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Author Topic: Oscar Pistorius, is accused of shooting his girlfriend to death.  (Read 88205 times)
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MuffyBee
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« Reply #160 on: September 12, 2014, 08:32:05 AM »

Not guilty.  Reminds me of the O.J. verdict.

It's really sad.  Another professional athlete/celebrity male gets away with murdering their wife/partner.   

Sounds like he may at least get manslaughter.  I'm hoping for that.  I cannot believe the judge believed that Oscar didn't know she was in the bathroom.  Geez

I watched/listened to the judge reading her verdict late last night (early morning) for a few hours. She will continue Friday morning and I am betting she will hold him guilty of Culpable homicide, which is in essence, manslaughter. She explained why she is tending not to find him guilty of Premeditated Murder or Murder (which means he knew she was behind the door and meant to kill her.)

I think the judge may believe he knew she was in the bathroom, but I think the judge does not believe the evidence proves he knew she was there. I believe she has to rule on what the evidence proves, not on her personal beliefs.

I really believe she will find him guilty of Culpable homicide.


Next will be his sentencing trial. And after the sentencing, he can begin the appeals process.

*sigh*

BBM  What you said here makes sense Brandi. 
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« Reply #161 on: September 12, 2014, 08:43:15 AM »

Well, he was found guilty of Culpable homicide and guilty on one of the gun charges. (Discharging a weapon in a public space.)

Max for Culpable homicide is 15 years.

Max for the gun charge is 5 years.

sheesh.

I think Oscar needs to serve the maximum of the sentences, although I doubt that will happen.  Even if he didn't know Reeva was behind the door in the bathroom, he fired four shots through that closed door.  That's a big, big no-no.  Even in the gun happy state of Texas I live in, that's a big no.  Oscar had firearms training and knew better imo.  All the difference between shooting Reva and shooting a stranger in that stall would be premeditation imo.  You know your target before you shoot.  What if it had been a twelve year old child behind the door?  Where was the immediate threat?  I wonder if Oscar can be stripped of the privilege of carrying a gun or ammunition?  (And it is a privilege)  He's obviously a danger to society when he has them in possession. JMHO  Oscar had electronic security in his apartment and there was security on the premises.  His not availing himself of those and his actions during and after the shooting show him as someone that shouldn't have firearms.  JMHO

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« Reply #162 on: September 12, 2014, 01:58:46 PM »

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29184590
Oscar Pistorius verdict: Steenkamp family protest
September 12, 2014

The parents of Reeva Steenkamp say "justice was not served" after South African athlete Oscar Pistorius was acquitted of murdering their daughter.

June and Barry Steenkamp told NBC News of their "disbelief" that the court had believed Pistorius's version of events.

Judge Thokozile Masipa found him guilty of the lesser charge of culpable homicide, saying the state had failed to prove he intended to kill.

Pistorius has been allowed bail ahead of sentencing on 13 October.

Judge Masipa said the athlete had acted "negligently" when he shot his girlfriend through a toilet door, but in the "belief that there was an intruder".

The Paralympic sprinter had strenuously denied murdering Ms Steenkamp after a row on Valentine's Day last year, saying he shot her by mistake.

But in the interview with NBC, June Steenkamp said: "This verdict is not justice for Reeva.

"I just want the truth. He shot through the door and I can't believe that they believe it was an accident."


There is a perception here that most crime is committed by poor black people targeting the white middle classes or the wealthy elite.

Cue "white fear" - a phrase used to refer to the rich white "haves" in society who live behind high walls, afraid of the intruder who may come in the night. It was the threat of this intruder that apparently gripped Pistorius with fear on that tragic morning.

In a country where domestic violence is a serious problem, it is not surprising that many hoped this case would be an impetus for change in the laws protecting women.

It was never proven that this was a case of domestic abuse but this did not stop political parties and women's organisations from using Ms Steenkamp as the face of the vulnerable woman - failed by her country and the system.

Outside court, one protester told me: "Women always lose."
Earlier, Arnold Pistorius, the athlete's uncle, said the family was "deeply grateful" to the judge for finding him not guilty of murder and that a "big burden" had been lifted.

"There are no victors in this," he added. "We as a family remain deeply affected by the devastating, tragic event... It won't bring Reeva back but our hearts still go out for her family and friends."

South Africa's prosecuting authority said it was "disappointed" that Pistorius was not convicted of murder but said it would wait until after sentencing to decide whether to appeal.

Pistorius faces up to 15 years in jail, although the judge could suspend the sentence or only impose a fine.

The athlete was also found guilty on a charge of negligently handling a firearm that went off in a restaurant.

He was acquitted of another charge of firing a gun in public, through the sunroof of a car, and of a charge of illegal possession of ammunition in the home where he killed Ms Steenkamp.

There is a table at the end of the article that explains the ins and outs of the verdicts/what it means/sentence


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« Reply #163 on: September 12, 2014, 10:49:43 PM »

It looks like Oscar is out on bail until October 13 for sentencing.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29179157
Oscar Pistorius 'a free man for now'
September 12, 2014
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« Reply #164 on: September 13, 2014, 10:22:51 AM »

http://gulfnews.com/news/world/other-world/oscar-pistorius-acquittal-on-murder-charge-stuns-legal-experts-1.1384609
Oscar Pistorius acquittal on murder charge stuns legal experts
Ruling stunned many South Africans, including legal analysts
September 13, 2014

Pretoria, South Africa: Evasive, negligent, unreasonable, hasty and at times a dishonest witness. Oscar Pistorius is all those things, but he is not a murderer, Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled on Thursday.
Pistorius crumpled, sobbing, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably after Masipa delivered her verdict clearing him of murder charges in the shooting death of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, on Valentine’s Day 2013.
 
The ruling stunned many South Africans, including legal analysts, igniting speculation that Masipa had made a mistake that could provide a basis for an appeal. But despite widespread sentiment on social media and elsewhere that Pistorius had gotten away with murder, the case was not over.
“It is clear that his conduct was negligent,” Masipa said before she halted proceedings until Friday.
Prosecutors, who contended that Pistorius wanted to kill Steenkamp after they had an argument, may appeal the murder acquittal.
Masipa said on Thursday that Pistorius, a double amputee who competed in the 2012 Olympics in London running on prosthetic legs, used excessive, unreasonable force when he fired four shots into a toilet door in his bathroom, killing Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model.
“I am not convinced that a reasonable person with the accused’s disability would have fired four shots into that small toilet cubicle,” Masipa said. “I am of the view that the accused acted too hastily and used excessive force.”
She accepted his defence that he acted in fear, believing there was an intruder in the cubicle.
There were gasps in the court as Masipa adjourned for the day.
Pistorius, 27, left court looking calmer than he had for much of the trial, and was driven to his uncle Arnold’s mansion in Waterkloof, an upscale Pretoria suburb. In an indication of the optimistic mood, the family sent out a domestic worker, in a blue uniform with a white kerchief on her head, to serve drinks from a tray to journalists.
Pistorius won fame and adulation for running in the Olympic Games, attracting sponsorships worth millions. The sponsors abruptly dropped him after the murder charge, and he appeared to lose public support after his poor performance on the witness box.
His acquittal on the murder charge raises the question of whether the athlete may be able to resume a sporting career. But the emotional frailty he showed throughout the trial, weeping frequently and vomiting on hearing descriptions of Steenkamp’s wounds, may have irreparably damaged the Pistorius brand that sponsors once clamoured for.
The trial revealed a side of the athlete as an anxious, insecure person, paranoid about his safety, with a short fuse. The court heard that Pistorius loved guns, had an intimate knowledge of different kinds of high-powered guns and ammunition, and never went anywhere without a loaded weapon. The prosecutor, Gerrie Nel, accused him of reckless behaviour regarding firearms.
The Pistorius family has been through deep trauma over many months, including the threat of a murder conviction for Oscar Pistorius and the near-death in a car accident last month of his older brother, Carl. Carl Pistorius was in court in a wheelchair Thursday, hugging his brother and winking at him before the court resumed after a long lunch break. Carl Pistorius faced culpable homicide charges last year over a separate car accident but was acquitted.
Much of the most dramatic evidence in the trial _ such as Steenkamp’s cellphone message to Pistorius saying that he sometimes scared her, or revelations that a policeman stole a watch from the athlete’s bedroom hours after the killing _ was ruled irrelevant.
The judge also rejected neighbour Michelle Burger’s testimony that she heard a woman’s blood-curdling screams the night of the shooting, calling Burger an unreliable witness. As she dismissed testimony of another neighbour who claimed to have heard an argument that night, the state’s case of premeditated murder of Steenkamp swiftly toppled.
“The state has not proved beyond reasonable doubt that the accused is guilty of premeditated murder. There are just not enough facts to support this finding,” Masipa said.
Many South African were surprised that the judge, though she found that Pistorius was dishonest when he repeatedly insisted that he never intended to fire the fatal shots, still acquitted him of murder. But Masipa cited a legal precedent cautioning a judge against a conviction just because an accused person lied under oath.
“He was not truthful when asked about his intentions that morning as he armed himself with a lethal weapon,” Masipa said, but “untruthful evidence does not always justify the conclusion that the accused was guilty.”
According to Pistorius, Steenkamp got up in the middle of the night without his noticing. He heard a noise in the bathroom and became convinced there was an intruder inside. Thinking she was still in bed, he grabbed a gun, screamed at her to call the police, approached the bathroom and fired the four shots that killed her. Steenkamp was struck in the head, arm, hip and hand.
During cross-examination, Pistorius floundered as the prosecutor questioned him aggressively about the details of what happened that night.
“The accused was a very poor witness,” Masipa said. “During his evidence in chief he seemed composed and logical with the result that his evidence flowed and made sense.” But under cross-examination, “he lost composure” and seemed mainly concerned with the implications of his statements for his legal fate.
She said he fired unlawfully because there was no threat to his life. Instead he could have called 24-hour security service or police, or run to the balcony and called for help.
Masipa’s acquittal of Pistorius on the premeditated murder charge was widely expected, but her decision to acquit on a lesser murder charge ignited a debate among legal analysts on whether she made an error on which the prosecution could base an appeal
.
On the less serious murder count, the judge ruled that Pistorius couldn’t have foreseen he would kill Steenkamp because he thought she was in bed. But legal analysts said that if he foresaw that shooting would kill anyone in the cubicle — regardless of whether he thought it was Steenkamp or an intruder — he ought to be convicted of murder.
James Grant, professor of law at Witwatersrand University, tweeted that arguably she had made an error in law.
Defense advocate David Dadic said on Twitter, “With all due respect to the judge, but it seems the pages in that big bundle have been mixed up,” a reference to the thick wad of pages in her judgement.
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« Reply #165 on: September 13, 2014, 10:24:10 AM »

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-09-13/five-key-pieces-of-evidence-in-pistorius-trial/5739032
Oscar Pistorius: Five key pieces of evidence in the Blade Runner's trial
September 13, 2014
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« Reply #166 on: September 13, 2014, 11:15:43 PM »



http://www.tsn.ca/story/?id=461690
MACRAMALLA: JUDGE MADE ERROR DURING CONVICTION OF PISTORIUS
September 13, 2014

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« Reply #167 on: October 12, 2014, 03:00:32 PM »

http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/10/12/oscar-pistorius-faces-sentencing-this-week-for-killing-girlfriend-in-his-south/?intcmp=latestnews
Oscar Pistorius faces sentencing this week
October 12, 2014

JOHANNESBURG –  What kind of sentence will Oscar Pistorius get for killing girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp?

South African judge Thokozile Masipa has wide latitude in deciding the sentence after several days of legal arguments and testimony that begin Monday. Last month she convicted the double-amputee runner of culpable homicide, or negligent killing. Sentences for such a crime can range from a suspended sentence and a fine to as many as 15 years in prison.

Pistorius, once a celebrated athlete who ran in the 2012 Olympics, was charged with premeditated murder in a televised trial that transfixed many people around the world, but Masipa found him not guilty of that charge. She drew criticism from some South Africans who thought Pistorius could at least have been convicted of a lesser murder charge on the grounds that he knew a person could die when he fired four bullets through a toilet door in his home early on Valentine's Day last year.

Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, died in the hail of bullets, and prosecutors said Pistorius had opened fire in anger after the couple argued. The runner testified that he mistook Steenkamp for an intruder who was about to come out of the toilet and attack him.

South African lawyers vary widely in predictions about what kind of sentence Pistorius will get. Some say he is unlikely to go to jail because defense lawyers will successfully argue that the athlete is a first-time offender with a disability that would subject him to particular hardship in prison, while others anticipate that Pistorius will be sentenced to some prison time because of the severity of his crime.
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« Reply #168 on: October 13, 2014, 08:06:22 AM »

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/10/13/us-safrica-pistorius-idUSKCN0I20YW20141013?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews
Social worker says Pistorius should get house arrest, community service
October; 13, 2014

(Reuters) - South African track star Oscar Pistorius should serve three years of partial house arrest and community service for the negligent killing of his girlfriend, a witness said on Monday at the first day of the athlete's sentencing.

The 27-year-old Paralympic and Olympic star, whose lower legs were amputated as a baby, was convicted of culpable homicide last month for the shooting of 29-year-old law graduate and model Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013.

The case has riveted South Africans and gripped millions around the world, shocked by the fall of a man widely admired as an inspiration for disabled people and a symbol of triumph over adversity.

Arguing against a prison term, correctional services social worker Joel Maringa said Pistorius was a "co-operative" person who should be sentenced to three years of "correctional supervision", which would mean the athlete would have to spend a portion of the day at home.

Maringa also said Pistorius should carry out community service, such as sweeping the streets outside museums in Pretoria.

State prosecutor Gerrie Nel, who is pushing for a lengthy prison sentence, described the social worker's recommendations as "shockingly inappropriate".

Judge Thokozile Masipa will hear arguments from prosecution and defense, possibly for as long as a day each, and from psychological and probation experts before deciding on sentencing.

Earlier the court heard from Pistorius' psychologist Dr Lore Hartzenberg, who said the athlete was a caring, remorseful person who was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and sometimes spent sessions weeping as she held him.
 
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« Reply #169 on: October 13, 2014, 12:16:50 PM »

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29591517
Oscar Pistorius community service call angers prosecutor
October 13, 2014

 
Lawyers for Pistorius are hoping they can prevent a jail sentence.

His psychologist, Lore Hartzenberg, was the first defence witness to speak at the sentencing hearing.
She described Pistorius as a "broken man" after the killing. She said he was "very emotional" during grief therapy sessions, which were often disrupted by his weeping and retching.

Mr Nel said it was "very strange" that Ms Hartzenberg was "avoiding" answering questions about Mr Pistorius having a new relationship.

Ms Hartzenberg said Mr Pistorius had never mentioned a new girlfriend in the therapy sessions. She said she had only heard about the relationship from reports in the press.

The Paralympic sprinter had strenuously denied murdering Ms Steenkamp after a row on Valentine's Day last year, saying he shot her by mistake.

Ms Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model and law graduate, was hit three times by bullets shot through a toilet door by Pistorius at his home in the capital, Pretoria.

'Disbelief'
The parents of Ms Steenkamp said "justice was not served" after Pistorius was acquitted of murder.

June and Barry Steenkamp told NBC News of their "disbelief" that the court had believed Pistorius' version of event
s.

Earlier, Arnold Pistorius, the athlete's uncle, said the family was "deeply grateful" to the judge for finding him not guilty of murder and that a "big burden" had been lifted.

South Africa's prosecuting authority said it was "disappointed" that Pistorius was not convicted of murder but said it would wait until after sentencing to decide whether to appeal.

Despite the conviction, the International Paralympic Committee has said Pistorius will be allowed to compete in future events.
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« Reply #170 on: October 14, 2014, 09:06:26 AM »

BBM Yes, I would imagine "The exposure of the accused on his stumps to inmates will have a severe effect on him", but I also believe the bullets fired from his gun through the bathroom door had a severe effect on Reeva.... 


http://abcnews.go.com/International/oscar-pistorius-paying-steenkamp-family-shooting/story?id=26175137
Oscar Pistorius Has Been Paying Steenkamp Family Since the Shooting
October 14, 2014

Convicted paralympian Oscar Pistorius has been making financial payments to the family of Reeva Steenkamp, the girlfriend he killed last Valentine's Day, since shortly after the fatal shooting and he intends to set up a trust fund for the family once the sentencing is over, according to testimony at his sentencing trial today.

The financial revelation came as a probation officer warned the court that if the legless Pistorius is sentenced to prison he would be vulnerable to attacks by other inmates, particularly if his prosthetic legs were taken away from him.

Probation officer Annette Vergeer was the second law enforcement official to suggest Pistorius be spared prison despite being convicted of culpable homicide - the equivalent of manslaughter - in Steenkamp's death. On Monday, a corrections social worker urged the court to sentence Pistorius to three years of house arrest along with community service.

Pistorius, a champion sprinter known as the Blade Runner for his prosthetic blades, could be sentenced to as much as 15 years in prison.

Vergeer also told the court that Pistorius has been making monthly payments of $530 (6,000 Rand) a month to the Steenkamp family since March 2013, one month after their daughter's death.
The probation officer said the Pistorius sold his car for about $34,000 (375,000 Rand), but the Steenkamps rejected the money, Vergeer said.

"Mrs. Steenkamp said she did not want blood money," prosecutor Gerrien Nel said. Nel also said that the Steenkamps intended to repay the money from the monthly payments to Pistorius.

Earlier, Pistorius' agent Peet Van Zyl said that the sprinter intended to create a trust fund for the family once the trial was concluded.
 

Vergeer, testifying on the second day of Pistorius' sentencing phase, said he should not be sent to prison because with violence and overcrowding rampant in South African jails and the athlete vulnerable to attacks.

She said Pistorius would be especially vulnerable without his prosthetic legs. She believes he has the potential to be a productive member of society again, and suggested a three-year period of correctional supervision outside of prison.

"The exposure of the accused on his stumps to inmates will have a severe effect on him,” Vergeer said.

On Monday, Pistorius' psychologist Dr. Löre Hartzenberg testified that Pistorius was devastated by Steenkamp's death.

"We are left with a broken man who has lost everything. He’s lost his relationship with Reeva Steenkamp, he’s lost his moral and professional reputation. He’s lost his friends. He’s lost his career,” Hartzenberg said. “On an emotional level, his self-perception and self-worth have been damaged.”

Pistorius' sentencing hearing is expected to last around a week. While the prosecutor has not indicated how many witnesses he will call, it is expected that Pistorius' ex-girlfriend Samantha Taylor would be among them.

It is unclear if Steenkamp's parents will testify, although there are indications they won't be called to the stand. After witnesses are called on both sides, the state and defense will deliver closing arguments.
 
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« Reply #171 on: October 14, 2014, 08:15:22 PM »

http://www.news.com.au/world/africa/oscar-pistorius-sentencing-for-reeva-steenkamps-culpable-homicide-resumes/story-fnh81gzi-1227090384415
Oscar Pistorius sentencing for Reeva Steenkamp’s culpable homicide resumes
October 15, 2014

OSCAR Pistorius has paid the parents of his slain girlfriend a monthly payment of $623 since her death and offered them an additional lump sum of $39,000 but this has now been rejected as “blood money”.
Details of the previously unknown monthly stipend, paid since March last year, and the one-off payment offer were revealed for the first time at the Blade Runner’s sentencing hearing yesterday.
The Steenkamp family had previously intended to sue Pistorius in a civil action as their daughter had provided for them financially and her death had made life difficult for them.
It later emerged that details of the payments had been kept secret at Pistorius’ request. And the Steenkamps no longer want or need the money and will now be repaying every cent to Pistorius.

That was the version which came to light during the evidence yesterday of defence witness, probation officer Annette Vergeer, who was called by the Pistorius legal team to testify that prison would break him and serve no purpose.
But after court Pistorius legal team said this was not a true reflection of the situation regarding the money and they would put on record today their version of events.

Prosecutor Gerrie Nel told the court that Pistorius had offered Barry and June Steenkamp an upfront payment of 375,000 Rand or $A39,000, which were the proceeds of the sale of his car, but it was rejected because they did not want “blood money” from their daughter’s killer.
And further, a 6000 Rand or $A623 monthly payment which Pistorius has been making to the Steenkamps since her death in March 2013, would now also be repaid.
“I can put on record that this money will be paid back to the accused in full, every cent,” Mr Nel said.

Later outside court Dup De Bruyn, the Steenkamp’s lawyer, said the couple would no longer pursue a civil action against the athlete and would repay him as their circumstances had now changed.
Mrs Steenkamp has secured a book deal and it is understood the family has received money for media interviews in the wake of the verdict, which found Pistorius guilty of the culpable homicide of Ms Steenkamp but not guilty of premeditated murder.
Revelation of the payments and the blood money claims came during Ms Vergeer’s evidence. She had used his offers of payment to his slain girlfriend’s parents to highlight that his remorse over the shooting death was genuine.

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« Reply #172 on: October 15, 2014, 08:07:36 AM »

http://gulfnews.com/news/world/other-world/pistorius-blood-money-row-deepens-1.1399180
Pistorius ‘blood money’ row deepens
Reeva Steenkamp’s family express shock over revelation

October 15, 2014

PRETORIA: Lawyers for Reeva Steenkamp’s family on Wednesday expressed shock that Oscar Pistorius’s defence team revealed details of secret “blood money” payments during a heated courtroom arguments over his sentencing.
In a statement on behalf of the slain model’s parents, lawyers said they had “honoured” a request from the athlete not to reveal payments of $540 (Dh1,983) made each month after Pistorius killed her on Valentine’s Day 2013.
“We were therefore quite surprised yesterday when this fact was disclosed in court without any prior warning to us,” the statement said.
During a sentencing hearing on Tuesday, a defence witness referred to the payments as evidence Pistorius was remorseful about shooting his 29-year-old girlfriend four times through a bathroom door, believing she was an intruder.
The revelation prompted angry suggestions that Pistorius’s team had opportunistically revealed the payments to reduce his likelihood of going to jail.
 
Claims about Pistorius’s vulnerability and remorse could be central in deciding which way the scales of justice tip.
The defence has suggested Pistorius clean a museum for 16 hours a week as punishment for killing Steenkamp, drawing a furious reaction from the state.
Prosecutor Gerrie Nel described the suggestion as “shockingly inappropriate”.
On Tuesday, a visibly irate Nel told court that the Olympian also offered the dead model’s family a one off “blood money” payment of nearly $35,000, which the family rejected.
“Did the legal team of the accused tell you that the deceased family rejected the offer of 375,000 (rand) (Dh124,235)?” Nel asked witness, probation officer Annette Vergeer.
Stenekamp’s parents said they will repay the roughly $10,000 received from Pistorius “as soon as arrangements can be made in that regard”.
“It was always the intention of the parents that the amounts... would be set-off against any civil claim that they were going to institute,” the statement said.
The parents have now decided not to continue with a civil claim.
The sentencing hearing continued on Wednesday with Vergeer being cross-examined by the prosecution.
She had warned that a jail stretch would “break” Pistorius and claimed it was not in the interest of justice.
“Without legs he will be vulnerable and a lot more vulnerable than the normal man,” said Vergeer, a parole officer who was paid for her work for the defence.
“I’ve recently done a case for rape within the prison, gang rape. How can we say that he won’t be exposed to that?” she said, adding that washing his stumps may also be a problem.
South Africa’s department of correctional services has said Pistorius could be entitled to separate accommodation “depending on the vulnerability caused by the disability”.
There is little doubt that the prison system in South Africa is in a bad state, with violence, overcrowding and criminal behaviour all endemic.
Since the hearing began on Monday, the tone in court has become increasing terse.
Prosecutors have poured scorn on the defence’s portrayal of the double amputee known as the “Blade Runner” as a caring and charitable athlete.
Nel told the sentencing hearing that Pistorius’s charity work was nothing unusual for a superstar athlete, arguing he was primarily motivated by personal fame and fulfilling his contractual duties with major sponsors, including Oakley and Nike.
“It is merely an advancement of your career to become involved,” Nel said in a scathing cross-examination of Pistorius’s long-time manager, Peet Van Zyl.
“I think a lot of sportsman want to make a difference and contribute,” replied Van Zyl.
The state has indicated it will call at least two witnesses, whose testimony is expected to wrap up on Wednesday or Thursday.
Both the state and defence have 14 days to appeal Masipa’s decision.
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« Reply #173 on: October 15, 2014, 10:09:31 AM »

http://abcnews.go.com/International/parents-oscar-pistorius-homicide-victim-testify/story?id=26208958
Parents of Oscar Pistorius' Homicide Victim Won't Testify Against Him
October 15, 2014

The parents of Reeva Steenkamp said today they will remain "neutral" and not testify against Oscar Pistorius in the penalty phase of Pistorius' trial for the culpable homicide of their daughter.

The statement came a day after revelations in court that Pistorius had been making monthly payments to Barry and June Steenkamp since shortly after the Valentine's Day 2013 shooting of their daughter.

Her parents were struggling financially at the time, and Pistorius, through his lawyers, offered to give the family monthly payments of about $530 for rent and living expenses, payments that continued from March 2013 until September 2014, according to the statement.

In the statement released today, the Steenkamps' lawyers stated, "We have advised the parents to remain neutral in regard to sentence in the sense that they should not be seen to attempt to influence the sentence in any way."
 
Pistorius, 27, was found guilty last month of culpable homicide, the rough equivalent of manslaughter, in the 2013 shooting. The champion sprinter known as the Blade Runner could be sentenced to as much as 15 years in prison. He could also avoid prison and receive a fine and suspended sentence. House arrest is also an option, and that has been suggested by a social worker and a probation officer called by Pistorius' defense.

The prosecution began presenting its case today. Closing arguments will follow before Judge Thokozile Masipa renders a sentence.

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« Reply #174 on: October 16, 2014, 12:47:08 PM »

   I wonder what effect if any this may have to do with Oscar's sentencing?

http://abcnews.go.com/International/prison-threat-oscar-pistorius-raised-court/story?id=26235208
Prison Threat to Have Oscar Pistorius 'Taken Out' Raised in Court
October 16, 2014

A notorious prison gang leader has threatened to have Oscar Pistorius "taken out" if he is sent to prison and receives any special considerations, Pistorius' lawyer told a court today.

Lawyer Barry Roux brought up the alleged threat to Pistorius while challenging a prison official's claim that the legless sprinter could be kept safe in South Africa's prison system.
 
In pressing for a prison sentence, the prosecution called acting national commissioner of correctional services Zach Modise who rejected claims by a defense witness that Pistorius would face inhumane conditions and the possibility of being assaulted if he is sent to jail.

"There were threats against Mr. Pistorius. Don't they bring this to your attention?" Roux asked Modise.

Modise said he was not aware of threats and none of them had been brought to his attention.

Roux produced a March 5 edition of the Pretoria News that included an interview with Khalil Subjee, the alleged leader of the 26s prison gang.

Reading from the article, Roux told the court that Subjee called the paper from a prison call box, saying: "If he thinks he is going to come here and buy his way to get computers and cellphones and a lavish lifestyle, he must know that will never happen for as long as I am around." Subjee is quoted by the paper saying Pistorius would "be taken out" if that was the situation.

The acting prison boss said that should if Pistorius is sent to prison, he would be kept in the hospital section, where his disability can be catered for.

A key person for the prosecution's case today was Steenkamp's cousin Kim Martin who testified that Pistorius must “pay for what he’s done,” and his apology to the family of the girlfriend he shot dead in 2013 was not sincere.

Martin’s testimony came on the fourth day of the athlete’s sentencing hearing, which is expected to end this week.

"My lady, I really believe the accused, Mr. Pistorius, needs to pay for what he's done," Martin testified before Judge Thokozile Masipa.

Martin said her family is seeking justice, not revenge, for the Valentine’s Day 2013 death.

"We just feel to take somebody's life, to shoot somebody behind the door who is unarmed, who is harmless, needs sufficient punishment," she said.
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« Reply #175 on: October 16, 2014, 12:50:35 PM »

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/17/world/africa/oscar-pistorius-sentencing-hearing.html
Oscar Pistorius’s Sentencing Hearing Shifts Focus to South Africa’s Prisons
October 16, 2014

Gerrie Nel, the chief prosecutor, also called Zach Modise, the acting head of South Africa’s correctional services, to testify that the country’s prisons — depicted by the defense as overcrowded, harsh and unhealthy environments dominated by criminal gangs — were equipped for disabled people, offering single-cell accommodation, vocational training, health care, sports facilities and gyms.

Mr. Modise acknowledged that there were gangs “trying to take over” prisons but said that correctional officers had developed a strategy to try to curb their power. Under cross-examination by a defense lawyer, Barry Roux, Mr. Modise said a hospital wing would provide the most suitable accommodation in prison for a disabled person.

Asked to provide statistics for the Kgosi Mampuru prison in Pretoria, Mr. Modise said it had 7,000 inmates, one doctor and five psychologists. He declined to guarantee that Mr. Pistorius would be housed in a hospital wing if sentenced to a prison term.

“There’s nothing that’s taken for granted on admission,” he said.

Judge Masipa later adjourned the trial until Friday for final arguments by the defense and prosecution lawyers, who can both appeal the sentence she hands down. She did not say when she would decide on Mr. Pistorius’s punishment.
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« Reply #176 on: October 16, 2014, 06:37:51 PM »

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-10-16/pistorius-court-told-he-would-go-to-prison-hospital-if-jailed
Pistorius Court Told He Would Go to Prison Hospital If Jailed
October 16, 2014



Oscar Pistorius would be held in a prison hospital if he’s sentenced to jail for his manslaughter conviction in the killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on Valentine’s Day last year, South Africa’s head of prisons said.

Double-amputee Pistorius, 27, would probably be sent to the Kgosi Mampuru prison in Pretoria, Zach Modise, the acting national commissioner for correctional services, told the High Court today during the Paralympic gold medalist’s sentencing hearing.

Modise was the last witness called by prosecutor Gerrie Nel in the hearing. He and defense attorney Barry Roux will present their final arguments today. Judge Thokozile Masipa, 67, will hand down a sentence that may range from as many as 15 years in prison to as little as a fine.

“I can assure this court that he will go to the hospital section because we know that Mr. Pistorius is a person with a disability,” Modise said. As head of prisons, Modise said he had the power to decide where an inmate can be detained “depending on the individual needs.”

Two witnesses called by Roux this week said Pistorius should receive a sentence of three years’ house arrest with community service.

Steenkamp’s cousin, Kim Martin, told the court yesterday that Pistorius must serve time in prison.
 
Masipa cleared Pistorius of murder charges before convicting him of culpable homicide for killing Steenkamp when he fired four hollow-point bullets through a toilet door in his house. Pistorius said he thought Steenkamp was an intruder.
 
Known as the Blade Runner because of his J-shaped prosthetic running blades, Pistorius was the first double amputee to compete in the Olympics. His trial drew a worldwide audience and derailed the running career of the winner of six Paralympic gold medals and cost Pistorius sponsorship deals with Nike Inc. (NKE:US) and Luxottica Group SpA (LUX)’s Oakley.

After his conviction, Masipa extended his bail of 1 million rand ($90,000). Pistorius will be free to compete at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro as long as the judge doesn’t hand down a multiple-year jail term, South Africa’s Olympic Committee said last month.
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« Reply #177 on: October 16, 2014, 06:40:45 PM »

http://www.timeslive.co.za/news/2014/10/17/we-will-look-after-oscar-say-jailbirds
We will look after Oscar, say jailbirds
October 17, 2014

Oscar Pistorius's safety in prison is guaranteed. This is according to prisoners at Pretoria's Kgosi Mampuru II prison, to which Pistorius is likely to be sent should the Pretoria High Court sentence him to serve time in jail.

"People here are lovers not haters," one prisoner told The Times. "All Mr Pistorius need do is associate himself with positive people."

If imprisoned by Judge Thokozile Masipa, Pistorius is likely to live in a single cell in the prison's hospital wing, acting national commissioner for correctional services Zach Modise testified in court yesterday.

Several prisoners serving time at Kgosi Mampuru II yesterday said that Pistorius's fears about his wellbeing in prison were unwarranted.

One prisoner, serving 15 years for armed robbery and speaking on condition of anonymity, said: "It is his fame that will give him his protection ... that and whatever money he has to buy . the necessaries. Bartering in prison is the game ... cigarettes and money. If you have or can get them, then you are fine," he said.

He said the advice of prisoners - who had been watching the trial on mobile satellite-TV devices - was that Pistorius should associate with the "right people".

"Associate with the right people, the lovers: those who see a future for themselves outside prison. Your protection through your fame is a definite. Everyone knows you.

"Pistorius will have people who clean and wash for him, do things for him," he said.

"The gangs will obviously try to protect him, make promises and offers, especially the senior members. Any cellphone he wants is his. A smart- phone, BlackBerry. It is already being organised. The airtime is there.

"He need not worry about his family, he can Skype with them any time. People in here are getting ready for him, organising things he might want or need.

"We will make sure he remains the fastest man in the world with no legs. People know Mr Pistorius is a no-go, off limits to any form of harm. Those protecting him will not hesitate to do what they must to ensure his protection, but this comes at a cost."

Golden Miles Bhudu, of the SA Prisoners' Organisation for Human Rights, said the protection Pistorius would receive in prison would cost him and his family.

"Those inside, including the warders, will run over themselves to protect and help him. In the end he will live like a king because of his fame and wealth."

Outside court Modise was furious about the protection being offered to Pistorius by prisoners.

"Who are these people? How did they get cellphones? I want their numbers. They and you are breaking the law."

He said the offer of protection by prisoners for a fee "clearly means my officials are not doing their job".

 
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« Reply #178 on: October 20, 2014, 10:17:46 AM »

http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/pistorius-trial/oscar-pistorius-siblings-say-they-fully-support-brother-he-faces-n229671
Oscar Pistorius' Siblings Say They Fully Support Brother as He Faces Sentencing
October 20, 2014

Oscar Pistorius’ brother and sister said they have no doubts over whether their brother is telling the truth about the fatal shooting of Reeva Steenkamp, telling NBC News on the eve of the athlete's sentencing that they'll stand by him no matter what.

Pistorius is expected to learn hear Tuesday whether he will go to prison for culpable homicide after shooting 29-year-old Reeva through a toilet door in his Pretoria apartment. He maintains he mistook his girlfriend for an intruder.
 

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« Reply #179 on: October 21, 2014, 08:23:49 AM »

I would be worried about this guy too. People here are lovers not haters," one prisoner told The Times
 
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