Glad hes going to prison. He gung ho attitude with guns is a disgrace. I found his testimony to be bizarre and his general tone hinted at self pity, impatience, temper and used to demanding his own way. He seems emotionally unstable too. I just cant believe what he did? was he drunk? Reading his angry text messages before too hint at a person with serious issues. dreadful business, my love goes out to reeva and her family and friends

Guilty of Culpable Homicide. Right decision. His 12 months House Arrest will probably be considered for the sentence.

yes. if hes a good boy from now on and seeks counselling and so on , good behaviour in prison , if he survives it, then it could be fewer than 5 years

It could be a lot less, some experts feel she may even suspend any prison sentence.
This is a really odd case and I say again,I am really grateful for our way of law than the South African way.

The jury system defo has to go!

Completely agree about our legal system. And yes, I was reading a suspended sentence might be likely.

What do you intend to replace it with, exactly?

There isn't a Jury in south Africa. It is down to the Judge.

Getting away with Murder
 

I was quite surprised by the outcome of the Oscar Pistorius trial as it stands so far. I don't buy his story at all, it seems ridiculously far fetched that you wouldn't alert your girlfriend to a possible intruder, call out to her, check she is in bed or get her to call the cops while you investigate. It seems incredible that someone would shoot through a locked door four times without knowing who was on the other side and where other people in the household were. I feel so sorry for her family, they must be in agony that he appears to be getting off lightly.

I think they had a row, she locked herself in the bathroom, he went and got his gun.

Thoughts anyone?

I am surprised too. Wait is he going to jail? I know he is guilty of at least one charge. He should go to jail for at least 20 years.

They were saying on the news he may get community service or something. He is still on bail. He has been nightclubbing while on bail apparently. So um you kill your lover and feel ok to go nightclubbing while on trial for murder? :shrug: If I killed someone I cared about by accident I'd be in a dark room, rocking!

Justice... from the same country that brought you apartheid. I know none of us know all the facts of the trial, but from what we do know, to hear he may get a suspended sentence, or even community service just sounds ridiculous to me.

All I can say is, if it was my daughter, he would be well advised to request a lengthy stay in a nice, safe prison cell.

We don't know, the next sentencing hearing starts on 13th October,however what he has been found guilty of means for that, he can only go to prison for up to 15 years maximum.
So if she decides on a prison term then it is likely to be a lot less after her thoughts as to summing up the original murder charges too which she acquitted him on.

There is also a gun charge she found him guilty of too but that is more likely to be a fine according to some experts interviewed.

So we, and he, still don't know if he is going to prison, at least in our system an accused found guilty of something is told they likely face a custodial sentence.
Whereas here, this Judge hasn't indicated any thoughts as to what possible sentence she will be or even may be looking at.

He KILLED someone. He deserves jail time I don't care the reason besides self defense. And this was not self defense because he wasn't attacked, he only "assumed" there was an intruder behind the door.

Yep, the judge got it wrong, he intended to kill the person behind the door, his gun was loaded with explosive bullets. It doesn't matter that as he claims he thought it was someone other than Reeva.

He is guilty of murder.

Bang On Right

I'm sorry but just don't buy any of the defence's story, all the crying in the world by Mr Pistorius doesn't alter the facts in this case.

He shot someone 4 times in locked toilet cubicle so he he intended to cause harm and/or death to that person. So that is enough for murder in the second degree.

But reading the circumstances in this case I would argue he had a massive argument with his girlfriend for whatever reason and she decided to take refuge from him in the toilet upon which he deliberately fired his gun at her 4 times with intent to murder. So for me the sentence should be murder in the first degree ie premeditated murder.

I don't buy any of this intruder nonsense , utter baloney he lived in gated community and was known for having firearms , besides intruders in South Africa usually come through the front door and make lots of noise to frighten the homeowners, sometimes they go to the kitchen and boil water to assail their victims with. They do not I repeat do not hide in toilets.

Utter nonsense , what happened that night is pretty clear to most people and in a jury trial I'm pretty sure he would have been found guilty .

I feel sorry for the parents and family of Reva Steenkamp as they have not had justice. This trial has been hijacked by the media and has been used to further certain political aims.

I only hope he serves a reasonable amount of jail time but am fearful this farcical trial may even pass a non custodial sentence.

I agree with all you say really Nedusa, however as to the bit in bold, the Judge has said she is satisfied that was not his intention and that the State hasn't persuaded her otherwise.
She has found him guilty of culpable homicide but onlt from being negligent and using excessive force.

For the time this trial has taken and its stops and starts,I applaud even more our Law system, which can take a lot of time to get through the courts at times too but I believe is far more reflective and accurate as to the results.

Watching the trial documentary on bBC3... Thought they would try and make on he was innocent... But it's been very non-biased

I totally think he did it on purpose though... A witness heard women's screams before he shot her! Like what the hell

And other witnesses heard Male screams. Judge rightfully decided the witness reports couldn't to be a big factor in terms of deciding the decision.

That's not the only thing, the text messages just a few weeks beforehand, the position of her body in the bathroom and the fact people heard them screaming at each other before (other occasions)

I did think that there could well have been enough doubt for him not to get a murder conviction. If you look at all the evidence, both sides of the argument, and the judge's reasoning for her decision then you can see why he was acquitted on that charge

Also it should be remembered that the judge was a female who has a strong track record of giving harsh sentences to men who abuse women, and the main international and media pressure would have been pushing for a murder conviction. The fact she rejected that is more due to the prosecution's case not being strong enough, it isn't proof of corruption or a really messed up justice system imo.

Let's all take a moment to think about all the times he beat the **** out of women and terrorized women and didn't kill them. To get to this point, it means he has been terrorizing women for a long ass time.\\ then he finally killed one.

but according to the judge, that is "normal in relationships". because all relationships have conflict. south african women must feel very safe right now.

the prosecution's case was the cold hard facts, how was that enough??? you and I have a very different idea of justice bro.

Also, they said that Reeva had her bags packed, I didn't know that, makes it even more unbelievable tbh.

Speaking of that documentary, how weird were those drawings her parents showed that she drew when she was a teenager? :shocked: