South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (Full Version)

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cloudboy -> South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/9/2014 9:54:57 AM)

What happened:

Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, law school graduate and budding reality-television star, was shot to death through a locked bathroom door at Mr. Pistorius’s villa in a gated complex in Pretoria.

He (Pistorius, the shooter) has described the episode as a tragic accident, saying he mistook her for an intruder. The state has charged him with premeditated murder, which carries a minimum 25-year prison term on conviction.


Although this happened in another country, the facts are a text book example of "living in fear" and the stupid use of guns for "protection" and "self-defense."

--

In a newspaper article this week, the crime writer Margie Orford asked whether the notion of an intruder in crime-ridden South Africa was a reference to “the figure of the threatening black stranger,” which she said was “perhaps the most atavistic of white South African fears” molded by the specter of “swart gevaar,” or “black peril,” that underpinned apartheid.

“So many men in South Africa,” she added in the article, “exist in this state of macho hair-trigger tension in which action comes, all too often, before thought.”


"macho," "hair trigger tension," "action before thought"
---- Where have we seen these elements combine before?




BamaD -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/9/2014 10:30:25 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: cloudboy

What happened:

Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, law school graduate and budding reality-television star, was shot to death through a locked bathroom door at Mr. Pistorius’s villa in a gated complex in Pretoria.

He (Pistorius, the shooter) has described the episode as a tragic accident, saying he mistook her for an intruder. The state has charged him with premeditated murder, which carries a minimum 25-year prison term on conviction.


Although this happened in another country, the facts are a text book example of "living in fear" and the stupid use of guns for "protection" and "self-defense."

--

In a newspaper article this week, the crime writer Margie Orford asked whether the notion of an intruder in crime-ridden South Africa was a reference to “the figure of the threatening black stranger,” which she said was “perhaps the most atavistic of white South African fears” molded by the specter of “swart gevaar,” or “black peril,” that underpinned apartheid.

“So many men in South Africa,” she added in the article, “exist in this state of macho hair-trigger tension in which action comes, all too often, before thought.”


"macho," "hair trigger tension," "action before thought"
---- Where have we seen these elements combine before?

Yes Pistorius was stupid first rule of hunting, let alone self defense is don't shoot at something you can't see.




stef -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/9/2014 5:14:35 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: cloudboy

"macho," "hair trigger tension," "action before thought" ---- Where have we seen these elements combine before?

In most of your anti-firearm posts.




Politesub53 -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/9/2014 5:18:26 PM)

To be fair, Pistorius is on trial for murder and only using the excuse of an intruder for the shooting....... As reported so far, his story just doesnt hold up.




Rule -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/9/2014 8:27:47 PM)

I agree that all indications are that it was a coldblooded murder. The question what the judges will decide.




cloudboy -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/9/2014 8:38:36 PM)

Assuming it was not a premeditated murder, what makes someone live in such fear that they run for a firearm and shoot it at another so recklessly? Where does this fear come from and to what larger things can it be traced? Pistorius lived in a gated community with private guards..... In theory all Pistorius needs is another person living in world of imaginary fears and threats --- to believe his self defense claims.




VeryMercurial -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/9/2014 9:15:34 PM)

I think he is guilty and I hope he is convicted of 1st degree murder.




BamaD -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/9/2014 9:23:50 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: cloudboy

Assuming it was not a premeditated murder, what makes someone live in such fear that they run for a firearm and shoot it at another so recklessly? Where does this fear come from and to what larger things can it be traced? Pistorius lived in a gated community with private guards..... In theory all Pistorius needs is another person living in world of imaginary fears and threats --- to believe his self defense claims.

South Africa with a monster crime rate.




BamaD -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/9/2014 11:11:41 PM)

Still if he had used two brain cells he could have avoided this.




tj444 -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/10/2014 12:23:01 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: BamaD

Still if he had used two brain cells he could have avoided this.

it was in the middle of the night, if he was asleep, as he claims, he likely was not completely awake and aware & mistook what he heard and what he thought was going on..

I have a problem with some of the witness testimony.. humans make the worst witnesses and the ones that testified they heard shots and screams (when they only just woke up) could have been mistaken on if they were gun shots or the bat hitting the door to open in and the screams being the girls and not his.. when my alarm wakes me in the morning I sometimes am not awake enough and think its the telephone ringing.. so I discount their version of what they think they heard.. However, testimony given by others is harder to discount so I cant say how I feel about his guilt..

This is a hard one to call, imo.. I would not want to be the Judge in this case...

[sm=2cents.gif]




Kithra -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/10/2014 12:52:18 AM)

I admit up front that I've not been following the Pistorius trial. Having said that, I come up with only two alternatives based on the little I've read.

1. It was pre-meditated murder. Case closed.

2. It was that he thought there was an intruder inside the locked bathroom. He was awake enough to get his firearm and shoot through the door. The question I have is what imminent threat that requires shooting rather than calling the police/security guards is presented by a person on the other side of a closed door? Isn't a better solution to say in a loud voice, "Stay there in that room. If you start to open the door, I'm going to start shooting."

To my way of thinking, there is a large difference between a (potential) danger on the other side of a barrier and someone rushing towards you with nothing between you and them. First scenario is "wait and call for help." Second scenario is "shoot." Being half awake is not an excuse. When you have a gun, you take responsibility for your actions if you ever discharge it.




Politesub53 -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/10/2014 3:29:27 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: BamaD

Still if he had used two brain cells he could have avoided this.


Really ?........... You seem to set a different standard for those that kill someone in the US.

Maybe using a few brain cells would have stopped Zimmerman from following Martin, as he was asked.
Maybe a few brain cells would have stopped something from over reacting when popcorn was thrown at him.

I could go on but people will get the general idea.




tweakabelle -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/10/2014 7:00:07 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Politesub53


quote:

ORIGINAL: BamaD

Still if he had used two brain cells he could have avoided this.


Really ?........... You seem to set a different standard for those that kill someone in the US.

Maybe using a few brain cells would have stopped Zimmerman from following Martin, as he was asked.
Maybe a few brain cells would have stopped something from over reacting when popcorn was thrown at him.

I could go on but people will get the general idea.


"he broke the first rule ....."
"Still if he had used two brain cells ....." ...... blah blah blah

People are always going to break safety rules, people are always going to behave in stupid ways. There is no way of preventing such people creating the messes that they create. But we can take steps to prevent them having access to lethal weapons.

Whatever mess fools create will be a whole lot less dangerous to the rest of us if they are not armed with lethal weapons.




thishereboi -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/10/2014 9:41:41 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: tj444


quote:

ORIGINAL: BamaD

Still if he had used two brain cells he could have avoided this.

it was in the middle of the night, if he was asleep, as he claims, he likely was not completely awake and aware & mistook what he heard and what he thought was going on..

I have a problem with some of the witness testimony.. humans make the worst witnesses and the ones that testified they heard shots and screams (when they only just woke up) could have been mistaken on if they were gun shots or the bat hitting the door to open in and the screams being the girls and not his.. when my alarm wakes me in the morning I sometimes am not awake enough and think its the telephone ringing.. so I discount their version of what they think they heard.. However, testimony given by others is harder to discount so I cant say how I feel about his guilt..

This is a hard one to call, imo.. I would not want to be the Judge in this case...

[sm=2cents.gif]



Screams are hard to interpret even when you are awake. A friend and I were standing in front of the store smoking and heard a girl scream around the side of the building. We both went racing around only to find a group of kids playing. I also used to have a cat that would sit under my window at night and sounded just like a baby crying. Sounds can be confusing as hell.




Musicmystery -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/10/2014 10:30:52 AM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: BamaD


quote:

ORIGINAL: cloudboy

What happened:

Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, law school graduate and budding reality-television star, was shot to death through a locked bathroom door at Mr. Pistorius’s villa in a gated complex in Pretoria.

He (Pistorius, the shooter) has described the episode as a tragic accident, saying he mistook her for an intruder. The state has charged him with premeditated murder, which carries a minimum 25-year prison term on conviction.


Although this happened in another country, the facts are a text book example of "living in fear" and the stupid use of guns for "protection" and "self-defense."

--

In a newspaper article this week, the crime writer Margie Orford asked whether the notion of an intruder in crime-ridden South Africa was a reference to “the figure of the threatening black stranger,” which she said was “perhaps the most atavistic of white South African fears” molded by the specter of “swart gevaar,” or “black peril,” that underpinned apartheid.

“So many men in South Africa,” she added in the article, “exist in this state of macho hair-trigger tension in which action comes, all too often, before thought.”


"macho," "hair trigger tension," "action before thought"
---- Where have we seen these elements combine before?

Yes Pistorius was stupid first rule of hunting, let alone self defense is don't shoot at something you can't see.

If this had happened in a stand your ground case, you'd be arguing that he couldn't take that chance, and had every right to shoot to defend himself.




BamaD -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/10/2014 1:00:07 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Musicmystery


quote:

ORIGINAL: BamaD


quote:

ORIGINAL: cloudboy

What happened:

Reeva Steenkamp, a 29-year-old model, law school graduate and budding reality-television star, was shot to death through a locked bathroom door at Mr. Pistorius’s villa in a gated complex in Pretoria.

He (Pistorius, the shooter) has described the episode as a tragic accident, saying he mistook her for an intruder. The state has charged him with premeditated murder, which carries a minimum 25-year prison term on conviction.


Although this happened in another country, the facts are a text book example of "living in fear" and the stupid use of guns for "protection" and "self-defense."

--

In a newspaper article this week, the crime writer Margie Orford asked whether the notion of an intruder in crime-ridden South Africa was a reference to “the figure of the threatening black stranger,” which she said was “perhaps the most atavistic of white South African fears” molded by the specter of “swart gevaar,” or “black peril,” that underpinned apartheid.

“So many men in South Africa,” she added in the article, “exist in this state of macho hair-trigger tension in which action comes, all too often, before thought.”


"macho," "hair trigger tension," "action before thought"
---- Where have we seen these elements combine before?

Yes Pistorius was stupid first rule of hunting, let alone self defense is don't shoot at something you can't see.

If this had happened in a stand your ground case, you'd be arguing that he couldn't take that chance, and had every right to shoot to defend himself.

No you don't shoot when you can't see your target.




fucktoyprincess -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/10/2014 1:38:44 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: BamaD

Still if he had used two brain cells he could have avoided this.


You think this South African should behave in a smarter way than the trigger happy Americans you constantly defend? There are many cases in the U.S. where if the shooter had just had two brain cells the death of an innocent person could have been avoided. What's different here that you are singing such a different song? So do you think Americans just lack brain cells to begin with, so there should be no expectation of proper thinking during confrontations in the U.S.? How sad that you have such a low opinion of Americans. [&:]




kalikshama -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/10/2014 1:44:45 PM)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/oscar-pistorius/10251852/Oscar-Pistorius-murder-charges-witnesses-heard-a-woman-scream-then-gunshots.html

The prosecution statement appeared to suggest that even if the judge who hears Mr Pistorius’ case believes his claim that he acted out of fear of an intruder, he should still be found guilty of murder.

Referring to Mr Pistorius’ claim that he believed Miss Steenkamp was an intruder, it added: “An error in persona will not affect the intention to kill a human being.”




BamaD -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/10/2014 1:46:08 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: fucktoyprincess


quote:

ORIGINAL: BamaD

Still if he had used two brain cells he could have avoided this.


You think this South African should behave in a smarter way than the trigger happy Americans you constantly defend? There are many cases in the U.S. where if the shooter had just had two brain cells the death of an innocent person could have been avoided. What's different here that you are singing such a different song? So do you think Americans just lack brain cells to begin with, so there should be no expectation of proper thinking during confrontations in the U.S.? How sad that you have such a low opinion of Americans. [&:]

I realize that this fact has eluded you since I have pointed it out three times already but in none of those cases you so glibly refer to did the American shoot without seeing his target.




kalikshama -> RE: South Africa -- Pistorius Trial -- Sensless Murder of Girlfriend (3/10/2014 1:47:05 PM)

http://www.latimes.com/world/worldnow/la-fg-wn-oscar-pistorius-murder-trial-20140303,0,6849114.story#axzz2vawPwGQh

...In her testimony, Burger said that when she heard the screams, she assumed that intruders were attacking a couple. She said she heard a woman scream for help, and a man’s voice also calling for help.

She said she told her husband to phone the apartment complex's security guards to report the incident. Shortly afterward, the woman’s screams grew louder, she said.

“My husband went back on the balcony. I was still in bed. I heard her scream again. It was worse. It was more intense. She was very scared. The screams were at a climax,” Burger testified.

She said she then heard four gunshots. “Bang ... bang-bang ... bang,” she said, describing a pause between the first shot, followed by two shots close together, then a small pause followed by a fourth shot.

Burger said she told her husband that she believed a neighbor had seen her husband shot dead in front of her by an intruder.

She testified that her husband called her at work the next day to tell her that about news reports that Oscar Pistorius had killed his girlfriend and had mistaken her for a burglar.

“I told my husband it could not be, because that was not what we heard,” she told the court. Burger said she did not know Pistorius and had never seen him before Monday’s court hearing.

...In addition to the murder charge, the prosecution also read out two charges of recklessly discharging a gun in a public place, once in a restaurant and once through the sunroof of a car, against Pistorius. He was also charged with illegal possession of ammunition. He pleaded not guilty to all those charges as well.







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