]

There is no way of knowing for sure, but I have a sneaky suspicion this broken, depressed man defence is at least partly an act. Both him and his defence team are likely hoping the sobbing and crying will result in some sort of reduction in time served or perhaps even result in it served in hospital under some sort of mental instability plea. I'm absolutely sure he's sorry for what he did, although I'm far less sure if it's sorrow for himself and his current situation or genuine remorse for the victim and his actions. Only he knows that. But the bottom line is that he has been convicted of murder and the sentence needs to reflect that.

 

[Pagnell]

Pistorius removes prostheses

Roux calls Pistorius forward. He tells the court this will be embarrassing for his client.

He asks a weeping Pistorius to remove his prostheses and stand on his stumps in front of the court. He does so slowly, then walks haltingly. He appears to be in pain and struggles to retain his balance. He holds on to a desk for support.

His doctor moves forward to support him as he stumbles.

Roux points to him, saying this is the man who was frightened by a noise at 3am. This is who is being sentenced.

From The Guardian's live updates. They're really going to town on this "please don't send him to prison, he's disabled" route.

 

[Pagnell]

Sentencing to take place on the 6th of July. I'm not sure why the delay, the South African justice system seems a bit weird to me. As mentioned already, there can't be many cases of a convicted murderer being out on licence pending the sentence being handed down.

 

[DarkSithLord]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-36719561

SIX YEARS?!

 

[Pagnell]

Even less than I thought. Piss take but no surprise. So much for a minimum of 15 years.

 

[Super_horns]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-36719561

SIX YEARS?!

Be 3 if it's anything like here..

 

[Pagnell]

It's a disgraceful decision really. It's either murder or it isn't. If it is then 6 years is woefully short. I was expecting them to be lenient and give him 8-10 years and even that wouldn't have been enough. If he does half of that 6 years for good behaviour, by the time he gets out he'll have served 4 years in total for murdering someone. That can't be right in anyone book.

I wonder if he'll really take the piss and appeal.

 

[Gulliball]

The judge who listened for three months and decided he wasn't guilty of murder is now deciding his murder sentence. That's a totally crazy system.

It will surely be appealed, with very good grounds.

 

[blade1889]

Be 3 if it's anything like here..

He can be out after 2, so even worse

 

[Pagnell]

The judge who made the original fuck up being given the decision over sentence length was never going to end well. There is no way in hell a non-celebrity would have gotten off so lightly, even one with the same disability.

 

[johnnytodd]