FSTDT Forums
Community => Society and History => Topic started by: Ultimate Paragon on September 11, 2014, 09:14:55 am
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http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oscar-pistorius-will-not-be-found-guilty-of-murder-104616981.html (http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oscar-pistorius-will-not-be-found-guilty-of-murder-104616981.html)
Oscar Pistorius has been found not guilty of murdering Reeva Steenkamp.
The stunning development was revealed as Judge Thokozile Masipa read her summation of the evidence Thursday in front of a packed courthouse in Pretoria, South Africa, and a worldwide television audience.
Masipa has yet to hand down her final decision, which will come Friday. She did reveal in the waning moments of Thursday's summation that she determined Pistorious to have been "negligent," which means he could still be found guilty of culpable homicide, a conviction that comes with a maximum of 15 years in prison but carries no mandatory jail sentence.
"He acted too hastily and used excessive force," Masipa said.
Pistorius also faces gun charges that carry potential prison sentences.
But a murder charge is out, for the time being anyway. The prosecution can appeal the decision and, if they do, Pistorius could still be convicted of murder, according to legal experts contacted by Yahoo Sports.
All along, the prosecution pressed for a conviction for cold-blooded murder. But the Blade Runner has always maintained it was a tragic accident, that he shot his girlfriend in the pre-dawn hours of Valentine's morning last year in a moment of terror, believing that he was protecting them both from an intruder locked behind a bathroom door.
In her summation, Masipa said the prosecution "failed to show requisite intention to kill the deceased, let alone premeditation."
Masipa called Pistorius a "very poor witness," saying he was "evasive" in the face of prosecution questioning. Still, in her opinion that did not warrant a guilty verdict on the charge of premeditated murder, or even dolus eventualis – the grey area between premeditated murder and culpable homicide.
Under dolus eventualis, if Pistorius should have foreseen that his actions could result in death, yet recklessly proceeded anyway, it still would have been considered murder in South African law. That would have come with a minimum sentence of 15 years.
Something tells me this trial won't be the end of it.
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Wow, I did not see that verdict coming. Suddenly I'm reminded of OJ Simpson for some reason.
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"Innocent until proven guilty" sometimes bites you in the ass.
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"Innocent until proven guilty" sometimes bites you in the ass.
Any rape victim can tell you that.
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"Innocent until proven guilty" sometimes bites you in the ass.
Any rape victim can tell you that.
Yup.
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I'm imagining the he didn't plan the murder, most likely got into an argument and decided to shoot her.
Also, shouldn't he still get jail time for manslaughter.
Even if what he's saying is true then he's still guilty of something.
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I would comment about you all being dip shits for making snarky comments about this man's ruined life, but I'm too shocked at you to do so. He's suffered enough.
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I would comment about you all being dip shits for making snarky comments about this man's ruined life, but I'm too shocked at you to do so. He's suffered enough.
Ehh. People will suffer, and if you can't laugh about it, you're just going to be crying about it. I'd rather laugh than cry.
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I'm imagining the he didn't plan the murder, most likely got into an argument and decided to shoot her.
Also, shouldn't he still get jail time for manslaughter.
Even if what he's saying is true then he's still guilty of something.
Given his history of violence and gun negligence, the not murder verdict is pretty unusual.
Given the evidence presented, the timelines, the history, everything, the most likely scenario is he and Reeva got into a fight because he thought she was cheating on him. A reasonable emotional response for someone with a disability as disabilities tend to take a serious toll on ones self esteem. Add in his ego and history of violence it makes sense that he would react with lethal violence towards her.
However, now that I think about it, I dont think he fired the gun to kill her. As heated as the argument most definitely was, he was probably frustrated that she had locked herself off from him in the bathroom, and wanted to use the gun to show dominance and to scare her out of hiding / force her out. (Yes this makes very little logical sense, but remember emotions cause logic to skip tracks.)
I guess it really is the fine line between gross negligence resulting in a death and unintended murder.
However, I sincerely hope he goes to prison. I get the feeling that his wealth and prestige has already gotten him out of the murder seat, and I suspect it will get him out of prison. If he actually ends up going to prison I might end up feeling marginally more confident out my countries legal system.
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Well, he's been found guilty of culpable homicide.
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oscar-pistorius-found-guilty-of-negligent-homicide-082559102.html (http://sports.yahoo.com/news/oscar-pistorius-found-guilty-of-negligent-homicide-082559102.html)
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Innocent untill proven guilty.
While Masipa considered Pistorius to be a "very poor witness," she ultimately determined that he bears no onus to prove his innocence, that it is the state's job to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and that, in her opinion, the prosecution did not do.
Their case against Pistorius was built mainly on circumstantial evidence that was, in her words, "inconclusive" and not enough for a court to use to make any "inferences."
This is how the courts work and since the prosecution could not prove that this was intentional and premeditated murder then they can't sentence him for murder.
Still there is no denying that he did kill her and I just wonder what kind of sentence he gets as these other crimes have no minimum jail time. (They might give him a maximum or near maximum punishment simply because it was likely if not almost certain that he did do it intentionally.)
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I would comment about you all being dip shits for making snarky comments about this man's ruined life, but I'm too shocked at you to do so. He's suffered enough.
Pro tip:
If you don't want your life ruined by culpable murder verdicts then try not shooting people. Doesn't matter if his wife was the intended victim or not, he unquestionably was trying to kill someone, he's admitted that much. So I've little sympathy; he's a murderer and deserves everything that's happening to him. Fucking sue me.
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He fired so fast he missed hearing her screaming in fear and pain? Or he thought it was a female burglar? I think he was in a seeing-red rage at that moment. Too bad he had a gun at hand.
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Yeah, the guy sounds to stupid to plan out a murder, more likely he angry or had some bullshit plan to "intimidate" her or whatever.
Also, I think shooting at someone who doesn't pose a direct threat to you is unethical even if they are a burglar.
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Yeah, sorry, it may have been done in the heat of the moment, but he still fuckin killed somebody, and he's now being punished for it. Also, you notice how when one or more people post something snarky/angry in a thread where it might actually be warranted, there's always at least one person coming in on their high horse blathering about how we're all bad people or some shit? Get the fuck over yourselves, jesus.
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Yeah, sorry, it may have been done in the heat of the moment, but he still fuckin killed somebody, and he's now being punished for it. Also, you notice how when one or more people post something snarky/angry in a thread where it might actually be warranted, there's always at least one person coming in on their high horse blathering about how we're all bad people or some shit? Get the fuck over yourselves, jesus.
I didn't mean it was ok, or that the guy shouldn't be charged with 3rd or 2nd degree murder.
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They're saying he won't be able to go to jail because of his disabilities.
Ironbite-fuck that, take his damn legs and put him in a wheelchair.