South Africa - Anni Dewani, 28, shot to death, Gugulethu, 13 Nov 2010 #4

[newone]

1023
The state has arranged for 2 witnesses. Requests a postponement until Friday, to lead an expert witness coming from Pretoria.

1024
VZ says the defence does not have a report for this new witness. Mopp says there is a report in the docket but there is a new aspect the witness will be questioned on. Mopp says she has been asked to draw up a report and hand it to the State and defence.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/LIVE-Dewani-trial-day-20-20141112

 

[newone]

Traverso: Surely you knew this before coming to trial. Why is there no report? The police have gone on TV, on Panorama about the state's case. I'm going to grant you the indulgence but I want to know, why only now.

Mopp: We've been trying to get an expert from the police, who is competent, to talk about primer residue & what happens when a shot is fired.

1028
Traverso:I am not going to argue with you any further. I must just express my great displeasure with the way this case is going...

1029


Judge Traverso scathingly asks the State: Why are you still scurrying around for witnesses?
1031
Proceedings have been adjourned until Friday.

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/LIVE-Dewani-trial-day-20-20141112



end of day 20 in the SD trial -- over before you know it ..... coffee didn't even stand a chance of refill for this one

 

[PrimeSuspect]

oh gee, funny how things are. Barry Roux in Oscar P's trial, brought half his witnesses at the eleventh hour. He never got reprimanded.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 3m3 minutes ago

This case has cost the state a lot of money and a lot of publicity. When is it going to end? How much more investigation do you want?

Mopp: There is no more investigation. Just this one, My Lady.

Traverso: Is that a deal?

Mopp: It's a deal, My lady

Court adjourns til Friday

Traverso: Just this one?

Mopp: That is correct, My Lady

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Good to see you newone :wave:

 

[newone]

staggering.....a ballistics/gun expert witness.....oh boy....wonder how many days VZ will take to handle the cross on that one

 

[newone]

Good to see you newone :wave:

amazingly short day in court today Prime......geeze loueeze.....can't believe this

 

[newone]

that leaves 10 actual court days left in the calendar if Dec 1 is to be the last day

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Leigh-Anne Jansen ‏@LA_JANSEN 2m2 minutes ago


Going back to the office to prepare for the 4th Anniversary memorial of Anni's death.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

that leaves 10 actual court days left in the calendar if Dec 1 is to be the last day

Yes, I wonder if they can make it. Hopefully the witnesses are pretty good at their stuff and get on and off quick. LOL

 

[newone]

Yes, I wonder if they can make it. Hopefully the witnesses are pretty good at their stuff and get on and off quick. LOL

VZ is a blowhard filibuster king (MOO) so am keeping fingers crossed that PT does a fine job of presenting a solid argument

 

[KING Charles]

Thanks guys for updates.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Just an observation from following two trials in SA so far, I wonder how any case is ever brought to trial. The state are terribly underfunded, they couldn't even use an exact replica vehicle for their recreation of the crime scene vehicle, the VW Sharan.

 

[PrimeSuspect]

Another tough day at the office for Mr Mopp.

 

[patCee]

Not sure what a ballistics expert can add to the case against SD. Maybe implicate Qwabe as the man who shot Anni, not Mngeni - the position of the shooter, distance involved e.g. front or back seat etc.

 

[newone]

Not sure what a ballistics expert can add to the case against SD. Maybe implicate Qwabe as the man who shot Anni, not Mngeni - the position of the shooter, distance involved e.g. front or back seat etc.

Hopefully, this expert will have extensive investigative experience and will be able to add credibility to the detective's claim that this ''could have been'' an example of an execution type murder by a ''newbie''.

 

[patCee]

=KING Charles;11192435]I do agree with you concerning the medical records. Also, although I didn't participate in the Pistorious trial, I did watch all the videos on the trial and read almost all the comments of members on the forum. It does seem the Judge seems to favour the defence in the Dewani trial as in the O.P. trial. Granted the judge in S.D. trial does seem to interact more, but as you said in your last post about tweets it isn't the same as seeing it live where you can see/hear exactly what's going on.

RSBM

It is well known that, in criminal trials, the prosecution bears the onus of proof, to prove its case, that the accused is guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt. This follows from the right to be presumed innocent in the Constitution.

What though does it mean that the prosecution must prove that the accused is guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt? It means that the accused needs to only raise a reasonable doubt that s/he is guilty – even a single reasonable doubt – even in respect of a single requirement for liability. This is the extent of the onus on the prosecution. It ultimately gives effect to the deeply entrenched principle that, given the serious consequences of a conviction, an accused should be given the benefit of any doubt.

BBM

http://criminallawza.net/overview-of-the-requirements-of-criminal-liability-to-follow/

This is why courts seem to be harder on the state than the defence, it's up to them as prosecutors to prove their case beyond a reasonable doubt. The accused must benefit from any reasonable doubt.

 

[eimajjjj]

Hopefully, this expert will have extensive investigative experience and will be able to add credibility to the detective's claim that this ''could have been'' an example of an execution type murder by a ''newbie''.

Why hopefully? Surely the objective truth should be the ultimate goal. It seems SD's guilt has already been decided by many before evidence has said as much and there's 'hope' in working backwards to prove it.

If SD had gone back to SA when he was first asked, this case wouldn't have brought so much media attention and sensationalism, imo, he brought that on himself.

Yes, damn that man for being totally and utterly traumatized over the murder of his wife. He should have pulled his socks up and gone and humoured some absurd accustions by said murderers in the same country it took place to begin with.

 

[marlywings]

Hi everyone

I'll close this thread shortly....new thread now open at following link.

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...-over-wife-s-murder-5&p=11192548#post11192548