Trial Discussion Thread #10 - 14.03.19, Day 13

[dianebowen]

Nel must be pretty sure he has the case stitched up. If not he could have used many of the witnesses still left on the list. I had hoped we would hear from the immediate neighbours (the ones whose lights were on). I suppose we still might. All along I have felt Nel will end with a hugely important witness.

This is my first post.
Yes, using credible, compelling ear witness testimony as bookends to the technical testimony seems to be a very smart strategy.

 

[james83]

Any idea's where Barry Bateman is going with this?.


Barry Bateman ‏@barrybateman 7 hrs
#OscarPistorius note: this web history might seem insignificant now, but its value could become apparent when another witness testifies. BB

 

[weeeva]

My search was successful:

The neighbours have already told the police about the shouting and screaming they heard from the Pistorius home on Wednesday, and in the early hours of Thursday.

At least one set of neighbours has told the police about other days and nights when they heard commotion coming from the athlete’s home.

Security guards were called to the house on Wednesday evening to tell the occupant that the noise was disturbing neighbours.

http://www.iol.co.za/news/crime-courts/i-saw-reeva-die-1.1471707#.Uym7HIWXZVs

I would not rely too much on this article . The part below taken from the article is not true.

The state has charged Pistorius with premeditated murder, a charge that he denied, in the strongest possible terms, in a statement he made via his family rather than his legal team, shortly after the court adjourned on Friday afternoon.

He has, according to sources, told police he was awoken during the night by a noise that seemed to come from the bathroom. He reached for the 9mm pistol at his bedside, and a short while later fired the fatal shots through the bathroom door.

 

[Really?]

This is my first post.
Yes, using credible, compelling ear witness testimony as bookends to the technical testimony seems to be a very smart strategy.

:wagon:

 

[Cher352]

I'm confused regarding the original witness list as 107 people were listed. It seems as though Nel only needs a handful more. Surely the remainder can't all be defence witnesses?

Seen this in a lot of trials here in US. Seems to me that it is a tactic used by both sides to keep the other side busy trying to depose all those potential witnesses.

 

[zwiebel]

Here you are ....the jean pics

so sorry.......the link now does not show the pic.......I'm not good at this

Originally Posted by zwiebel
Pic of Jeans laying in OP's garden. They sure look like a female's to me.

http://www.sabc.co.za/news

ETA: Do we know if Reeva was wearing jeans or her shorts when she arrived?


trying again......ETA: Do we know if Reeva was wearing jeans or her shorts when she arrived?
Attached Thumbnails


see post #334 from yesterdays thread....

Here it is again. I don't think Oscar could fit into them.

http://www.sabc.co.za/news

 

[AlwaysShocked]

Just to make sure everyone is on the same page: When medical people refer to the right side or the left side of a patient, this is from the perspective of the patient himself.

So when placing Reeva in the toilet, keep in mind the right hip injury was HER right side.
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I am a bit surprised there were NO footprints what with all that blood inside that toilet room. So does that mean he did not get next to her body in there and attempt to lift her, but rather he what? Dragged her out by her legs?

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Re: Blood spatter on wall above headboard. I'm pretty sure Prosecution has no general obligation, unless asked by Defense, to explain what they did NOT find, only what they did find that is relevant. Otherwise, it could take days to say what all was not found. Maybe Roux will want to explain whose blood it is and why it is there?

I don't know the rules of court on what all Prosecution is allowed to submit into evidence. They also submitted the photos of the bedroom door with the holes and the damaged bottom panel but have made no further explanation for that.

 

[Viper]

Here it is again. I don't think Oscar could fit into them.

http://www.sabc.co.za/news

Thanks again, I caught the attachment. Was that in your first reply to me? If so apologies for missing it.

 

[zwiebel]

I meant to mention that statement that there were no footprints found in the blood splatter in the toilet. After all the kerfuffle over contamination of the scene, and leaked media photos showing footprints, we now are told there were no footprints.

And Roux did not object to that either.

 

[minor4th]

I wonder why the security guards didn't mention that other, Wednesday, call out in their evidence?

I believe that has been written off as inaccurate (due to early media speculation and rumors)

 

[minor4th]

I don't think it's working minor4th...

ETA: sorry, couldn't resist

http://www.fliptext.org/

You trickster! :floorlaugh:

 

[zwiebel]

Thanks again, I caught the attachment. Was that in your first reply to me? If so apologies for missing it.

No, I'm confusing the issue. I posted it on the last thread, that's why I said 'again'. Another poster has the credit for catching the original screen shot though, not me.

 

[AlwaysShocked]

Re: the jeans
They look feminine. Could they have been hung somewhere or laid out over the rail of a balcony to dry in the sun after something was perhaps spilled on them? Is there any balcony above them anywhere that they could have fallen from?

 

[minor4th]

I would really like someone to give some sort of explanation about the jeans - I don't care if the explanation comes from the prosecution or the defense, but it's just not right to throw that out there and leave it all to our active imaginations to speculate over it

 

[minor4th]

I meant to mention that statement that there were no footprints found in the blood splatter in the toilet. After all the kerfuffle over contamination of the scene, and leaked media photos showing footprints, we now are told there were no footprints.

And Roux did not object to that either.

I really do not think the issue of contamination of the crime scene is a big issue with respect to establishing what happened and where (which seem to not be in dispute). The only reason for it IMO is to put forth a picture of pervasive police ineptitude and even bias.

 

[zwiebel]

Re: the jeans
They look feminine. Could they have been hung somewhere or laid out over the rail of a balcony to dry in the sun after something was perhaps spilled on them? Is there any balcony above them anywhere that they could have fallen from?

I think they could just about have reached that spot if thrown from the balcony, looking at this pic?

http://abcnews.go.com/news/t/blogEntry?id=18668091&ref=https://www.google.co.uk/

ETA...I don't know now. They would have had to be deliberately thrown to the side from there?

 

[minor4th]

Very good legal roundtable discussion on Oscartrial.com

http://oscartrial.dstv.com/video/489774/category/0

The attorneys are bringing up some good points about strategy and such

 

[Peliman]

Hello Everyone

I've been reading and listening when I can, work takes it's toll on my trial listening life. I too was curious about the blood on the wall.

IMO is Roux is good at building bird cages in the sky and hoping the judge goes to live in one. Just came across a story with a link, sharing.

Thanks for the trial updates, yes I was reading.

________________________________________

Whats in the news here in the U.S.

Pretoria (AFP) - Oscar Pistorius shot his girlfriend first in the hip before hitting her fatally in the head through a locked toilet door, a police ballistics expert testified Wednesday at the Paralympian's murder trial in South Africa.

The ballistics report appears to support earlier testimony that Reeva Steenkamp had time to cry for help before she died and contradicts the defence team's version that she could not have screamed.

"The best probable explanation is the deceased was initially upright behind the closed door, she sustained a penetrating wound in the right side of the hip," the ballistics expert, Captain Chris Mangena, told the court.

More explanation at the link

http://news.yahoo.com/ballistics-expert-reconstructs-steenkamps-dying-moments-111557911.html

 

[foxbluff]

the previous thread mentioned OP's anger issues at the olympics... here's the VF article where it was mentioned for those who haven't seen it:

http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2013/06/oscar-pistorius-murder

a synopsis: http://www.newser.com/story/168044/inside-the-angry-world-of-oscar-pistorius.html


and THANKS to sorrell skye for the response in the last thread... !

Wow... thank you so much, redheadedgal, for thinking to repeat these two links! (There are always people coming late-to-the-game and IMHO these are "must read" links.)

That six page VF article (albeit biased, IMO) was one of the best background articles I've ever read on a case.

Also, thanks to HauntsForHope for pointing out on the last thread that wildabouttrial has great "print articles."

 

[steveml]

I could do with a bit of help here. As there has been so much effort from Nel to provide demonstration of how the cricket bat was used at a height that would be natural if one was on stumps, and the ballistics expert confirmed today that he believed the shooting was made at a natural stance when on stumps, we are led to believe that the states claim is that OP was on his stumps during both actions.

If this is so, does this have any great bearing on the case, other than to show that OP's initial statement was incorrect?